Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2013 


http://archive.org/details/truechristianity01arnd_0 


A  TREATISE 

ON 

SINCERE  REPENTAKCE,  TRUE  FAITH,  THE  HOL^ 
WALK  OF  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN,  ETC. 

BY  THE  VENEUAELE 

JOHN  ARNDT, 

GENERAL   SUPERINTENDENT  OF  ECCLESIASTICAL  AFFAIRS  IN  THE  PRINCIPALITY  OF  LUNEBURG. 


ORIGINALLY  TRANSLATED  INTO  ENGLISH  BY  REV.  A.  W.  BOEHM, 
GERMAN  CHAPLAIN  AT  THE  COURT  OF  ST.  JAMES, 
AND  PUBLISHED  IN  LONDON,  A.D.  1712. 


%  lltto  American  (!BbitiaiT, 

REVISED,  CORRECTED,  AKD  FURNISHED  WITH  ADDITIONAL  MATTER  FROM 
THE  ORIGINAL  GERMAN, 

TOGETHER  WITH  A 

GENERAL  INTRODUCTION, 

By  CHARLES  F.  SCHAEFFER,  D.D., 

PROFESSOR  OF  THEOLOGY  IN  THE  THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY  OF  THE  EVANGELICAL  LUTHERAN  CHURCH, 

AT  PHILADELPHIA. 


PHILADELPHIA: 
THE   LUTHERAN   BOOK  STORE, 

No.  117  N.  Sixth  Street. 

1872. 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  186iJ, 
Bt  JOSEPH   A.  SEISS, 
In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  Distiict  Court  of  the  United  States  for  the  Eastern  District  of  Pennsylvania 


OAZTON    PRESS    OF    SUERMAN    k  CO. 


CONTENTS. 


Introduction.    By  the  Editor,   xi 

Preface.    By  the  Author,   xxxix 

BOOK  I. 

WHEREIN  TRUE  CHRISTIANITY,  SINCERE  SORROW  FOR  SIN,  REPENTANCE,  FAITH, 
AND  THE  HOLY  LIFE  OP  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN,  ARE  CONSIDERED. 


Chap.  I.  Showing  what  the  image  of  God  in  man  is,  1 

Chap.  II.  Of  the  fall  of  Adam,  4 

Chap.  III.  Showing  how  man  is  renewed  in  Christ  unto  eternal  life,  ....  7 
Chap.  IV.  Of  true  repentance,  and  the  true  yoke  and  cross  of  Christ,   ....  11 

Chap.  V.  Wherein  does  true  faith  consist  ?  14 

Chap.  YI.  Showing  how  the  vital  power  of  the  Word  of  God  should  be  manifested  in 

man  through  faith,     .       .       ,  17 

Chap.  VII.  The  law  of  God,  written  in  the  hearts  of  all  men,  convinces  them  that  in 

the  day  of  judgment  they  will  be  without  excuse,  19 

Chap.  VIII.  No  one  can  find  comfort  in  Christ  and  his  merits  who  does  not  truly  re- 
pent,  22 

Chap.  IX.  The  unchristian  walk  of  many  persons  in  our  day,  is  a  cause  of  the  rejection 

of  Christ  and  of  the  true  faith,  26 

Chap.  X.  The  children  of  the  world  are  against  Christ,  and,  consequently,  their  life 

and  their  Christianity  are  both  alike  false,  27 

Chap.  XI.  Showing  that  he  does  not  truly  repent,  is  not  a  Christian,  and  not  a  child  of 
God,  who  does  not,  in  his  life  and  conduct,  follow  Christ;  also,  wherein  the  new 

birth  and  the  yoke  of  Christ  consist,  29 

Chap.  XII.  The  true  Christian  dies  unto  himself  and  the  world,  and  lives  in  Christ,    .  34 
Chap.  XIII.  The  Christian  ought  willingly  to  die  unto  himself  and  the  world,  for  the 
sake  of  the  love  of  Christ,  and  for  the  sake  of  that  future  and  eternal  glory,  for 
which  we  were  created  and  redeemed,       ....  ....  37 

Chap.  XIV.  The  true  Christian,  who  imitates  Christ,  hates  his  own  life  in  this  world, 

and  forsakes  the  world,  41 

Chap.  XV.  Showing  how  the  "old  man"  daily  dies,  and  the  "new  man"  is  daily  re- 
newed, in  a  true  Christian ;  also,  wherein  self-denial  consists,  and  what  is  meant 

by  the  Christian's  cross,  45 

Chap.  XVI.  A  conflict  is  constantly  maintained  in  the  Christian  between  the  Spirit  and 

the  flesh,  48 

(  iii  ) 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE 

CnAP.  XYII.  The  inlioritance  and  possessions  of  Christians  are  not  of  this  world;  they 
should,  therefore,  regard  themselves  as  strangers  in  it,  while  they  make  use  of 

earthly  things,  50 

CiiAP.  XVIII.  .Showing  how  greatly  God  is  offended,  when  man  prefers  things  that  are 
temporal  to  those  that  are  eternal ;  and  how  great  the  evil  is,  when  our  affections 

cleave  to  the  creature  and  not  to  the  Creator,  54 

Chap.  XIX.  He  who  is  most  of  all  conscious  of  his  misery,  is  most  of  all  acceptable  to 
God ;  and  his  Christian  knowledge  of  his  misery,  urges  him  to  seek  the  grace  of 

God,  67 

Chap.  XX.  A  truly  Christian  sorrow  for  sin  promotes  the  daily  amendment  of  the  life 
of  man,  makes  him  meet  for  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  fits  him,  in  an  increasing 
degree,  for  eternal  life,       .........       ...  61 

CnAP.  XXI.  Of  the  true  worship  of  God,  66 

Chap.  XXII.  A  true  Christian  is  known  primarily  by  love,  and  by  a  daily  amendment 

of  life,  72 

Chap.  XXIII.  He  who,  in  Christ,  desires  to  grow  in  grace,  is  often  compelled  to  with- 
draw from  worldly  society,  74 

Chap.  XXIV.  Of  the  love  of  God  and  our  neighbor,  77 

Chap.  XXV.  The  love  of  our  neighbor  more  particularly  considered,  ....  83 
Chap.  XXVI   Wherefore  our  neighbor  is  to  be  loved,    .......  85 

Chap.  XXVII.  Wherefore  our  enemies  are  to  be  loved,  89 

Chap.  XXVIII.  Showing  how  the  love  of  the  Creator  should  be  preferred  to  that  of  all 

creatures  ;  and  how  our  neighbor  is  to  be  loved  in  God,  91 

Chap.  XXIX.  Of  that  reconciliation  to  our  neighbor,  without  which  God  withdraws 

his  grace,  94 

Chap.  XXX.  Of  the  fruits  of  love,  98 

Chap.  XXXI.  Pride  and  self-love  corrupt  and  destroy  even  the  best  and  noblest  gifts,  .  103 
Chap.  XXXII.  Great  gifts  do  not  demonstrate  a  man  to  be  a  Christian,  but  faith  that 

works  by  love,  106 

Chap.  XXXIII.  God  has  no  respect  to  the  works  of  any  one ;  but  judges  of  works  ac- 
cording to  the  heart,  108 

Chap.  XXXIV.  Showing  that  God  alone,  without  any  human  aid,  is  the  author  of  our 
salvation,  and  that  we  arc  to  submit  unreservedly  to  his  grace;  also,  that  Christ's 
merit  is  not  imputed  to  the  impenitent,  109 

Chap.  XXXV.  All  wisdom,  arts,  and  sciences,  yea,  even  the  knowledge  of  the  whole 

Scripture,  are  vain,  without  a  holy  and  Christian  life,  113 

Chap.  XXXVI.  He  who  does  not  live  in  Christ,  but  gives  his  heart  to  the  world,  has 
only  the  outward  letter  of  the  Scriptures,  but  he  does  not  experience  their  power, 
or  eat  of  the  hidden  manna,  116 

Chap.  XXXVII.  He  who  does  not  follow  Christ  in  faith,  holiness,  and  continued  re- 
pentance, cannot  be  delivered  from  the  blindness  of  his  heart,  but  must  abide  in 
eternal  darkness ;  and  he  cannot  have  a  true  knowledge  of  Christ,  or  fellowship 
with  him,  122 

Chap.  XXXVIII.  Showing  that  an  unchristian  life  leads  to  false  doctrine,  hardness  of 

heart,  and  blindness  ;  also,  treating  of  the  eternal  election  of  grace,       .       .       .  129 

Chap.  XXXIX.  Showing  that  the  purity  of  the  doctrine  of  the  divine  Word,  is  main- 
tained not  only  by  discussions  and  publications,  but  also  by  true  repentance  and 
holiness  of  life,  132 

Chap.  XL.  Sundry  rules  for  leading  a  holy  life,  137 


CONTENTS. 


V 


Chap.  XLI.  The  whole  of  Christianity  consists  in  the  restoration  of  the  image  of  God 

in  man,  and  the  destruction  of  the  image  of  Satan,  142 

Chap.  XLII.  In  this  concluding  Chapter  the  reasons  for  adopting  the  method  observed 
in  Book  I,  are  explained  ;  the  duty  of  guarding  against  spiritual  pride  is  described, 
and  the  truth  is  set  forth  that  true  spiritual  gifts  cannot  be  obtained  without 
prayer,  153 


Preface  to  the  Second  Book,    ........  .      .  157 

BOOK  II. 

Chap.  I.  Jesus  Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  is  given  to  us  by  our  Heavenly  Father  as  our 
help  against  the  damnable  and  deadly  poison  of  Original  Sin,  and  the  pernicious 
fruits  thereof,  as  well  as  a  protector  against  all  the  calamities  and  evils  both  of  the 
body  and  the  soul,  159 

Chap.  II.  The  manner  in  which  the  Christian  should  apply  and  appropriate  to  himself 

the  consolation,  noticed  in  Chapter  I,  163 

Chap.  III.  Our  righteousness  before  God,  consists  solely  in  the  perfect  obedience  and 

merit  of  Christ  Jesus,  and  in  the  remission  of  sin  apprehended  by  faith,  .       .       .  168 

Chap.  IY.  Showing  that  saving  faith  in  the  true  Christian,  produces  manifold  fruits  of 
righteousness,  and  that  these  must  proceed  from  the  depth  of  the  heart ;  also,  that 
the  character  of  our  outward  works,  depends,  in  the  judgment  of  God,  upon  the 
state  of  the  heart,  172 

Chap.  V.  Showing  that  the  evidence  of  true  Christianity  does  not  consist  in  the  knowl- 
edge and  the  hearing  of  God's  word,  but  that  he  is  a  Christian,  in  whose  life  God's 
word  is  manifested,  and  who  beseeches  God  in  sincerity  that  this  word,  as  a  divine 
seed,  may  be  quickened  in  him,  and  bear  fruit,  177 

Chap.  YI.  The  perfection  and  salvation  of  men  depend  on  union  with  Christ  by  faith ; 
but  to  this  they  can  contribute  nothing,  whereas  they  rather  interfere  with  the  grace 
of  God  by  their  perverse  will ;  but  Christ,  and  He  alone,  accomplishes  the  work  in 
us,  182 

Chap.  YII.  Showing  that,  in  order  to  understand  the  true  nature  of  repentance,  we 
must  necessarily  know  the  distinction  between  the  old  and  new  man  ;  or,  how  in  us 
Adam  must  die,  and  Christ  live  ;  or,  how  in  us  the  old  man  must  die,  and  the  new 
man  live,  184 

Chap.  YIII.  Showing  how  graciously  God  invites  us  to  repentance,  and  how  necessary 

it  is  that  it  should  not  be  delayed,      ...   188 

Chap.  IX.  Showing  what  repentance  is,  and  the  manner  in  which  the  sinner  truly  re- 
pents ;  also,  how  the  goodness  of  God  leads  us  to  repentance,  193 

Chap.  X.  The  four  properties  of  true  repentance,  201 

Chap.  XI.  Showing  that  the  fruit  of  conversion  is  the  new  creature ;  also,  that  the 
Christian  is,  by  faith,  a  lord  over  all,  and,  by  love,  a  servant  of  all;  and,  that  the 
life  of  Christ  is  a  mirror  for  us,  206 

Chap.  XII.  Showing  that  Christ  is  the  only  way  and  end  of  true  godliness;  and  that 

man  goes  astray,  when  God  does  not  guide  and  direct  him,  207 

Chap.  XIII.  Showing  that  Jesus  Christ  is  the  true  Book  of  life,  and  that  his  poverty 

teaches  us  to  despise  the  glory  of  the  world,  209 

Chap.  XIY.  Showing  how  Christ,  by  the  shame  and  contempt  which  he  endured,  and 

by  his  self-denial,  teaches  us  to  despise  the  honor  and  glory  of  the  world,        .       .  212 

Chap.  XY.  Showing  how  we  should,  through  Christ,  bear  and  overcome  the  trials  and 

contempt  of  the  world,  214 


CONTENTS. 


lAQM 

Cbap.  XVI.  Showing  how  Christians  are  to  seek  and  obtain  favor  and  glory  through 

Christ,  in  Heaven,   218 

Chap.  XVII.  Showing  how  we  may  through  Christ,  and  after  the  example  of  all  the 

saints,  overcome  the  calumnies  of  men,  220 

Chap.  XVIII.  Showing  how  the  sorrows  and  pains  of  Christ  should  teach  us  to  subdue 

the  lusts  of  the  flesh,  230 

Chap.  XIX.  Showing  how  we  should  behold  in  the  crucified  Christ,  as  in  the  Book  of 

life,  both  our  sins,  and  also  the  displeasure,  the  love,  justice,  and  wisdom  of  God,  .  232 
Chap.  XX  Of  the  power  and  necessity  of  prayer,  in  these  holy  contemplations,  .       .  234 

Chap.  XXI.  Of  the  power  of  the  noble  virtue  of  humility,  238 

Chap.  XXII.  All  the  works  of  a  true  Christian  must  be  done  in  humility,  or  they  will, 

otherwise,  become  an  abomination  and  idolatry,  241 

Chap.  XXIIT.  A  man  who  does  not  perceive  his  own  emptiness,  and  does  not  give  all 

the  honor  to  God,  commits  the  greatest  of  sins,  and  falls  like  Satan,       ,       .       .  244 

Chap.  XXIV.  Of  the  noble  virtue  of  love,  and  of  its  power,  soundness,  and  purity,  .  245 
Chap.  XXV.  Sundry  signs  by  which  we  may  ascertain  whether  we  truly  love  Christ,  .  249 

Chap.  XXVI.  Five  kinds  of  works  of  love,  in  which  the  grace  and  goodness  of  God 

are  egpecially  revealed,  251 

Chap.  XXVII.  Showing  how  the  Lord  Jesus  manifests  himself  to  the  loving  soul  as 

the  highest  love  and  the  highest  Good,      .........  255 

Chap.  XXVIII.  Showing  how  the  highest  Good  is  perceived  and  tasted  in  the  soul,    .  256 

Chap.  XXIX.  Showing  how  the  loving  soul  considers  God  in  his  benefits  as  the  most 

liberal  bountifulness,  .............  258 

Chap.  XXX.  Showing  how  God  manifests  himself  to  the  loving  soul,  as  the  supreme 

beauty,  262 

Chap.  XXXI.  Showing  how  God  manifests  himself  to  the  loving  soul  as  the  infinite 

omnipotence,      ..............  26 

Chap.  XXXII.  Showing  how  the  loving  soul  knows  God  as  the  highest  righteousness 

and  holiness,  264 

Chap.  XXXIII.  Showing  how  the  loving  soul  considers  God  as  the  eternal  wisdom,    .  266 

Chap.  XXXIV.  Showing  how  a  man  should  seek  the  wisdom  of  God  by  prayer;  con- 
taining also  a  useful  Treatise  on  Prayer,  wherein  the  reader  is  taught  how  the  heart 
is  to  be  moved  unto  prayer,  and  brought  into  a  quiet  sabbath,  so  that  prayer  may 
be  wrought  in  us  by  the  Lord  ;  the  whole  being  set  forth  in  Twelve  Sections,        .  269 

Sect.  I.  All  that  we  have  lost  in  Adam,  we  recover  fully  and  completely  in  Christ,  .  269 

Sect.  II.  The  evils  that  follow  the  neglect  of  prayer, .       .       ^      .       .       .       .  270 

Sect.  III.  The  benefits  of  continual  prayer,   271 

Sect.  IV.  The  true  Christian  chooses  the  narrow  way  in  Christ,  rather  than  the 

broad  way  in  Adam,   273 

Sect.  V.  Considerations  which  should  move  the  heart  to  commune  with  God  in 

prayer,   274 

Sect.  VI.  The  omniscient  God  knows  what  we  stand  in  need  of,  before  we  ask  him,  275 

Sect.  VII.  That  God  invites  and  engages  all  men  to  the  exercise  of  prayer,  and 

promises  to  hear  their  petitions,  276 

Sect.  VIII.  God  is  no  respecter  of  persons,  but  has  an  impartial  love  for  all  his  crea- 
tures,  277 

Sect.  IX.  Showing  that  it  is  equally  sinful  to  pray  to  God  upon  the  presumption  of 

our  own  merit,  and  to  forbear  on  account  of  our  unworthiness,    ....  279 


CONTENTS.  Tii 


PAOl 

Sect.  X.  The  true  worshipper  ought  not  to  seek  after  God  in  any  particular  place  ; 

for  he  finds  him  everywhere  in  spirit  and  in  truth,   280 

Sect.  XI,  The  worshipper  is  not  restricted  to  certain  times  of  prayer,  but  may  at  any 

hour  address  God  in  prayer,  provided  that  he  does  not  hinder  himself,        .       .  281 
Sect.  XII.  The  considerations  stated  above,  not  only  dispose  the  heart  to  true  prayer, 

but  also  furnish  various  useful  lessons,   284 

Chap.  XXXV.  Prayer  is  the  sign  of  a  true  Christian,  that  is,  of  one  who  is  anointed 

of  the  Lord,   285 

Chap.  XXXVI.  On  the  benefits  and  power  of  prayer,  and  on  its  true  ground  or  founda- 
tion,   287 

Chap.  XXXVII.  Keasons  why  God  certainly  hears  our  prayers,   291 

Chap.  XXXVIII.  Seven  helps  or  aids  for  our  infirmities  in  prayer,      ....  298 

Chap.  XXXIX.  The  conversation  of  a  believing  soul  with  God,   301 

Chap.  XL.  A  conversation  between  faith  and  the  mercy  of  God,   304 

Chap.  XLI.  The  great  benefits,  and  the  great  efficacy  of  praise  oflfered  to  God,     .       .  305 

Chap.  XLII.  The  reasons  for  which  we  ought  daily  to  ofier  praises  to  God,  .       .       .  309 

Chap.  XLIII.  To  praise  God  is  the  highest  and  most  honorable  employment  of  men,  .  315 
Chap.  XLIV.  Of  patience,  which  triumphantly  endures  the  cross,  and  waits  for  the 

promised  glory,  ..............  318 

Chap.  XLV.  Divine  consolation  produces  patience  under  afflictions,     ....  322 

Chap.  XLVI.  Motives  to  patience ;  and,  the  benefits  of  the  cross,        ....  326 

The  benefits  of  the  cross,  ..........  328 

Chap.  XLVII.  Sentences,  and  examples  of  patience  and  consolation,    ....  329 

Chap.  XLVIII.  There  is  no  affliction  for  which  God  has  not  provided  appropriate 
consolation.    The  consolation  which  he  affords  is  always  greater  than  our  misery  ; 

this  consideration  should  sustain  and  confirm  our  patience,      .....  332 

Chap.  XLIX.  The  truth  of  God  and  the  certainty  of  his  promises,  ought  to  dispose  us 

to  patience,  ...............  336 

Chap.  L.  Showing  how  hope  is  tested  in  seasons  of  adversity  ;  it  m'aketh  not  ashamed,  341 

Chap.  LI.  Comfort  for  those  that  are  weak  in  faith,   344 

Chap.  LII.  Comforting  instructions  for  those  that  are  laboring  under  great  tempta- 
tions in  spirit,      ..............  349 

Chap.  LIII.  Consolations  for  those  who  labor  under  great  spiritual  temptations,  .       .  355 

Chap.  LIV.  Comforts  under  secret  and  spiritual  temptations  of  the  devil,    .       .       .  361 

Chap.  LV.  The  reasons  for  which  God  sometimes  delays  his  comfort  and  assistance,     .  365 
Chap.  LVI.  Showing  that  in  seasons  of  trial  the  consideration  of  the  exalted  patience 
of  Christ,  and  of  the  future  and  eternal  glory,  will  alleviate  the  burden  of  the 

cross,   367 

Chap.  LVII.  Consolations  against  the  fears  of  death,   368 

Conclusion  of  the  Second  Book,   374 


Preface  to  the  Third  Book,  375 

BOOK  III 

Chap.  I.  Of  the  great  internal  treasure  of  an  enlightened  believer,  ....  378 
Chap.  II.  True  faith,  and  converse  with  the  soul,  the  only  means  of  attaining  to  this 

inward  treasure,  381 


viii 


CONTENTS. 


PAGS 


Chap.  III.  The  whole  treasure  of  the  inner  man  depends  on  faith,  namely,  God, 

Christ,  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  the  kingdom  of  God,   384 

Chap.  IV.  The  believing  soul  seeks  God  internally,  in  itself;  its  beauty  and  blessed- 
ness when  it  is  united  with  God,   388 

Chap.  V.  Showing  liow  a  man  may  be  drawn  to  God;  also,  wherein  spiritual  poverty 

consists  ;  and,  what  the  degrees  of  humility  are,   3S9 

Chap.  VI.  The  seat  of  God  in  the  soul,   390 

Chap.  VII.  Of  the  dignity  of  the  soul;  of  true  repentance;  and,  of  divine  mercy,     .  392 

Chap.  VIII.  The  calling  of  God  is  earnest  and  sincere,  and  directs  us  to  come  to  him,  393 

Chap.  IX.  The  purifying  influence  of  true  faith,   395 

Chap.  X.  Showing  how  the  natural  light  in  us  must  disappear,  and  the  light  of  grace 

shine  forth,   397 

Chap.  XI.  God,  the  light  of  the  soul,  directing  us  not  to  judge  our  neighbors,  .  .  399 
Chap.  XII.  The  Christian  ought  daily,  once  at  least,  wholly  to  abstract  himself  from 

all  external  objects,  and  retire  into  his  own  soul ;  the  advantages  of  this  course,  .  401 
Chap.  XIII.  Showing  how  the  love  of  God  enters  into  the  soul,  when  it  is  empty  of 

the  love  of  the  creatures,    ............  402 

Chap.  XIV.  Of  the  exercise  of  patience  and  love,   404 

Chap.  XV.  Showing  how  Christ,  the  eternal  Word  of  the  Father,  perfects  his  work  in 

the  hearts  of  the  faithful,  by  love  and  humility,   405 

Chap.  XVI.  Showing  how  the  Holy  Spirit  operates  in  our  souls,   408 

Chap.  XVII.  Signs  of  the  presence  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  us,   409 

Chap.  XVIII.  Showing  how  worldly  pleasures  drive  away  the  Holy  Spirit,        .       .  410 

Chap.  XIX.  Of  inward  prayer,  and  of  the  true  use  of  the  Lord's  Prayer,  .  .  .  412 
Chap.  XX.  Showing  that  humility  must  first  be  laid  as  a  foundation  in  the  heart,  and 

all  our  works  must  rest  on  it ;  its  blessed  influences,   414 

Chap.  XXI.  Showing  that  a  man  ought  to  rest  in  God  alone,  and  not  in  his  gifts;  and 

that  he  must  deny  himself,   415 

Chap.  XXII.  Showing  how  our  works  may  be  rendered  acceptable  to  God,  .       .       .  416 

Chap.  XXIII.  Of  the  mystery  of  the  Cross,  by  which  we  are  drawn  to  God,       .       .  419 


Preface  to  the  Fourth  Book,  423 

BOOK  lY. 


PAKT  I. 

TEEATING  OF  THE  WORKS  OP  THE  SIX  DAYS  OF  CREATION,  IN  GENERAL. 

Chap.  I.  Of  light,  the  work  of  the  First  Day,  425 

Chap,  II.  Of  heaven,  the  work  of  the  Second  Day,  429 

Chap.  III.  Of  the  separation  of  the  waters  from  the  land,  the  work  of  the  Third  Day,  431 


CONTENTS. 


ix 


7A0I 

Chap.  IV.  Of  the  sun,  moon,  and  stars,  the  work  of  the  Fourth  Day,  ....  440 
Chap.  V.  Of  the  waters,  and  their  productions,  the  work  of  the  Fifth  Day,  ,  .  .  446 
Chap.  VI.  Of  the  living  creatures,  the  work  of  the  Sixth  Day,  450 


PAKT  II. 

TREATING  SPECIALLY  OF  MAN. 

Chap.  I.  God,  an  infinite  and  eternal  Being,   458 

Chap.  II.  God,  the  Supreme  Good,   459 

Chap.  III.  Man,  the  most  noble  of  all  creatures,  and  made  for  the  service  of  God,      .  4G0 

Chap.  IV.  God  made  man  in  his  own  image,  in  order  that  he  might  delight  in  him,    .  4G0 

Chap.  V.  That  God  by  his  love  bestows  himself  upon  us,      .....       .  4G1 

Chap.  VI.  Showing  how  much  man  is  indebted  to  God  for  his  everlasting  love,  .       .  462 

Chap.  VII.  Of  the  things  that  instruct  and  comfort  the  soul,   462 

Chap.  VIII.  Of  the  obligations  under  which  men  lie  to  God,       .....  463 

Chap.  IX.  Man  even  more  indebted  to  God  for  inward,  than  for  outward  blessings,     .  464 

Chap.  X.  Of  the  wisdom  which  God  has  shown  in  the  formation  of  man,      .       .       .  465 

Chap.  XI.  Of  the  obligations  man  lies  under  to  God,   465 

Chap.  XII.  Of  answering  the  obligations  which  man  lies  under  to  God,       .       .       .  466 
Chap.  XIII.  Showing  that  God's  love  appears  in  all  his  works,  even  in  his  chastise- 
ments, ................  467 

Chap.  XIV.  Showing  how,  and  on  what  account,  man  is  obliged  to  love  God,  .  .  468 
Chap.  XV.  Showing  that  all  the  creatures  continually  remind  us  of  the  love  which  we 

owe  to  God,   469 

Chap.  XVI.  A  general  rule  teaching  us  how  to  answer  our  obligations  to  God,    .       .  469 

Chap.  XVII.  Showing  that  the  Christian  who  loves  not  God  is  without  excuse,  .       .  470 

Chap.  XVIII.  Showing  tljat  our  duty  to  God  tends  to  promote  our  own  happiness,  .  471 
Chap.  XIX.  The  service  which  the  creatures  render  to  man,  compared  with  that  which 

man  renders  to  God,   .............  471 

Chap.  XX.  All  things  are  preserved  by  the  hand  of  God,   472 

Chap.  XXI.  Showing  that  from  the  service  of  man  and  the  creatures,  a  union  takes 

place  between  the  visible  world,  man,  and  God,   473 

Chap.  XXII.  From  the  love  which  we  owe  to  God,  proceeds  that  which  we  owe  to  our 

neighbor,     .   474 

Chap.  XXIII.  Man  is  made  in  the  image  of  God,   474 

Chap.  XXIV.  That  man  is  obliged  to  love  his  neighbor  as  himself,      ....  475 
Chap.  XXV.  All  mankind  are  to  be  considered  as  one  man,  or  as  being  many  mem- 
bers of  one  great  body,   476 

Chap.  XXVI.  Charity,  the  foundation  of  the  greatest  strength,   477 

Chap.  XXVII.  Of  the  nature,  properties,  and  fruits  of  love,   477 

Chap.  XXVIII.  Love  unites  him  who  loves  with  the  person  loved,  and  transforms  into 

the  same  nature,   478 

Chap.  XXIX.  Nothing  is  worthy  of  our  love,  but  that  which  can  make  us  more  noble 

and  pure,   479 


X 


CONTENTS. 


PAOK 

Chap.  XXX.  Our  chief  love  is  due  to  God,  as  the  first  and  last,  the  beginning  and  the 

end  of  all  things,   479 

Chap.  XXXI.  He  who  principally  loves  himself,  actually  sets  up  himself  in  God's 

stead,   480 

Chap.  XXXII.  Love  to  God,  the  source  of  all  that  is  good;  self-love,  the  source  of  all 

evil,   481 

Chap.  XXXIII.  Of  the  love  of  God,  and  the  love  of  self,   482 

Chap.  XXXIV.  Love  to  God,  the  only  source  of  peace  and  unity,        ,       .       .       .  483 

Chap.  XXXY.  Showing  how  we  ought  to  love  God,   483 

Chap.  XXXVI.  Divine  joy,  the  fruit  of  divine  love,   484 

Chap.  XXXVII.  Of  the  evil  fruits  of  self-love,   485 

Chap.  XXXVIII.  Everlasting  sorrow  and  death,  the  end  of  self-love  and  carnal  joy,  .  486 

Chap.  XXXIX.  All  that  we  have  must  be  oflfered  and  consecrated  to  God,  .       ...  487 

Chap.  XL.  He  can  never  praise  and  glorify  God,  who  seeks  his  own  glory,  .       .       .  488 

Conclusion,   488 

Index,   491 


INTRODUCTIOK 

BY  THE  AMEKICAI^^  EDITOR. 


"OOTII  the  general  purpose  of  the  venerable  John  Arndt  in  writing  his 
True  Christianity,"  and  also  his  own  character  and  spirit,  will  be 
best  exhibited  by  submitting  to  the  reader  a  statement  referring  to  his  per- 
sonal history.  He  was  born,  December  27th,  1555,  in  Ballenstadt,  a  town 
in  the  Duchy  of  Anhalt,  where  his  father.  Rev.  Jacob  Arndt,  long  labored 
as  the  chaplain  of  Duke  Wolfgang,  and  the  pastor  of  one  of  the  Evan- 
gelical Lutheran  congregations  of  the  place.  The  latter  was  a  devout  and 
faithful  minister  of  the  Gospel,  and  a  wise  and  affectionate  father.  He 
had,  from  the  earliest  period,  devoted  much  attention  to  the  religious 
education  of  his  son,  in  the  performance  of  which  holy  duty  he  was  faith- 
fully sustained  by  his  excellent  wife.  Their  efforts  were  abundantly 
blessed.  The  son,  even  in  his  early  years,  took  great  pleasure  in  reading 
the  writings  of  Luther,  and  also  acquired  a  fondness  for  those  of  Thomas 
d  Kempis,  of  Tauler,  and  of  others  who  breathed  the  same  spirit  of  devo- 
tion. That  this  feature  of  his  religious  character  did  not  undergo  any 
essential  change  in  his  riper  years,  appears  from  the  circumstance  that  he 
was  one  of  the  first  who  collected,  arranged,  and  republished  the  religious 
tracts  of  Stephen  Prsetorius,  a  Lutheran  divine  of  an  eminently  devout 
spirit.  These  were  subsequently  re-edited  by  Martin  Statins,  who  pre- 
fixed the  title:  Spiritual  Treasury  (Geistliche  Schatzkammer),  to  the  col- 
lection. This  book  of  devotion  was  highly  prized  by  Spener,  has  often 
been  reprinted,  is  found  in  many  German  households,  and  well  deserves 
to  be  translated,  and  thus  made  accessible  to  the  English  religious  public. 

§  2.  In  his  tenth  year  Arndt  lost  his  father,  but  the  orphan  soon  found 
friends  who,  in  the  good  providence  of  God,  enabled  him  to  continue  the 
studies  which  he  had  commenced  with  distinguished  success  under  the 
guidance  of  his  father.  After  completing  his  preparatory  education  in 
the  schools  of  Halberstadt  and  Magdeburg,  he  proceeded,  in  the  year 
1576,  to  the  university  of  Helmstedt,  which  had  recently  been  established. 

(  ) 


xii 


INTRODUCTIOK 


In  tlic  course  of  the  following  year,  1577,  he  went  as  a  student  to  the 
university  of  Wittenberg,  soon  after  the  official  recognition  of  the  princi- 
ples embodied  in  the  Formula  of  Concord  (published  in  1580),  by  which 
that  institution  received  a  strictly  Lutheran  character,  and  every  tendency 
to  any  other  doctrinal  system  was  successfully  arrested.  It  was  here  that 
he  formed  a  very  close  union,  first  as  a  student,  and  then  as  a  personal 
friend,  with  the  eminent  Polycarp  Leyser,  the  elder  of  that  name,  whose 
firmness  and  devotion  in  sustaining  the  distinctive  features  of  Lutheran- 
ism  have  assigned  to  him  a  high  position  in  the  history  of  his  Church. — 
After  Arndt  had,  even  at  this  early  age,  acquired  distinction  as  an  accom- 
plished private  lecturer  on  Natural  Philosophy,  etc.,  as  well  as  on  the 
Epistle  to  the  Romans,  Leyser  furnished  him  with  an  unusually  favorable 
recommendation  to  the  professors  in  Strasburg.  This  city,  the  govern- 
ment and  population  of  which  were  exclusively  Lutheran,  had  not  yet 
been  subjected  to  that  great  calamit^Mvhich  afterwards  befell  it,  when  the 
despot  and  bigot,  Louis  XIV.,  incorporated  it  w^ith  the  French  monarchy, 
and  by  assigning  undue  privileges  to  papists,  and  adopting  other  tyranni- 
cal measures,  opened  an  avenue  for  the  introduction,  not  merely  of  an 
inferior  Romanic  language,  but  also  of  the  errors  and  superstitions  of  the 
Church  of  Rome. 

§  3.  Arndt  continued  his  theological  studies  in  Strasburg,  under  the 
direction  of  Prof.  Pappus,  who  was  also  distinguished  for  his  devotion  to 
the  genuine  Lutheran  faith.  In  the  j-ear  1579  he  proceeded  to  Basel, 
where,  under  the  gentle  sway  of  S ulcer,  the  Lutheran  faith  had  acquired 
influence  and  authority.  In  this  cit}^  he  was  temporarily  engaged  as  the 
tutor  of  a  young  Polish  nobleman  ;  the  latter,  on  one  of  their  excursions, 
when  Arndt  had  accidentally  fallen  into  the  Rhine,  succeeded  in  seizing 
his  sinking  preceptor  by  the  hair  of  his  head,  and  thus  became  the  means, 
in  the  hands  of  God,  of  saving  a  life  of  incalculable  value,  designed  to 
prove  an  ever-flowing  source  of  blessings  to  the  Church. 

§4.  During  this  whole  period  Arndt  occupied  himself  with  the  study 
of  medicine,  in  connection  with  his  strictly  theological  studies;  it  is  pos- 
sible that  he  would  have  ultimately  chosen  the  practice  of  medicine  as  the 
business  of  his  life,  if  a  severe  illness  had  not  intervened.  After  his 
recovery,  he  believed  it  to  be  his  duty  to  renounce  his  personal  tastes,  and 
he  thenceforth  consecrated  himself  entirely  to  the  service  of  the  Church. 
His  medical  and  chemical  occupations,  although  not  abandoned,  were 
afterwards  regarded  by  him  only  as  a  recreation. 

§  5.  He  returned,  in  1581  or  1582,  to  his  native  place,  and  labored  for 
some  time  as  a  teacher,  until  he  was  called  by  his  prince,  Joachim  Ernest, 
to  be  the  pastor  of  the  congregation  in  Badeborn,  a  village  in  the  Duchy 
of  Anhalt ;  he  was,  accordingly,  ordained  in  the  month  of  October  of 
the  same  year.  It  was  here,  too,  that  he  was  married,  October  31,  1583, 
to  Anna  Wagner,  the  daughter  of  an  eminent  jurist,  with  whom  he  passed 


INTEODUCTION. 


xiii 


the  remaining  thirty-eight  years  of  his  life  in  unclouded  domestic  happi- 
ness. She  was  a  dev^out  Christian  woman,  who  cheered  and  encouraged 
Arndt  amid  his  many  cares,  alleviated  every  burden  to  the  extent  of  her 
ability,  and  was  always  regarded  by  him  with  tenderness  and  gratitude. 
They  were  childless ;  but  many  an  orphan  found  that  their  hearts  could 
overflow  with  love  towards  the  young  and  destitute — a  love  as  full  of 
warmth  as  beloved  children  have  ever  experienced  parental  love  to  be. 

§6.  In  this  first  pastoral  charge  of  Arndt,  the  unhappy  state  of  affairs 
subjected  him,  particularly  during  the  latter  part  of  the  seven  years 
which  he  spent  in  it,  to  a  "Lutheran  martyrdom,"  as  Tholuck  expresses 
himself  (Herzog.  Encyk.  I.,  636).  The  duke,  John  George,  who  now 
reigned  (a  relative  of  the  palsgrave,  or  count  palatine,  Casimir,  a  zealous 
Calvinist),  after  various  inward  struggles,  abandoned  the  Lutheran  faith, 
and,  in  the  year  1596,  publicly  adopted  the  Reformed  faith,  a  few  years 
after  the  transactions  to  which  we  now  refer.  Even  Protestant  rulers, 
who  had  not  yet  learned  the  theory  that  a  union  of  church  and  state  can 
operate  only  perniciously,  perpetually  interfered  in  the  internal  affairs  of 
the  church. — At  this  period  it  was  the  custom  of  Lutheran  pastors,  when 
they  administered  the  rite  of  Baptism,  to  follow  the  liturgical  form  which 
prescribed  "  exorcism."  This  feature  of  the  whole  baptismal  form,  which 
was  introduced  as  early  as  the  third  century,  or  even  earlier  (before  the 
da^-s  of  TertuUian  and  Origen),  consisted  simply  in  a  sentence  adjuring 
the  evil  spirit  to  depart  from  the  subject  of  Baptism.  The  early  practice 
had,  like  others,  been  gradually  associated,  after  the  rise  and  develop- 
ment of  popery,  with  superstitious  ideas,  such  as  was  also  the  case  with 
the  Lord's  Supper,  until  it  assumed  an  absurd  and  even  revolting  form. 
At  the  period  of  the  Reformation,  Zwingli  and  Calvin  (Inst.  IV.,  c.  15, 19; 
c.  19,  24)  rejected  the  whole  form  of  exorcism.  Luther  and  Alelanchthon, 
on  the  other  hand,  after  discarding  the  popish  excrescences,  believed  that 
the  scriptural  doctrine  w^hich  the  early  form  involved  or  suggested,  author- 
ized the  retention  of  the  practice,  when  restricted  to  a  very  plain  and 
simple  formula,  expressive  of  a  scriptural  truth. — ]^ow,  at  that  period,  as 
it  is  well  known,  unfriendly  feelings,  engendered  by  various  causes,  ex- 
isted to  a  certain  extent,  between  the  heads  respectively  of  the  Reformed 
and  the  Lutheran  churches,  in  consequence  of  which  even  harmless  customs 
which  none  would,  under  ordinary  circumstances,  either  advocate  or  con- 
demn with  partisan  feeling,  assumed  a  confessional  character.  Such  was 
the  case  with  the  purified  and  simple  Lutheran  baptismal  sentence  con- 
taining the  "  exorcism." 

§  7.  Arndt's  course  in  this  matter  has  often  been  misunderstood ;  as  it, 
however,  demonstrates  him  to  have  been  alike  a  very  firm  and  conscien- 
tious man,  and  also  an  uncompromising  supporter  of  the  distinctive  doc- 
trines and  usages  of  the  Lutheran  Church,  the  following  details  may  be 
appropriately  furnished. — The  language  which  Luther  retained  in  his  form 


xiv 


INTRODUCTION. 


for  Biii)t\sm  (Taiffbuchlew),  after  omitting  all  popish  and  superstitious  prac* 
tices,  was  the  following.  Between  the  prayer  and  the  reading  of  Mark 
10 :  13-16,  the  pastor  says:  "I  adjure  thee,  thou  unclean  spirit,  in  the 
name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  that  thou 
go  out  and  depart  from  this  servant  of  Jesus  Christ,  Amen." — Luther 
understood  the  form  to  be  a  declaration  or  distinct  confession  of  the  doc- 
trine of  Original  Sin,  and  a  renunciation  of  Satan.  Still,  the  Lutheran 
Church,  as  such,  never  recognized  the  necessity  of  this  ancient  form,  and 
its  confessional  writings  never  allude  to  it.  After  the  excitement  of  feel- 
ing peculiar  to  Arndt's  age,  had  been  allayed  by  time,  the  Lutheran 
Church  regarded  the  whole  as  a  mere  adiophoron^  that  is,  a  "thing  indiffer- 
ent,"  not  essentially  involving  any  principle  whatever,  inasmuch  as  the 
doctrine  of  Original  Sin  had  already  been  very  explicitly  set  forth  and 
confessed  in  her  Symbolical  Books.  Such  was  the  opinion  of  the  eminent 
Lutheran  dogmatical  writers,  Gerhard,  Quenstedt,  Hollaz,  etc.;  and  men 
like  Baier  and  Baumgarten  even  advocated  the  discontinuance  of  the 
practice.  It  is  no  longer  retained  in  any  prominent  manner  in  the 
Lutheran  Church. — But  in  the  age  in  which  Arndt  lived,  who  was  not  a 
man  that  would  obstinately  cling  to  a  mere  form,  the  rejection  of  the  for- 
mula of  Exorcism  did  involve  a  principle;  for,  under  the  peculiar  circum- 
stances, that  rejection  might  be  understood  to  be,  first,  a  rejection  of  the 
doctrine  of  Original  Sin,  and,  secondly,  an  afiirmation  that  the  children 
of  believing  parents  were  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  even  before  they 
had  received  Baptism.  But  all  this  seemed  to  conflict  with  the  Pauline 
doctrine  that  all  are  "by  nature  the  children  of  wrath."  Eph.  2:3. 
While,  then,  J.  Ben.  Carpzov,  the  distinguished  interpreter  of  the  Sym- 
bolical Books,  who  died  in  1557,  decides  that  the  "Exorcism"  is  in  itself 
a  matter  of  indifference,  and  may  without  scruple  be  dropped,  he  never- 
theless holds  that  if  the  omission  of  it  should  be  understood  as  a  denial 
of  the  Scripture  doctrine  of  the  corruption  of  human  nature  (Original 
Sin),  it  becomes,  in  such  a  case,  a  matter  of  principle  to  retain  the  for- 
mula. (Isagoge,  etc.,  p.  1122  ff. ;  1608.)  "Walch,  the  other  eminent  inter- 
preter of  the  Symbolical  Books  (Introdiictio,  etc.),  does  not  refer  to  the 
matter  at  all,  as  it  is  no  essential  part  of  the  Lutheran  Creed.  But  Arndt, 
who  w^as  a  calm,  sagacious,  and  conscientious  observer,  and  who  may 
justly  be  considered  as  claiming  that,  in  forming  a  judgment  respecting 
him,  we  should  not  overlook  the  spirit  of  his  times,  apprehended  that  the 
suppression  of  the  "exorcism"  was  secretly  designed  to  be  the  fore- 
runner of  the  suppression  of  the  entire  Lutheran  faith,  which  constituted 
the  life  of  his  soul ;  he  could  not,  under  such  circumstances,  consent  to 
endanger  his  most  precious  treasure* 

§  8.  Now  the  duke,  John  George,  after  his  virtual  adoption  of  the  Ee- 
formed  faith  and  practice,  issued  a  peremptory  order  that  the  formula  of 
Exorcism  should  no  longer  be  employed  in  his  dominions  at  the  baptism 


INTRODUCTION. 


XV 


of  any  infant.  Arndt,  who  was  characterized  by  a  cliildlike  submission 
to  those  in  authority',  as  long  as  matters  of  principle  were  not  involved, 
could  not  renounce  his  faith  in  God's  word,  and,  especially,  his  personal 
conviction  of  the  natural  depravity  of  the  human  heart.  He  might  have 
consented  to  drop  a  mere  form ;  but  he  saw  here  an  entering  wedge,  which 
justly  alarmed  him.  His  apprehensions  were  subsequently  proved  to  have 
been  only  too  well  founded,  when,  soon  afterwards,  Luther's  Catechism 
was  suppressed,  and  another  substituted  in  its  place.  Hence,  as  ho  could 
not  renounce  a  prominent  feature  of  the  Lutheran  creed,  he  firmly  and 
positively  refused  to  obey  the  ducal  command.  He  remarked,  in  the 
written  statement  which  embodied  his  reasons  for  refusing  to  obey,  and 
which  was  submitted  to  the  civil  authorities,  that  his  conscience  would 
not  allow  him  to  comply  with  such  a  demand  of  the  secular  authority — 
that  the  orthodox  fathers,  who  had,  during  thirteen  centuries,  connected 
"  exorcism  "  with  Baptism,  understood  it  in  accordance  with  the  mind  and 
true  sense  of  the  Scriptures  {ex  niente  ei  vero  sensu  Scripiurce) — that  it  was, 
therefore,  by  no  means  "  an  impious  ceremony  "  (as  the  civil  ruler,  a  lay- 
man, had  thought  proper  to  designate  it), — that  he  must  necessarily  abide 
by  the  decision  of  his  conscience — and,  that  he  would  humbly  submit  to 
any  sentence  which  his  prince  might  pronounce  in  the  case.  The  date 
which  he  affixed  to  the  document,  is  Sept.  10, 1590.  That  sentence,  which 
was  soon  afterwards  proclaimed,  deposed  Arndt  from  his  office,  and  ban- 
ished him  from  the  ducal  territories.  The  reader  of  Book  1.  of  the  ''True 
Christianity,"  will  now  understand,  after  observing  the  earnestness  with 
which  the  author  insists  on  the  doctrine  of  Original  Sin,  or  the  depravity 
of  human  nature,  that  he  could  not  conscientiously  take  any  step  which 
would,  even  indirectly,  involve  a  denial  of  that  sad  truth  of  the  Bible, — a 
truth  to  which  his  knowledge  of  his  own  heart  daily  testified. 

§  9.  But  the  Divine  Head  of  the  Church  did  not  depose  this  faithful 
minister.  At  the  very  time  when  Arndt  seemed  to  be  homeless  and 
friendless,  two  important  posts  were  ofiTered  to  him — one  in  Mansfeld,  the 
other  in  Quedlinburg,  an  important  city,  which,  after  belonging  to  various 
rulers,  has  at  last  been  incorporated  with  the  monarchy  of  Prussia.  The 
city  adopted  the  Lutheran  faith  in  1539.  Arndt  decided  to  make  this 
place  his  home,  and  he  labored  here  with  eminent  success,  during  a 
period  of  seven  years,  as  the  pastor  of  the  church  of  St.  Nicholas.  How- 
ever, he  also  endured  much  affliction  in  this  new  charge,  and  his  holy 
zeal  and  devout  spirit,  while  fully  appreciated  by  intelligent  and  enlight- 
ened believers,  were  misunderstood  and  even  hated  by  others,  so  that  he 
lonsred  to  be  transferred  to  another  field  of  labor. 

§  10.  He  was  at  length  permitted  to  depart,  and  removed  to  the  city  of 
Brunswick,  situated  in  the  territory  of  the  duke  of  Brunswick;  it  aspired 
at  that  time  to  become  a  "  free  city,"  subject  directly  to  the  German 
emperor.    The  warfare  between  the  duke  and  the  city,  during  Arndt's 

B 


xvi 


INTRODUCTION. 


residence  in  the  latter,  subjected  him  to  many  sore  trials.  His  abode  in 
it,  extending  from  1590  to  1608,  is  specially  interesting,  as  he  then  pre- 
sented to  the  religious  community  Book  L  of  his  "  True  Christianity." 
Dr.  A.  Wildenhahn,  who  has,  in  recent  times,  furnished  us  with  various 
charming  volumes,  descriptive  of  the  times,  respectively,  of  Luther, 
Spener,  Paul  (3erhardt,  etc.,  in  which  he  combines  "fiction  and  truth," 
Las  selected  this  period  of  Arndt's  history,  as  the  one  to  which  he  dedi- 
cates his  two  delightful  volumes,  entitled  "Johannes  Arndt"  (Leipzig, 
18G1).  This  author  complains  that  he  found  it  a  difiicult  task  to  collect 
full  and  authentic  accounts  of  Arndt's  life.  Still,  he  obtained  access  to 
vai-ious  documents  in  the  archives  of  the  city  of  Brunswick,  and  in  the 
royal  library  in  Dresden,  which  had  not  been  previously  examined  even 
by  Arndt's  best  biographer,  the  Rev.  Frederick  Arndt,  of  Berlin ;  and 
these  materially  assisted  him  in  preparing  his  own  work.* 

§  11.  During  the  earlier  years  of  Arndt's  residence  in  Brunswick,  as  a 
co-pastor  of  the  church  of  St.  Martin,  his  life  was  comparatively  peaceful 
and  happy.  The  [)urity  of  his  character,  the  soundness  and  power  of  his 
doctrine,  and  the  diligence  and  fidelity  manifested  in  his  pastoral  labors, 
could  not  fail  to  command  the  respect,  and  attract  the  love  of  all  candid 
persons.  But  he  was  at  length  subjected  to  trials  of  a  new  and  painful 
character,  and  became  the  victim  of  the  hostile  and  persecutiijg  spirit  of 
men  from  whom  a  very  difterent  course  of  conduct  might  have  reasonably 
been  expected.  The  origin  of  these  new  difficulties  has  not  always  been 
clearly  understood ;  while  some  have  regarded  Arndt  as  worthj^  of  the 
censures  of  those  who  assailed  him,  others  are  disposed  to  condemn  those 
assailants  in  unqualified  terms.  It  is  strange  that,  even  at  this  compara- 
tively remote  period,  such  judgments  are  sometimes  expressed  in  language 
which  betrays  personal  feeling  rather  than  it  announces  the  calm  judg- 
ment of  a  later  and  disinterested  generation. 

§  12.  It  is  here  necessary  to  cast  a  glance  at  the  history  of  the  times 
which  preceded  and  followed  the  eventful  year  1555,  in  w^hich  Arndt  was 
born,  a  year  ever  memorable  as  the  one  in  which  the  signing  of  the  arti- 
cles of  the  Peace  of  Augsburg  secured  a  temporary  external  repose  for 
the  Lutheran  Church.  This  "Peace"  terminated  at  least  the  horrors 
which  had  followed  the  introduction,  in  1548,  of  the  Augsburg  Interim,  by 
which  the  newl3'-established  Protestant  doctrine  was  seriously  endangered. 
The  provisions  of  this  Interim  were  enforced  with  such  merciless  tyranny 
by  popish  authorities,  that  in  South  Germany  alone  about  four  hundred 


*  A  very  accurate  and  interesting  "  Life  of  John  Arndt,"  was  published  in  English  by- 
Rev.  Dr.  J.  G.  Morris,  of  Baltimore,  in  1853,  which  presents  the  principal  events  that  belong 
to  Arndt's  history,  and  furnishes  a  faithful  portraiture  of  his  personal  character.  Wilden- 
hahn's  work,  admirably  translated  by  Rev.  G.  A.  Wenzel,  now  of  Pittsburg,  Pa.,  was  pub- 
lished as  a  serial  in  the  "  Lutheran  and  Missionary,"  about  three  years  ago.  This  work,  in  a 
permanent  form,  would  be  a  rich  addition  to  our  English  religious  literature. 


INTRODUCTION. 


xvii 


faithful  Lutlieraii  pastors,  who  couhl  not  conscientiously  acccMlc  to  an 
arrangement  which  might  possibly  restore  the  full  authority  of  the  errors 
and  superstitions  of  Rome,  were  driven,  as  exiles,  with  their  families, 
from  their  homes.  The  spirit  of  the  Christian  martyrs  of  the  early  ages 
of  the  Church  revived  in  these  heroic  men,  and  they  clung  with  undying 
tenacity  to  their  holy  faith. 

§  13.  That  faith  now  encountered  new  enemies,  who  did  not  resort  to 
fire  and  the  sword,  but  who  adopted  more  insidious  means  for  corrupting 
divine  truth;  and  again,  assaults  like  theirs,  only  increased  the  jealousy 
with  which  the  genuine  Lutherans  guarded  the  purity  of  their  doctrinal 
system.  It  was  the  only  gift  of  heaven,  which  sin  and  Satan  could  not 
touch,  and  which  retained  all  its  unsullied  holiness.  The  soul  of  man  had 
become  corrupt;  the  body  was  subject  to  disease  and  death;  the  w^orld, 
fair  as  it  was,  and  rich  in  the  gifts  of  God,  had  nevertheless  been  made 
by  sin  to  bring  forth  thorns  and  thistles.  But  the  Gospel  truth,  which 
conducted  men  to  Christ  and  heaven,  remained  in  all  its  purity  and  power. 
These  men  w^ere  willing  to  suffer  and  die,  but  while  they  did  live,  they 
could  not  relax  the  grasp  with  which  they  held  fast  to  evangelical  truth. 
N'ow,  amid  the  political  and  religious  commotions  of  that  stormy  age, 
could  we  expect  that  devout  men  should  say,  "  Peace,  peace ;"  when  there 
w^as  no  peace?  (Jercm.  6  :  14.) 

§  14.  Let  us  illustrate  this  subject.  Schwenkfeldt,  for  instance  (born  in 
1490;  died,  1561),  an  opponent  of  both  the  Lutherans  and  the  Reformed, 
as  well  as  of  the  Papists,  and,  accordingly,  constantly  engaged  in  contro- 
versies with  all  parties,  declared  that  Luther's  uncompromising  determi- 
nation to  maintain  the  authority  of  the  written  word  of  revelation,  the 
Bible,  was  equivalent  to  a  worship  of  the  letter.  He  assigned,  in  his 
fanaticism  and  morbid  mysticism,  a  rank  to  an  inner  and  direct  word  of 
the  Divine  Spirit,  which  he  asserted  that  he  received,  far  above  that  of  the 
written  word  of  God.  He  refused  to  make  anj-  distinction  between  the 
divine  act  of  the  justification  of  the  believer,  on  the  one  hand,  and  the 
progressive  sanctification  of  the  believer,  on  the  other.  He  taught  that 
the  two  natures  of  Christ,  the  divine  and  the  human,  were  so  fused 
together,  or,  rather,  that  the  flesh  of  Christ  was  so  absolutely  deified  or 
converted  into  God  himself,  that  no  distinction  between  them  remained, — 
that  the  regenerate  could  live  w^ithout  sin,  etc.  He  succeeded,  in  spite  of 
the  crudeness,  one-sidedness,  and  unsoundness  of  his  doctrines,  in  attract- 
ing many  disciples.  His  death,  which  occurred  in  1561,  a  few  years  after 
Arndt's  birth,  did  not  terminate  the  widespread  confusion  which  he  had 
created  in  the  Protestant  Church ;  the  dread  of  that  sickly  form  of  mysti- 
cism which  he  attempted  to  establish,  long  remained.  The  fear  was  natu- 
rally entertained  that  it  might  lead  many  astray,  who,  while  they  did  not 
otherwise  fraternize  with  Schw^enkfeldt  in  his  wild  and  absurd  course, 


xviii 


INTEODUCTION. 


might  be  deluded  by  bis  claims  to  superior  religious  intelligence  and 
holiness. 

§  15.  The  disastrous  influences  of  the  demagogue  Thomas  Munzer 
(born  in  1490),  and  of  his  fanatical  party,  the  Zwickau  prophets,  on  sound 
doctrine  and  sound  morals,  as  well'  as  the  blood  which  they  had  shed, 
were  still  vividly  remembered. — Servetus,  the  Unitarian,  had  perished, 
but  he  left  a  seed  behind;  the  doctrine  of  Christ's  deity  still  remaiued  a 
point  of  attack.  And  besides  these  false  teachers,  several  others,  who 
were  originally  connected  in  various  modes  w^ith  the  Lutheran  Church, 
promulgated  at  various  times  opinions  which  seemed  to  be  subversive  of 
all  Scripture  doctrine. — Agricola,  who  had  originally  been  an  active 
adherent  of  Luther,  gradually  departed  from  the  faith.  He  unquestion- 
ably betrayed  the  interests  of  Protestantism  by  sanctioning  the  Augsburg 
Interim  of  1548.  He  engaged  in  a  controversy,  at  first  with  Melanchthon, 
and  then  wh\\  Luther  himself,  on  the  subject  of  the  proper  "Use  of  the 
law" — the  Antinomistic  controversy — maintaining  that  the  law  w^as  no 
longer  of  importance  to  the  believer,  and  that  the  Gospel  alone  should  be 
preached.  He  died  in  1566,  when  Arndt  was  about  eleven  years  old. 
The  confusion  in  the  church,  which  he  created  by  his  dangerous  senti- 
ments on  several  points,  was  long  painfully  felt. — The  Osiandrian  contro- 
versy, respecting  Justification,  and  its  relation  to  Sanctification,  began  in 
1549,  and  closed  only  when  Arndt  was  already  a  student. — The  Majoristic 
controversy  originated  in  the  public  declaration  made  by  G.  Major,  that 
"  good  works  are  necessary  to  salvation."  The  fears  which  such  a  doctrine, 
that  savored  of  popery,  produced  among  orthodox  and  devout  Lutherans, 
were  excessive.  Those  who  opposed  Major,  were  alarmed  by  his  un- 
guarded expressions,  and  apprehended  that  the  Gospel  doctrine  of  Justifi- 
cation by  faith  in  Christ  alone,  wiiliout  human  ivorks  or  merit,  w^ould  be  endan- 
gered, unless  they  silenced  him.  The  controversy,  in  its  most  energetic 
form,  terminated  about  seven  years  after  Arndt's  birth,  but  the  indirect 
efi*ects  of  the  misconceptions  connected  w-ith  the  great  topic  of  this  con- 
troversy, were  deeply  felt  by  him. — The  Synergistic  controversy,  relating 
to  the  question  whether  man  could  co-operate  with  the  Holy  Spirit  in  the 
work  of  his  conversion,  began  in  the  year  in  wdiich  Arndt  w^as  born,  and 
was  maintained  with  great  energy  during  several  years. — The  so-called 
Cryptocalvinistic  controversy,  referring  mainly  to  the  doctrine  of  the 
Lord's  Supper,  and  involving  certain  important  questions  respecting  the 
Person  of  Christ,  commenced  about  three  years  before  Arndt's  birth,  and 
agitated  the  church  during  many  years. — These,  and  other  subjects  on 
which  also  controversies  had  arisen,  were,  in  the  good  providence  of  God, 
at  length  calmly  considered  by  learned  and  devout  Lutheran  theologians, 
conscientiously  examined  in  the  light  of  the  divine  Word,  impartially  de- 
cided, and  set  forth,  in  the  year  1580,  in  the  Formula  of  Concord,  the  last 
of  the  special  Lutheran  creeds,  all  the  doctrines  of  which  Arndt  cordially 


INTEODUCTION. 


xix 


received,  as  he  repeatedly  declared  in  an  official  manner  on  various  occa- 
sions, in  his  writings,  in  his  last  will  and  testament,  and  on  his  death-bed. 
(See  below  §§  24,  25.)  The  very  great  reverence  wMth  which  he  regarded 
this  noble  creed,  and  his  attachment  to  it,  are  to  be  ascribed  not  only  to 
the  spotless  purity  of  the  doctrines  which  it  sets  forth,  but  also  to  the 
good  work  which  it  performed  in  successfully  and  permanently  deciding 
several  very  important  questions  which  had  latterly  arisen,  and  on  which 
the  preceding  creeds  had  not  authoritatively  and  fully  pronounced.  It  is, 
however,  obvious,  that  even  after  these  storms  subsided,  the  waves  would 
long  remain  in  commotion,  and  it  was  precisely  in  these  troublous  times 
that  Arndt  labored  in  the  ministry. 

§  16.  The  catalogue  of  the  difficulties  which  awaited  him,  is  not  yet 
exhausted.  We  have  to  add,  as  a  part  of  the  history  of  the  times,  when 
an  extraordinary  number  of  political  and  ecclesiastical  contentions  pre- 
vailed, the  excitement  of  feeling  which  certain  differences  of  doctrine 
between  the  Lutherans  and  the  Reformed  engendered,  and  wliich  would 
never  have  risen  to  the  fearful  height  in  which  history  now  exhibits  it  to 
us,  if  political  power,  controlled  alternately  by  the  two  religious  parties  in 
some  of  the  German  principalities,  had  not  been  invoked  by  them.  The 
awful  death  by  fire,  which  terminated  the  career  of  Servetus  (Oct.  27, 
1553,  two  years  before  the  birth  of  Arndt,  and  more  than  six  years  after 
the  death  of  Luther),  was  decreed  by  the  civil  authorities  of  Geneva,  but 
was  sanctioned  by  Calvin  and  even  the  gentle  Melanchthon — a  sad  example 
of  the  clouded  views  of  men  at  that  time  respecting  religious  liberty  and 
the  right  of  civil  rulers  to  punish  men  for  their  errors  in  the  faith. 

§  17.  In  the  Palatinate  (the  ancient  Pfalz,  the  territories  of  which  are 
now  distributed  among  Bavaria,  Prussia,  etc.)  the  Lutheran  Church  had 
been  established,  and  popery  ceased  to  exist.  But  in  1560,  a  few  years 
after  Arndt's  birth,  the  Elector,  Frederick  IIL,  withdrew  from  the  church, 
and  adopted  the  Reformed  faith  and  usages.  His  successor,  Lewis  VI., 
endeavored  to  restore  the  ascendency  of  Lutheranism ;  but  after  his  brief 
reign,  the  authorities  which  succeeded,  established  ^'  Calvinism"  (the  term 
employed  in  Church  History)  on  a  permanent  basis.  A  similar  ecclesiastico- 
civil  revolution  occurred  in  Bremen  in  1562;  fourteen  Lutheran  pastors 
and  the  Lutheran  members  of  the  City  Council  were  expelled,  and  the 
city  became  Reformed.  Such  changes  occurred  elsewhere.  Both  parties 
were  undoubtedly  more  or  less  honest  in  adhering  to  their  doctrinal  views;  ' 
and  both  claimed  the  right  to  depose  and  exile  those  of  an  opposite  faith, 
whenever  the  civil  and  political  power  was,  in  either  case,  directed  by  them. 

§  18.  Let  it  now  be  remembered  that  these  contending  Protestants,  Lu- 
theran and  Reformed  or  Calvinistic,  were  led  by  men  respective!}-,  who 
were  confessedly  intelligent,  learned,  and  endowed  with  great  abilities, 
mau}^  of  whom  were  not  only  honest  in  expressing  their  convictions,  but 
also  conscientious  in  their  conduct,  whether  they  were  governed  by  an 


XX 


INTEODUCTION. 


erring  or  an  onliorhtened  conscience.  That  the  latter  is  historically  true, 
is  demonstrated  by  their  readiness,  when  they  lost  power,  to  submit  to 
im{)risonment  or  exile,  rather  tlian  to  renounce  their  respective  creeds. 
They  were  all  too  well  acquainted  w^ith  Bible  truth  to  look  with  other 
feelings  than  with  horror  on  the  popish  creed.  But  while  their  own  Prot- 
estant creed  was  very  precious  to  their  souls,  they  could  not  tolerate  any 
departure  from  it,  even  if  that  departure  was  not  in  the  direction  "  towards 
Eome."  That  departure  must,  as  they  judged,  necessarily  be  equivalent 
to  a  denial  of  God's  truth,  as  they  believed  that  they  had  found  it  in  the 
Bible.  Thus  all  were  alike  sensitive — all  seemed  to  feel  that  if  they  toler- 
ated any  error,  ihat  error  could  not  be  trivial — it  was,  as  far  as  it  extended, 
a  denial  of  God's  truth  Could  they  safely  assume  the  shame  and  guilt 
of  such  a  sin  ?  We  may  add,  that  we  are  here  speaking  only  of  the  honesi 
leaders  of  the  Lutherans  and  the  Eeformed,  of  whom  each  man  judged 
and  acted  for  himself,  as  one  who  was  accountable  to  God.  'Bo  honest 
Reformed  theologian  would  have  screened  a  Reformed  heretic  from  con- 
demnation ;  and  no  lionest  Lutlieran  would,  for  a  moment,  have  tolerated 
a  nominal  Lutheran,  who  rejected  any  part  of  the  creed  of  the  church. 

§  19.  At  the  same  time,  all  these  men  were  fallible  creatures,  subject  to 
all  the  errors  of  judgment,  and  to  all  the  passions  and  infirmities  inci- 
dent to  fallen  man.  They  often  supposed  that  their  intentions  were  pure, 
when  selfish  niotiv^es  governed  them,  and  their  jealous  guardianship  of 
God's  truth  was  combined  with  a  jealous  love  for  their  personal  opinions. 
It  was  under  these  circumstances,  when  each  party  watched  with  extreme 
jealousy  over  the  purity  of  the  faith,  as  adopted  by  it,  and  when,  besides, 
many  private  interests — personal,  political,  and  pecuniary — exercised  vast 
influence,  that  Arndt  entered  on  his  labors. — We  have  introduced  the 
above  details,  in  order  to  explain  his  declarations  in  the  preface  to  Book 
L  §  8,  that  he  rejects  the  Synergistic,  Majoristic,  etc.,  errors,  and  enter- 
tains no  other  views  except  those  which  are  set  forth  in  the  Lutheran 
Symbolical  Books. 

§  20.  When  he  commenced  his  labors  in  Brunswick,  he  was  the 
youngest  member  of  the  "  ministerium"  of  the  city,  that  is,  of  the  college 
composed  of  the  pastors  of  the  several  city  churches,  all  of  which  at  that 
time  strictly  adhered  to  the  Lutheran  creed.  He  had  long  lamented  that, 
in  consequence  of  the  infelicity  of  the  times,  which  caused  endless  doc- 
%  trinal  controversies,  the  parties  of  which  were  many.  Papists,  Mystics, 
Unitarians,  Reformed,  Lutherans,  etc.,  the  attention  of  many  persons  was 
diverted  from  the  practical  duties  of  a  Christian  life,  and  directed  exclu- 
sively to  controversies  on  points  of  doctrine;  the  result  w^as,  that  the 
understanding  was  actively  exercised,  but  the  heart  was  not  properly 
afiected.  Such  considerations  induced  him  to  write  Book  L  of  his  "  True 
Christianity."  It  was  his  object  to  show  that  God  demands  a  holy  life, 
proceeding  from  faith  in  Christ,  and  that  no  jealousy  concerning  the 


INTRODUCTIOK 


xxi 


purity  of  the  creed  will  atone  for  the  absence  of  the  fruits  of  the  Spirit, 
as  exhibited  in  the  life  and  conduct  of  the  individual.  Hence  he  insists 
with  a  warmth  unusual  in  that  excited  and  controversial  age,  on  repent- 
ance, on  faith  in  Christ,  and  on  a  holy  life.  Possibly,  the  apparently 
sweeping  assertions  which  occasionally  occur  in  his  writings,  to  the  effect 
that  the  majority  of  his  contempoi'aries  lacked  a  heavenly  spirit,  acquired 
their  sombre  hue  in  consequence  of  the  publicity  given  to  human  frailties, 
and  the  retirement  and  shade  in  which  vast  numbers  of  holy  men  pre- 
ferred to  dwell.  His  Book  L,  which  constitutes  the  principal  part  of  the 
work,  was  first  published  in  Jena,  in  the  year  1605;  a  second  and  improved 
edition  appeared  in  1607. 

§  21.  It  consisted  principally  of  the  matter  which  he  had  introduced  in 
a  course  of  practical  sermons  previously  delivered  by  him  on  week-days. 
It  attracted  great  attention,  and  was  rapidly  circulated  throughout  Ger- 
many. The  modest  and  retiring  author,  without  expecting  such  a  result, 
at  once  became  a  celebrity.  ITevertheless,  new  trials  now  commenced. 
An  envious  feeling  seems  to  have  been  engendered  in  the  hearts  of  several 
of  his  colleagues  in  the  "  ministerium  "  of  the  city,  when  they  noticed  the 
honor  which  the  author  had  undesignedly  gained.  Perhaps,  too,  the  con- 
troversial spirit  of  the  times,  and  the  jealousy  of  good  men  respecting  the 
faith,  which  was  assailed  on  all  sides — by  Papists,  Calvinists,  Unitarians, 
fanatics,  etc., — may  have  led  them  to  scrutinize  the  book  with  too  sus- 
picious eyes.  All  held  firmly  to  the  Gospel  doctrine  of  Justification  by 
faith  alone,  without  works.  Xow,  when  they  found  that  Arndt  insisted 
with  such  earnestness  on  the  evidences  of  faith,  as  furnished  by  a  holy 
life,  they  were  morbidly  aff'ected,  and  apprehended  that  the  doctrine  of 
justification  by  faith  alone,  which  their  bittej'  enemies,  the  Papists,  de- 
nounced, had  not  been  guarded  with  sufiicient  care  by  Arndt.  Other 
expressions,  again,  which  they  did  not  interpret  impartially,  led  them  to 
fear  that  he  was  introducing  mysticism  and  other  morbid  religious  systems 
into  the  Church.  The  reproaches  which  he  was  compelled  to  hear,  deterred 
him  for  some  time  from  fulfilling  his  promise  of  adding  three  other 
''Books"  to  Book  I.  The  complete  work  may  be  regarded  as  consisting 
of  Four  Books,  as  published  in  1609.  At  a  considerably  later  period  a 
fifth,  and  then  a  sixth  book,  were  added.  The  former  was  designed  as 
an  explanation  and  recapitulation  of  the  Four  Books,  and  the  latter, 
consisting  in  part  of  letters  addressed  to  various  eminent  theologians, 
besides  having  the  same  object  in  view,  w^as  intended  also  to  defend  the 
doctrinal  and  ethical  positions  assumed  in  the  Four  Books.  As  they 
partake  of  the  nature  of  an  appendix,  and  refer,  to  some  extent,  to  mis- 
understandings belonging  to  an  earlier  age,  the  Latin  versions  omit  them, 
and  this  example  was  followed  by  the  English  translator. 

§  22.  Arndt  was  freed  from  the  unpleasani  relations  in  which  he  stood 
to  his  colleagues  in  Brunswick,  in  which  city  he  had  spent  about  ten  years, 


xxii 


INTRODUCTION. 


by  a  call  wliicli  he  received  in  1608  to  enter  a  new  field  of  labor  in  Eisleben. 
This  city,  which,  as  in  the  days  of  Luther  (who  was  born  and  baptized,  and 
who  also  died  there),  still  belonged  to  the  territory  of  the  Counts  of  Mans- 
feld,  is  at  present  incorporated  with  the  kingdom  of  Prussia  (Province  of 
Saxony).  It  was  here  that  Arndt  ventured  to  publish  the  whole  of  the 
Four  Books  of  his  "  True  Christianity."  In  this  new  position,  his  admirable 
character  and  spirit  were  justly  appreciated  alike  by  his  patrons,  the 
Counts  of  Mansfeld,  by  his  colleagues,  and  by  the  people.  The  fidelity 
with  which  he  remained  at  his  post  during  the  prevalence  of  an  epidemic 
that  cari  icd  ofi:*  many  of  the  inhabitants,  his  self-sacrificing  spirit  in  the 
discharge  ot  his  pastoral  duties,  and  his  judicious  course  as  an  assessor 
of  the  local  consivstory,  demonstrated  the  true  nobility  of  his  soul — the 
spirit  of  the  divine  Redeemer.  However,  eveu  though  his  relations  with 
all  who  surrounded  him  were  of  the  most  friendly  character,  he  did  not 
remain  longer  than  about  two  years  and  a  half  in  Eisleben.  He  had  been 
repeatedly  invited  to  assume  important  charges,  which  he  declined  to 
accept;  lor  while  he  had  ol'ten  found  opponents,  his  great  personal  merit, 
his  eminent  services,  both  as  a  preacher  of  the  Gospel  and  as  an  author 
of  devotional  works,  and  his  godly  spirit,  had  secured  for  him  the  respect, 
confidence,  and  love  of  the  whole  religious  public.  Duke  George  of 
Brunswick-LUneburg,  who  at  that  time  resided  in  Celle  (Zelle),  invited 
Inm,  in  the  year  1611,  to  accept  the  two  ofiices  of  court-preacher  and  of 
General  Superintendent  of  ecclesiastical  affairs  in  the  principalities  of 
Brunswick  and  Luneburg.  (Celle  was  subsequently  attached  to  the  king- 
dom of  Hanover,  but  has,  in  the  most  recent  times,  been  absorbed,  with 
the  contiguous  territories,  by  Prussia.)  The  Count  of  Mansfeld  very 
reluctantly  consented  to  A^rndt's  removal;  the  latter,  however,  believed 
that  it  had  become  his  duty  to  enter  the  wide  and  inviting  field  of  labor 
which  Providence  had  opened  to  him.  The  reigning  duke,  who  was 
deeply  interested  in  the  welfare  of  the  Lutheran  Church,  judiciously  and 
vigorously  sustained  his  new  court-preacher  in  all  his  labors.  The  latter, 
in  addition  to  his  ordinary  pastoral  duties,  visited  the  congregations  of  the 
whole  territory,  introduced  various  ecclesiastical  reforms,  and  continued 
till  his  death,  which  occurred  May  11,  1621,  to  enjoy  the  divine  blessing 
himself,  and  to  be  a  blessing  to  all  whom  his  influence  reached.  If  he 
was  born  during  a  stormy  period,  and  lived  in  an  age  of  controversies 
which  wounded  his  soul,  he  was,  nevertheless,  like  Luther,  very  happy  in 
being  permitted  to  terminate  his  labors  precisely  at  the  time  when  he  was 
called  away.  For,  as  Luther  closed  his  eyes  in  peace  during  the  year 
which  preceded  the  disastrous  battle  of  Mlihlberg  (April  24,  1547),  so 
Arndt  lell  asleep  soon  after  the  Thirty  Years'  War  began,  before  the  world 
saw  those  horrors  which  lano-uao-e  fails  to  describe  in  their  awful  extent. 
He  had  contracted  a  disease  of  the  throat,  which  was  subsequently  aggra- 
vated by  a  violent  fever;  and  his  exhausted  frame  at  length  yielded  to  the 


INTRODUCTIOK 


xxiii 


assault  of  disease.  He  sent  for  his  friend  and  brother,  tlie  Hcv.  William 
Storch,  early  in  the  morning  of  May  0.  After  being  placed  on  a  chair, 
he  liumbly  made  a  general  confession  of  his  sins,  declared  once  more  thjit 
he  adhered  as  heretofore  to  the  pure  doctrine  of  God's  word  and  rejected 
every  error,  and  then,  with  all  the  cheerfulness  of  Christian  faith,  received 
the  Lord's  Sapper.  Dr.  Morris,  in  the  work  referred  to,  in  a  note  above, 
quotes  from  his  authorities  the  following:  "  Mr.  Storch  then  addressed 
him  (in  language  similar  to  that  which  Dr.  Jonas  used  in  speaking  to  the 
dying  Luther)  as  follows:  ^  I  do  not  doubt,  that  as  you  have  never  enter- 
tained any  doctrine  contrary  to  God's  word,  but  have  always  continued 
lirm  and  steadfast  in  the  pare,  unadulterated  word,  the  Scriptures  of  the 
prophets  and  apostles,  the  Augsburg  Confession,  and  other  Symbolical 
Books  of  the  Lutheran  Church,  and  most  heartily  and  sincerely  despised 
and  rejected  all  contrary  doctrines,  so  you  will  also  by  God's  grace  main- 
tain to  the  end  the  same  doctrines  and  faith  which  you  have  publicly 
preached  and  professed.'  Arndt  replied  several  times,  in  a  weak  but 
intelligible  voice,  most  decisively,  *  Yes,  yes,  that  I  will,  even  to  the 
end.'  "  On  the  11th  of  May  he  began  to  sink  rapidly,  but  was  still  able 
to  repeat  many  of  his  favorite  texts,  such  as  Ps.  143  :  2,  and  John  o  :  24. 
After  having  slept  a  short  time,  he  awoke,  looked  upward,  and  exclaimed 
with  a  comparatively  loud  voice:  We  beheld  his  glory,  the  glory  as  of  the 
only  begotten  of  the  Father,  full  of  grace  and  truth."  John  1 : 14.  Ilis  wife 
asked  him  when  he  had  seen  that  glory."  He  replied:  "I  saw  it  just 
now.  O  what  a  glory  it  is !  It  is  the  glory  which  eye  hath  not  seen,  nor 
ear  heard,  neither  hath  entered  into  the  heart  of  man  to  conceive  of.  This 
is  the  glory  which  I  saw." — When  he  heard  the  clock  striking  at  eight  in 
the  evening,  he  asked  what  the  hour  w^as.  When  it  struck  again,  he  re- 
peated the  question.  On  being  told  that  it  was  striking  nine,  he  said: 
"ITow  I  have  overcome  all."  These  were  the  last  words  of  this  ''good 
soldier  of  Jesus  Christ."  2  Tim.  2:3.  He  lay  perfectly  still  until  after 
midnight,  when  he  breathed  his  last.  God  had  given  him  a  peaceful 
death.  The  serenity  of  his  soul  in  his  last  hours  seemed  to  linger  on  his 
features,  even  after  the  spirit  had  departed. 

§  23.  Two  dukes  of  Brunswick-Liineburg  followed  him  to  the  grave 
(May  15th),  as  a  testimony  of  their  sense  of  the  great  worth  of  their  revered 
spiritual  guide.  The  text  of  the  funeral  sermon,  delivered  by  Rev.  Mr. 
Storch,  consisted  of  the  words,  "I  have  fought  a  good  fight,"  etc.  2  Tim. 
4:  7,  8.  His  remains  were  deposited  in  the  church  at  Celle.  The  tomb 
exhibits  the  following  inscription  : 

Qui  Jesum  vidit,  qui  mundum  et  daemona  vicit, 
Arndius  in  scriptis  vivit  ovatque  suis. 

(That  is:  Arndt,  who  saio  Jesus,  and  conquered  the  icorld  and  the  devil,  lives 
and  triumphs  in  his  writings.) 


xxiv 


INTEODUCTIOK 


§  24.  ISTothing  could  be  more  unjust  than  any  charge  affecting  the  purity 
of  the  faitii  of  Arndt  as  a  Lutheran  Christian.  His  general  orthodoxy 
was  always  readily  admitted;  a  few  unreasonable  and  prejudiced  men, 
however,  who  suspected  that  mysticism  and  other  errors  were  concealed 
in  the  "True  Christianity,"  although  the  existence  of  such  matter  could 
not  be  established,  nevertheless  alleged,  Avith  a  certain  morbid  feeling, 
that  Arndt  did  not  adopt  the  entire  creed  of  the  Lutheran  Church,  as  set 
forth  in  "  all  her  symbolical  books."  This  circumstance  accounts  for  the 
frequency  and  earnestness  with  which  he  declares  his  uncondiiioval  accept- 
ance of,  and  hearty  belief  in,  all  the  details  of  the  Lutheran  faith.  Thus 
the  reader  will  find,  ut  the  close  of  the  Preface  to  Book  L,  an  emphatic 
declaration  of  his  recognition  of  the  doctrines  of  all  the  Si/mbolical  Books, 
the  names  of  which  he  enumerates  in  full.  See,  also,  the  conclusion  of 
Book  IL,  and  the  conclusion  of  the  Preface  to  Book  lY.,  where  similar 
declarations  occur.  He  repeats  them  in  his  Preface  to  Book  VL,  where 
he  employs  the  following  language:  My  dear  reader,  inasmuch  as  our 
holy  Christian  faith,  the  pure  evangelical  doctrine,  has,  for  about  one 
hundred  years,  been  elucidated,  purified,  and  sufiiciently  explained,  in 
accordance  with  the  rule  of  the  holy  Word  of  God,  and  also  been  cleansed 
from  many  errors  through  the  means  of  two  glorious  and  praiseworthy 
confessions  of  faith,  namely,  the  Augsburg  Confession,  and  the  Formula 
of  Concord,  which  have  hitherto  been,  and  still  continue  to  be,  my  own 
confession  of  faith  ;  and,  inasmuch  as  some  have,  at  the  same  time,  uttered 
complaints  respecting  the  ungodly  manner  of  life  of  the  present  world, 
with  which  the  Christian  faith  cannot  coexist;  therefore,  I  wrote,  some 
years  ago.  Four  Books  on  True  Christianity,  in  which  I  have  depicted 
the  internal,  and,  also,  the  external  Christian  life.  For  although  the  pure 
doctrine  is  the  foremost  point  of  true  Christianity,  I  have,  nevertheless,  not 
wished  to  treat  of  it  in  a  special  manner,  as  this  has  been  copiously  and 
superabundantly  done  by  others,  and  is  still  daily  done:  and  1  have  taken 
only  the  Christian  life  as  my  subject."  This  Book  VL  appeared  somewhat 
less  than  a  year  before  his  death,  and  gives  special  prominence  to  the  last 
of  the  Lutheran  confessions  of  faith — the  Formula  of  Concord — in  which 
the  doctrines  concerning  the  Person  of  Christ,  the  Lord's  Supper,  etc.,  are 
set  forth  in  all  their  details;  he  thus  repeats  anew  his  cordial  acceptance 
of  the  doctrines  contained  therein.  In  a  letter  of  thanks  addressed  to 
Dr.  Mentzer,  of  Giessen  (Book  VL,  Part  IL,  Letter  7),  he  expressly  rejects 
the  serious  doctrinal  errors  of  Schwenkfeldt  respecting  the  Scriptures,  the 
Person  of  Christ,  the  two  Sacraments,  etc.,  and  adds:  "These  errors  have 
been  publicly  condemned  and  rejected,  partly  in  the  Augsburg  Confession, 
and  partly  in  the  Formula  of  Concord,  after  the  pure  doctrine  was  firmly 
established."  lie  concurs,  of  course,  in  the  condemnation  of  such  errors. — 
Li  Letter  8,  of  the  same  Book,  addressed  to  Dr.  Piscator,  of  Jena,  he  says: 
"  I  call  on  the  great  God,  the  Searcher  of  hearts,  as  my  witness,  that  it  was 


INTRODUCTION. 


XXV 


not  in  my  mind,  in  anjthin^^  which  I  have  written,  to  depart  from  the  true 
reh'gion  of  the  Augsburg  Confession  and  the  Formula  of  Concord,  and 
that  I  had  no  intention  to  disseminate  erroneous  opinions,  mucli  less  to 
defend  any  which  conflicted  with  the  Symbolical  Books  of  our  Church." 

§  25.  On  his  death-bed  he  repeated  anew,  as  we  have  seen,  that  he  con- 
tinued, as  heretofore,  to  adhere  faithfully  to  the  pure  evangelical  doctrine. 
In  the  two  copies  of  his  last  will  and  testament,  of  the  years  1610  and 
1616,  he  solemnly  declares  that  he  had  always  held  with  full  consciousness 
and  understanding  the  doctrines  of  the  Augsburg  Confession  and  the 
Formula  of  Concord,  and  never  departed  from  their  contents  either  in  his 
public  teaching  or  his  private  views,  that  he  never  would  adopt  any  other 
faith,  and  that  he  prayed  that  the  grace  of  God  might  sustain  him  in  this 
frame  of  mind  until  his  last  hour  should  come.  The  singularly  emphatic 
manner  in  which,  on  every  appropriate  occasion — and  many  of  such 
occurred — he  declared  his  sincere  belief  in  the  peculiar  and  distinctive 
doctrines  of  the  Lutheran  Church,  in  all  their  details,  as  set  forth  in  her 
Symbolical  Books,  by  no  means  proceeded  from  a  narrow-minded  secta- 
rian feeling.  "  Christ  is  all,  and  in  all ' '  (Col.  3  :  11) — these  apostolic  ^vords 
indicate  the  spirit  of  Arndt's  religion.  He  could  not  sympathize  with  the 
Papist,  who  robs  Christ  of  the  glory  which  belongs  exclusively  to  his 
atoning  work — not  with  the  Unitarian,  who  attempts  to  dethrone  Him — 
not  wnth  the  fanatic,  who,  even  when  honest,  is  misguided  by  passion  and 
spiritual  pride — not  with  the  unbeliever,  who  flees  from  the  shame  of  the 
cross — not  even  with  his  Reformed  fellow-Christians,  whose  merits  he 
readily  acknowledged,  but  whose  rejection  of  the  Lutheran  doctrine  re- 
specting the  Person  of  Christ  and  the  Lord's  Supper,  as  set  forth  especially 
in  the  Formula  of  Concord,  grieved  his  soul.  He  had  found  the  precious 
Gospel  truth,  which  constituted  his  life,  to  be  identical  with  the  creed  of 
his  Church,  and  with  ihai  creed  alone,  in  all  its  glorious  fulness.  He  could 
not  consent  to  sacrifice  one  jot  or  one  tittle  of  the  Augsburg  Confession, 
nor  could  he  assign  to  it  an  isolated  position,  even  though  Zwingli  and 
his  associates  readily  adopted  it,  with  tl>e  single  exception  of  Article  X. 
Nor  did  his  heart  or  his  conscience  allow  him  to  ignore  the  other  Lutheran 
Symbols.  The  Augsburg  Confession  undoubtedly  contained  the  pure  truth 
of  the  Gospel,  without  any  admixture  of  errors;  but,  owing  to  the  circum- 
stances and  the  times  in  which  it  originated,  when  it  was  the  great  object 
of  Luther  and  his  associates  to  justify  their  course  in  withdrawing  from 
antichristian  Rome,  it  confined  itself  to  those  principles  which  were  then 
specially  debated.  Hence  Calvin,  who  difiered  so  widely  on  some  points 
from  the  fully  developed  Lutheran  creed,  readily  adopted  and  subscribed 
it  at  Strasburg. — The  Apology,  or  Vindication  of  the  Augsburg  Confession, 
set  forth,  among  others,  the  cardinal  doctrine  of  the  Lutheran  laith,  namely, 
J ustification  by  faith  alone,  with  extraordinary  power  and  purity.  Its  full, 
lucid,  and  strictly  scriptural  character  has  never  been  successfully  con- 


xxvi 


INTRODUCTION. 


trovortod.  For  tliis  very  reason  the  Apology  was  rejected  by  Papists,  as 
it  now  is  practically  by  Kationalists  and  others  who  depend  on  human 
merit,  and  are  unwilling  to  give  all  lionor  to  the  Saviour  alone. — The 
Smakabl  Articles,  which  Luther  prepared  in  order  to  set  forth  the  points 
on  which  no  Protestant  or  Bible  Christian  could  make  any  concession  to 
Popery,  are  also  offensive  to  Papists,  to  Pationalists,  and  to  the  unbelieving 
and  impenitent  generally,  as  they  contain  the  pure  evangelical  truth,  which 
humbles  man,  while  it  exalts  God. —  The  Two  Catechisms  (the  Large  and  the 
Small)  furnish  materials  for  popular  instruction  in  revealed  truth,  which 
have  never  been  equalled  by  otlier  manuals,  in  their  adaptation  to  the 
object,  their  fulness,  and  their  purity.  Hence,  a  friend  of  divine  truth, 
like  Arndt,  who  took  so  deep  an  interest  in  the  religious  education  of  the 
young,  could  not  do  otherwise  than  regard  them  as  of  inestimable  value. 
An  enemy  of  the  truth  would  naturally  disavow  them. — The  Formula  of 
Concord — the  last  of  the  series  of  Lutheran  Confessions  of  Faith,  and  the 
one  which  Arndt  appears  to  have  prized  most  highl}' — was  intended,  as  we 
have  shown  above,  to  determine  various  important  points  involved  in  the 
controversies  which  had  arisen  in  the  bosom  of  the  Lutheran  Church 
before  or  at  the  time  when  he  was  born.  The  very  circumstance  that  this 
Symbol  was  demanded  by  the  exigencies  of  the  Church,  demonstrates  that 
the  Augsburg  Confession  was  not  originally  designed  to  be  a  fall  ami  complete 
confession  of  faith,  but  only  a  statement  of  points  discussed  during  the 
infancy  of  the  Reformation.  While  it  excludes  every  error  which  might 
dishonor  God,  and  confirm  the  impenitent  sinner  in  his  evil  course,  it 
completes  the  previous  Symbols,  and  forms  with  them  an  undivided  and 
harmonious  whole,  exhibiting  with  brilliancy,  power,  and  spotless  purity 
the  Person  of  the  God-Man,  Jesus  Christ,  and  glorifies  God  alone.  A 
confession  of  faith  which  so  unreservedly  unveils  the  fearful  character  of 
Original  Sin,  while  it  so  fully  explains  and  establishes  the  true  doctrine  of 
the  Lord's  Supper,  would  naturally  be  unwelcome  to  an  impenitent  heart; 
whereas,  the  devout  Arndt  found  nothing  in  it  but  animating  and  heavenly 
truth.  Hence  he  desired  to  be  regarded  as  simply  an  Evangelical  Lutheran 
Christian, — an  adherent  of  the  Formula  of  Concord. 

§  26.  Religion  assumed  an  unusually  attractive  and  beautiful  form  in 
Arndt,  and  is  strikingly  shadowed  forth  in  his  True  Christianity;"  this 
work  is  an  adtnirable  portraiture  of  his  inner  man.  He  was  naturally  of 
a  grave,  but  not  by  any  means  of  an  unsocial  or  gloomy  disposition;  he 
would  not  otherwise  have  been  styled  "the  Fenelon  of  Protestantism." 
Dr.  Wildenhahn,  whose  charming  work  (entitled  Johannes  Arndt)  embodies 
strictly  accurate  historical  notices,  and  derives  only  subordinate  matter, 
such  as  incidents  in  domestic  life,  conversations,  etc.,  from  analogy  and  a 
fruitful  imagination,  exhibits  him  in  the  true  light,  as  an  affectionate  hus- 
band, a  cheerful  companion,  a  generous  and  self-sacrificing  friend  of  the 
flick  and  the  poor — in  short,  as  a  model  in  all  the  relations  of  life.  There 


INTRODUCTION. 


xxvil 


is  no  exaggeration  in  this  language.  lie  possessed  great  firmness  of  char- 
acter; indeed,  a  truly  heroic  spirit  dwelt  in  him.  lie  manifested  this  trait 
on  many  trying  occasions — not  only  when  he  preferred  poverty  and  exile 
to  a  denial  of  a  single  Gospel  truth  or  Lutheran  usage,  but  also  in  many 
other  scenes  of  conflict.  The  ravages  of  the  pestilence  could  not  alarm 
his  heroic  soul;  the  open  and  violent  denunciations  of  enemies  he  always 
encountered  in  the  spirit  of  Him  who  said  :  "  If  I  have  spoken  evil,  bear 
witness  of  the  evil;  but  if  well,  why  smitest  thou  me?"  (John  18:23.) 
There  was  a  certain  calmness  or  gentleness  in  his  manner  of  treating  his 
enemies,  which,  combined  with  his  earnestness  and  candor  in  repelling 
their  calumnies,  invariably  subdued  them.  Love — love,  not  to  the  amia- 
ble and  good,  or  to  the  poor  and  sorrowing  alone,  but  also  to  his  enemies 
— was  too  often  and  too  variously  manifested,  to  leave  the  spectator  in 
doubt  respecting  its  true  source — a  genuine  faith  in  Christ,  and  deep, 
ardent  love  to  Him.  In  truth,  it  is  here  that  the  peculiar  type  of  his 
religion  is  seen  ;  he  lived  more  in  heaven  than  on  earth.  The  sacerdotal 
prayer  of  Christ  (John,  Chap.  17)  was  an  unfailing  source  of  light,  of  hope, 
of  peace  and  joy  to  his  soul.  Expressions  like  these  :  "  As  thou.  Father, 
art  in  me,  and  I  in  thee,  that  they  also  may  be  one  in  us"  (ver.  21) — "I 
in  them,  and  thou  in  me,  etc."  (ver.  23),  and  language  like  that  of  Paul: 
"Christ  in  you,  etc."  (Col.  1 :  27),  furnished  him  virtually  with  the  for- 
mula :  "  Christ  in  me,  and  I  in  Christ."  Such  was  his  faith  in  Christ,  and 
such  was  his  love  to  Him,  that  he  was  always  calm  and  hopeful.  Hence 
features  appeared  in  his  religious  character  which  his  worldly-minded 
contemporaries  could  not  fully  appreciate;  they  were  formed  by  two  dif- 
ferent series  of  Gospel  doctrines,  which  cannot  come  in  conflict,  but  which 
relate  to  two  entirely  different  objects — Christ,  the  Saviour,  and  fallen 
man.  No  one  more  sincerely  embraced  the  doctrine  of  Original  Sin,  as 
held  b}^  the  Lutheran  Church,  than  Arndt  did ;  of  this  his  writings  furnish 
the  evidence.  His  own  searching  self-examination,  constantly  maintained 
in  the  light  of  Scripture,  revealed  to  him  the  utter  corruption  of  his  own 
heart  by  nature;  he  found  nothing  in  himself  but  sin.  He  was  conscious 
that  he  could  do  nothing  without  Christ,  and  deeply  felt  that  grace — 
nothing  but  grace — could  renew  his  nature,  and  save  him.  These  convic- 
tions induced  him  to  insist  with  such  earnestness,  in  his  Four  Books,  on 
the  true  and  genuine  repentance  of  the  sinner.  At  the  same  time,  there 
w^as  nothing  like  sternness,  gloom,  or  despondency  connected  with  his 
sincere  and  profound  self-abasement.  For  he  received  with  equal  strength 
of  faith  another  series  of  truths — he  believed  with  all  his  heart  that  "  after 
the  kindness  and  love  of  God  our  Saviour  toward  man  appeared,  not  by 
works  of  righteousness  which  w^e  have  done,  but  according  to  his  mercy 
he  saved  us,  by  the  washing  of  regeneration,  and  renewing  of  the  Holy 
Ghost ;  which  he  shed  on  us  abundantly  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Saviour; 
that  being  justified  by  his  grace,  we  should  be  made  heirs  according  to 


xxviii 


INTRODUCTION. 


the  liope  of  eternal  life."  Tit.  3  :  4-7.  Here  a  new  tide  of  emotions  flowed 
tlirouiih  liis  80ul.  Wonder,  joy,  gratitude,  love,  took  possession  of  liim. 
His  large  lieart  was  full  of  happiness  that  the  lost  could  be  found  and 
saved — that  "where  sin  abounded,  grace  did  much  more  abound."  Eom. 
6  :  20.  And  now,  when  these  two  distinct  principles  appear  in  him  in 
their  practical  union,  the  type  of  liis  religion  is  clearly  developed.  He 
was  grave  and  earnest,  humble,  and  free  from  all  confidence  in  himself, 
for  lie  was  "by  nature  a  child  of  wrath."  Eph.  2:  3.  But,  on  the  other 
hand,  God  had,  in  pity  and  in  love,  given  him  a  Saviour,  engrafted  him 
in  that  Saviour  through  Holy  Baptism,  bestowed  on  him  the  fulness  of 
grace,  and  invited  him,  as  a  repentant,  believing,  pardoned  child  of  Adam, 
to  enter  heaven.  If  sin  abounded  through  the  first  Adam,  grace  did, 
through  the  second  Adam  (1  Cor.  15  :  45),  much  more  abound.  His 
writings,  therefore,  now  assume  a  very  cheerful  character — love  is  the 
prevailim^  theme.  Nothing  morose  appears  in  them — sorrow  for  sin  and 
repentance — faith  in  Christ  and  love  to  him,  are  his  soul-inspiring  themes, 
and  a  cheerful  spirit,  a  sense  of  fervent,  joyful  gratitude  to  God,  a  heav- 
enly calm,  pervade  alike  his  heart  and  its  language  as  uttered  in  the 
*'True  Christianity." 

§  27.  The  essential  features  of  vital  godliness  are  always  the  same;  yet 
"  there  are  diversities  of  gifts,  but  the  same  Spirit."  1  Cor.  12  :  4.  Paul 
insists  on  faith  ;  John,  on  love.  Luther's  religion  was,  like  that  of  Arndt, 
earnest,  an.d  yet  cheerful.  Both  were  enabled  by  their  personal  experience 
to  understand  the  nature  of  these  Christian  virtues,  and  also  the  distinc- 
tion between  them.  Luther  dwells  with  wonderful  power  on  faith.  Arndt 
delights  to  speak  of  God's  lore.  There  is  something  very  beautiful  in 
these  difierent  developments  of  true  godliness  in  the  servants  of  Christ, 
w]]ile  the  influences  of  the  same  divine  Spirit  controls  them  alike. 

§  28.  It  would  be  an  error  to  suppose  that  the  whole  world  had  risen  up 
in  arms  against  Arndt,  after  he  had  assumed  his  position  as  an  humble 
and  devout  Christian.  Vast  numbers  received  his  First  Book  on  True 
Christianity  with  gratitude  and  joy.  It  enlightened  their  minds  ;  it  con- 
trolled the  conscience;  it  diffused  the  warmth  of  life  through  their  souls; 
and  they  thanked  God  that  such  a  book,  so  full  of  love,  had  been  given  to 
the  world.  A  comparatively  small  number  of  men  rose  up  against  him. 
Certain  individuals,  such  as  his  colleague,  Denecke,  a  co-pastor  of  the  same 
congregation  in  Brunswick,  were,  no  doubt,  influenced  by  envy  and  per- 
sonal dislike.  But  others  who  opposed  him,  were  by  no  means  governed 
solely  by  unworthy  personal  considerations.  Some  of  them  were  so 
much  concerned  about  "questions  and  strifes  of  words"  (1  Tim.  6:4), 
that  they  overlooked  and  misconceived  the  heavenly-mindedness  of  Arndt. 
Others,  who  did  him  injustice,  were  led  astray  by  the  infelicity  of  the  times. 
We  have  already  referred  to  the  disastrous  influences  of  the  mysticism 
and  fanaticism  which,  in  addition  to  other  corruptions  of  the  true  faith,  had 


INTEODUCTION. 


xxix 


appeared  al}out,  and  after,  the  period  of  the  birth  of  Arndt.  For  instance, 
the  Swiss  physician,  Paracelsus  (who  died  as  a  Roman  Catholic  in  1541), 
had  published  various  fantastic  and  mystical  writings,  in  which  he  professed 
that  he  understood  both  mundane  and  supermundane  mysteries.  Now  a 
certain  Lutheran  pastor  in  Saxony,  named  Weigel,  who  died  in  1588,  and 
who  had  been  confessedly  a  man  of  an  upright  walk  and  conversation, 
had  yielded  to  a  tendency  to  the  mysticism  and  theosophy  of  Paracelsus. 
He  was  thus  led  theoretically  to  undervalue  the  doctrines  of  the  church, 
and  to  represent  them  as  merely  allegorical  forms,  involving  truths  not 
known  to  ordinary  men.  The  natural  results  of  his  theory,  if  its  folly  had 
not  been  exposed,  would  unquestionably  have  serioiisly  affected  the  au- 
thority of  the  WM'itten  Word.  Before  his  writings  were  published,  a  friend 
had  communicated  to  Arndt  a  short  extract  from  them,  which  contained 
none  of  his  errors;  the  author's  name  had  been  withheld.  Arndt,  in  his 
innocence,  inserted  the  passage  in  his  book,  and  was  thus  burdened  with 
the  odium  of  all  the  Weigelian  errors ;  but  he  was  subsequently  released 
from  all  censure,  and  his  freedom  from  anything  like  the  mysticism  of 
"Weigel  was  generally  conceded. 

§  29.  Another  ground  of  the  charge  of  mysticism  which  his  opponents 
advanced,  was  found  in  his  repeated  references  in  the  ''True  Chris- 
tianity" to  Tauler.  Here,  too,  Arndt  made  a  brilliant  defence,  by  quot- 
ing the  great  Luther  as  his  authority.  The  latter  had  obtained  possession 
of  a  manuscript  without  a  title  or  an  author's  name,  which  deeply  in- 
terested him.  It  dwelt  entirely  on  the  communion  of  the  soul  with  God, 
and  on  kindred  topics.  Luther,  whose  godliness  was  healthy  and  sound, 
was  so  much  charmed  with  the  work,  that  he  published  a  part  of  it  at 
Wittenberg  in  1516,  and  prefixed  the  title:  ''A  spiritual,  noble  little 
work,  explaining  the  distinction  betw^een  the  old  and  the  new  man; 
showing,  also,  who  are  the  children  of  Adam  and  the  children  of  God, 
and  how  Adam  must  die  in  us,  and  Christ  live  in  us."  During  the  course 
of  the  next  year  he  published  the  whole  work,  with  an  extended  Preface 
of  his  own,  and  adopted  the  title :  "A  German  Theology";  this  general 
title  it  has  since  retained.  It  was  received  with  unbounded  favor,  and 
circulated  rapidly  throughout  Europe,  for  instance,  in  three  English,  seven 
Latin,  four  French,  etc.,  translations,  besides  numerous  editions  of  the 
original  German.  It  was  supposed  to  have  been  written  by  Tauler,  a 
very  devout  man,  who  was  born  in  the  year  1290.  His  religious  tenden- 
cies led  him,  like  Luther,  to  enter  a  monastery.  The  sermons  and  other 
writings  which  he  left  behind,  while  their  general  character  assign  to  him 
a  place  among  those  who  are  denominated  ''  Mystics,"  nevertheless 
abound  in  holy  and  devout  aspirations,  and  w^ere  dictated  by  a  spirit  that 
sought  and  found  peace  in  the  grace  of  God  alone. — Arndt  entertained  the 
opinion  that  the  "  German  Theology"  was  a  production  of  his  pen,  and 
80  represents  the  case  in  his  "  True  Ohristianity."    It  is  now,  however, 


XXX 


INTRODUCTION. 


generally  conceded,  in  consequence  of  an  allusion  in  the  work  itself  to 
Tauler  as  a  religious  teacher  of  an  earlier  day,  that  anotlier  person,  be- 
longing to  a  later  period,  was  the  writer;  his  name  is  still  involved  in 
impenetrable  darkness. — So,  too,  it  is  by  no  means  certain  that  Thomas  d 
Kempis  (born  in  1380),  was  the  author  of  the  popular  book  "On  the  Imi- 
tation of  Christ,"  of  which  more  than  two  thousand  editions  in  the  origi- 
nal language,  more  than  one  thousand  in  French,  besides  innumerable 
others  in  German,  English,  etc.,  have  been  published.  The  historical 
arguments,  adduced  chiefly  by  French  writers,  intended  to  support  the 
claims  of  the  eminent  Gerson  (born  in  1363),  as  the  author,  although  not 
entirely  conclusive,  are  still  possessed  of  great  weight. — Arndt  incident- 
ally remarks  in  a  brief  statement  respecting  the  "  German  Theology," 
that  his  copy,  printed  at  Wittenberg  in  1520,  contained  simply  the  remark 
that  the  book  had  been  written  by  a  devout  priest  of  the  city  of  Frank- 
fort, for  devotional  purposes,  but  the  author's  name  w^as  withheld.  If 
Luther  sanctioned  the  publication  of  the  "German  Theology,"  Arndt 
could  calmly  listen  to  those  who  censured  him  for  adopting  a  similar 
course.  Those  extracts  at  least,  which  he  furnishes  in  the  "  True  Chris- 
tianity," are,  unquestionably^  evangelical  and  truly  edifying. 

§  30.  It  will,  perhaps,  gratify  the  reader  to  observe  the  skill  with  which 
Wildenhahn,  to  whom  we  have  already  referred,  illustrates  the  childlike 
simplicity  of  Arndt's  character,  by  combining  fiction  with  truth.  During 
his  Brunswick  pastorate,  the  City  Council  of  Halberstadt  sent  him  an 
urgent  call  to  become  the  successor  of  the  deceased  Rev.  D.  Sachse,  as 
jiastor  of  the  church  of  St.  Martin  in  that  city.  After  he  had  consulted 
with  his  intelligent  wife,  who,  like  himself,  w^as  anxious  to  withdraw  to 
any  spot  where  peace  could  be  found,  he  resolved  to  accept  the  call;  and, 
in  accordance  with  custom  and  law,  applied  to  the  Brunswick  City  Coun- 
cil for  letters  of  honorable  dismission.  When  the  question  was  to  be 
decided,  Arndt  appeared  in  the  presence  of  the  burgomaster.  Kale,  the 
syndic.  Dr.  Boerhand,  and  other  members  of  the  Council,  and  renew^ed 
his  request.  These  details  are  historically  true.  Wildenhahn  now  sub- 
joins the  following:  "Tell  me  honestly,"  said  the  syndic  to  him,  "have 
you  really,  as  you  allege,  taken  no  steps  whatever,  in  order  to  obtain  this 
call  from  Halberstadt?"  "Not  a  single  step,"  said  Arndt,  in  a  solemn 
manner,  with  his  right  hand  on  his  heart,  "the  whole  is  altogether  and 
exclusively  a  work  of  God."  But  at  the  moment  when  he  pronounced 
this  solemn  declaration,  it  became  evident  to  those  who  were  present,  that 
a  sudden  thought  had  startled  him;  he  changed  color;  he  began  to 
tremble;  he  suddenly  covered  his  eyes  with  his  left  hand.  Then,  with  a 
voice  betraying  deep  emotion,  he  added:  "  Gentlemen,  I  have  borne  false 
witness!  I  really  did  do  something  to  obtain  this  call."  "Ah!"  said 
Kale  quickly,  delighted,  as  it  seemed,  to  find  an  opportunity  for  displaying 
his  official  dignity,  "  You  did?    Pray,  tell  us  what  it  was."    "I  prayed 


INTRODUCTIOK 


XX  xi 


to  tlio  blessed  Lord  with  tears,  that  he  would  assign  to  me  some  other 
spot  ill  his  vineyard,  no  matter  how  insignificant,  if  I  could  only  there 
preach  his  word  in  peace."  "And  was  that  all  ?"  inquired  the  burgo- 
master, much  surprised,  and  speaking  in  more  gentle  tones.  That  was 
all,"  replied  Arndt,  "and  this  is  true,  as  God  lives!  But,  doubtless,  I 
erred  here,  in  impatiently  attempting  to  dictate  to  God,  etc."  Such  sim- 
plicity of  character,  such  perfect  ingenuousness,  such  a  wonderful  freedom 
from  artifice  and  disguise,  completely  disarmed  the  members  of  the 
Council.  They  now  understood  better  than  previously  the  artlessness 
and  spirituality  of  the  man  before  them,  and,  after  that  scene,  they  ac- 
corded to  him  entire  esteem  and  coniidence. 

§  31.  The  great  work  of  Arndt — the  "  True  Christianity,"  has  probably 
never  had  its  equal  as  a  popular  book  of  devotion.  Tholuck  relates  the 
following  anecdote  as  an  illustration  of  the  manner  in  which  even  Papists 
.could  appreciate  the  merits  of  the  work.  When  Prof.  Anton,  of  Halle, 
visited  Madrid  in  1687,  he  examined  the  library  of  the  Jesuits,  and  inci- 
dentally inquired  of  the  librarian  respecting  the  ascetic  writer  whom  they 
esteemed  more  than  other  authors  of  devotional  works.  The  latter  ex- 
hibited a  Latin  book,  the  title-page  and  last  leaves  of  which  were  wanting, 
and  declared  that  it  was  the  most  edifying  work  which  they  possessed. 
"When  Anton  examined  it,  he  discovered  that  it  was  a  translation  of 
Arndt's  ''''True  Christianity  \  It  is  only  common  justice  to  allow  the 
author  to  state  the  objects  which  he  had  in  view,  in  preparing  the  work. 
The  following  passage  occurs  in  a  letter  which  he  addressed  in  the  last 
year  of  his  life  to  Duke  Augustus  the  Younger,  of  Brunswick:  "  Li  the 
first  place,  I  wished  to  withdraw  the  minds  of  students  and  preachers 
from  an  inordinate  controversial  and  polemic  theology,  which  has  well- 
nigh  assumed  the  form  of  an  earlier  scholastic  theology.  Secondly,  I  pur- 
posed to  conduct  Christian  believers  from  lifeless  thoughts  to  such  as 
might  bring  forth  fruit.  Thirdly,  I  wished  to  guide  them  onward  from 
mere  science  and  theory,  to  the  actual  practice  of  faith  and  godliness; 
and,  fourthly,  to  show  them  wherein  a  truly  Christian  life  consists,  which 
accords  with  the  true  faith,  as  well  as  to  explain  the  apostle's  meaning 
when  he  says:  'I  live;  yet  not  I,  but  Christ  liveth  in  rne,'  etc."  (Gal. 
2  :  20.) 

§  32.  The  Rev.  Dr.  Seiss,  the  author  of  "Ecclesia  Lutherana,  etc.,"  to 
whose  endeavors  the  religious  public  is  mainly  indebted  for  the  appear- 
ance of  the  present  edition,  remarks  in  a  recent  notice  of  the  work: 
"  This  is  one  of  the  very  greatest  and  most  useful  practical  books  pro- 
duced by  Protestantism.  Though  written  more  than  two  hundred  and 
fifty  years  ago,  it  is  still  unsurpassed  in  its  department.  It  stands  out 
with  marked  and  superior  distinction  in  the  modern  ages.  Next  to  the 
Bible  and  Luther's  Small  Catechism,  it  has  been  more  frequently  printed, 
more  widely  read,  and  more  influential  for  good,  than  any  other  book, 

C 


xxxii 


INTRODUCTION. 


perliaps,  that  lias  ever  been  written.  Boehm  has  not  exaggerated,  when 
he  says  that  its  eftects,  in  the  conversion  of  souls,  has  been  such,  that  an 
account  of  them  would  make  a  history  in  itself.  Kor  can  any  one  can- 
didly read  it,  without  finding  on  every  page,  scintillations  of  the  sunlike 
splendors  of  a  mind  bathed  in  the  purity,  wisdom,  and  love  of  heaven." 
Mr.  Boehm,  in  the  Preface  to  his  translation  (which  is  the  basis  both  of 
the  revision  of  Mr.  Jacques,  and  of  the  present  edition),  remarks,  that 
among  the  learned  men  in  Great  Britain,  who  had  read  the  Latin  transla- 
tion, the  distinguished  Dr.  Worthington  had  assigned  the  first  rank  among 
devotional  writers  to  Arndt,  and  quotes  the  enthusiastic  terms  in  which 
he  extols  that  "faithful  servant  of  God,  John  Arndt."  And  Mr.  Jacques 
closes  the  Prefiice  to  his  revision  with  the  following  words:  "  Divines  of 
all  communions  and  persuasions,  have  united  in  their  admiration  of  this 
delightful  production.  The  late  learned  Dr.  Edward  Williams  has  in- 
serted it  in  his  valuable  Appendix  to  the  Christian  Preacher :  and  the 
Rev.  John  Wesley  made  a  most  copious  extract  from  it,  comprised  in 
Vol.  I.  and  II.  of  his  Christian  Library." 

§  33.  And  truly  God  did  not  design  this  great  work  solely  for  the  com- 
fort and  aid  of  the  German  nation  during  the  Thirty  Years'  War  (1618- 
1648),  but  for  all  nations  and  all  times.  It  has  been  translated  into  the 
Latin,  Danish,  Swedish,  Bohemian,  Polish,  Low  Dutch,  English,  French, 
Turkish,  Russian,  Malabar,  Tamul,  etc.,  languages.  At  least  two  edi- 
tions of  the  work  in  a  Latin  translation  were  published  in  England;  the 
last  appeared  in  1708,  with  the  following  title  :  "  Joannis  Arndtii,  Theolo- 
gici,  etc. :  De  vero  Christianismo.  Libri  lY.  Cura  et  studio  A.  W.  Boemi. 
Lond.  1708."  2  vols.  8vo. — Another  Latin  edition  was  published  in  Ger- 
many in  1624.  The  Tamul  translation  had  the  following  Latin  title:  "De 
vero  Christianismo,  in  Tamulicum  convertit  Benjamin  Schulzius,  Mis- 
sionarius  Evangelicus."* 

§  34.  The  work  had  made  so  deep  an  impression  on  learned  British 
Christians,  who  read  it  in  Latin,  that  the  wish  w^as  repeatedly  and  earn- 
estly expressed  that  it  might  be  made  accessible  to  English  readers.  At 
this  period,  that  is,  during  the  reign  of  Queen  Anne  of  England  (who 
died  in  1714),  large  numbers  of  German  emigrants  from  the  Palatinate 
passed  through  England  on  their  way  to  the  provinces  of  l^ew  York  and 


*  The  first  Latin  translation,  published  at  Leipsic  in  1704,  was  prepared  by  the  joint  labors 
of  Dr.  J.  G.  Dorscheus  and  Dr.  J.  G.  Pritius.  (The  latter  published  about  the  same  time  his 
Introductio  in  lectionem  N.  T.,  etc.,  which  was  highly  valued,  and  passed  through  several  edi- 
tions ;  our  own  copy  is  dated  1737.)  An  extended  Preface  was  furnished  by  Pritius.  The 
whole  is  presented  in  a  single  and  very  clumsy  volume. — The  Latin  translation  published  by 
Mr.  Boehm  in  London,  1708,  and  dedicated  to  his  patron,  Prince  George,  appeared  in  two 
neat  and  convenient  volumes,  and  is  far  superior  to  the  continental  edition.  Copies  of  these 
editions,  which  are  now  rarely  to  be  found,  were  obtained  by  us  from  the  very  rich  collection 
of  such  works,  belonging  to  Rev.  Dr.  C.  P.  Krauth,  of  West  Philadelphia. 


INTEODUCTIOIs. 


xxxiii 


Pennsylvania.  The  Rev.  Anthony  William  Boehm.  a  German  Lutheran 
clergyman,  had  previously  been  appointed  as  the  court  chaplain  of  Prince 
George  of  Denmark,  the  consort  of  Queen  Anne.  His  enlightened  zeal 
and  devout  heart  led  him  to  take  a  deep  interest,  not  only  in  the  tem- 
poral, but  also  in  the  spiritual  welfare  of  these  pilgrims,  who  were  on 
their  way  to  the  wilds  of  North  America.  He  accordingly  supplied  them, 
by  the  aid  of  certain  like-minded  friends,  with  German  Bibles  and  Hymn 
Books,  and  also  with  German  copies  of  Arndt's  True  Christianity,"  as 
well  as  with  other  books  of  devotion.  This  interesting  fact  is  men- 
tioned in  the  letters  of  Dr.  Muhlenberg,  published  in  the  well-known 
Halle  Reports  {Hallische  Nachrichien,  pp.  665,  793).  But  Mr.  Boehm  also 
resolved  to  furnish  the  people,  in  the  midst  of  whom  he  lived,  with  the 
great  work  of  his  favorite  author,  in  their  own  language,  and  accordingly 
prepared  an  English  translation,  which  was  first  printed  in  London 
in  1712. 

§  35.  It  would  be  unjust  to  the  memory  of  this  excellent  man,  if  we 
should  fail  to  refer  to  his  literary  labors.  His  high  office  at  the  royal 
court  of  England,  is  an  evidence  of  his  personal  merit.  He  was  not  only 
a  devout  and  faithful  preacher  of  the  Gospel,  but  also  an  author  who 
acquired  distinction.  In  1734  he  published  a  very  valuable  work  in  the 
German  language,  entitled:  Eight  Books,  on  the  Reformation  of  the 
Church  in  England,  extending  from  the  year  1526,  under  Henry  VIII.,  to 
the  reign  of  Charles  11."  In  a  very  beautiful  eulogy,  in  manuscript, 
found  in  the  volume  before  us,  the  writer  refers  to  the  successful  efibrts 
of  Mr.  Boehm  to  provide  for  the  education  of  the  children  of  the  poor  in 
his  vicinity.  He  died  May  27, 1722,  in  his  fiftieth  year,  after  having  faith- 
fully labored  in  the  service  of  Christ.  He  sustained,  with  eminent  success, 
the  Danish  Lutheran  missionaries  in  Tranquebar,  by  sending  pecuniary 
aid  obtained  in  London,  as  well  as  religious  publications.  Besides  his 
great  German  historical  work,  which  is  the  complement  of  Burnet's  His- 
tory of  the  Reformation  of  the  Church  of  England,"  he  also  published 
several  English  compositions,  such  as  a  "Sermon  on  the  doctrine  of  Orig- 
inal Sin,  Eph.  4 :  22,"  printed  in  London,  1711,  and  a  "Sermon  on  the 
Duty  of  the  Reformation  (Jubilee),  Rev.  18  : 4,"  London,  1718,  besides 
various  religious  works  in  the  German  language. 

§  36.  About  the  beginning  of  the  present  century,  the  Rev.  Calvin 
Chaddock,  who  resided  in  Hanover,  Massachusetts,  obtained  a  copy  of 
Mr.  Boehm's  translation,  "accidentally,"  as  he  says,  and  found  it  to-be  so 
valuable,  that  he  resolved  to  issue  an  American  edition,  which  accordingly 
appeared  in  1809,  Boston.  In  his  short  Preface  lie  remarks,  with  great 
truth,  that  the  language  of  the  translation  "appears  to  be  somewhat  an- 
cient, and  the  sentiments  in  some  few  instances  obscure."  He  adds,  in 
reference  to  his  own  agency :  "  The  only  alterations  which  have  been  made, 
are  such  as  respect  redundant  and  obsolete  words,  orthography,  the  addi- 


xxxiv 


INTEODUCTION. 


tion  of  some  words,  and  the  transposition  of  some  sentences;  that  the  ideas 
of  the  translator  might  appear  more  conspicuous."  He  might  have,  with 
great  advantage,  been  even  more  liberal  than  he  was,  in  correcting  the 
style;  it  still  remained  in  numerous  passages  heavy  and  obscure.  As  the 
style,  even  of  tlie  original  German,  is  somewhat  antiquated,  and  as,  besides, 
occasional  obscurities  and  repetitions  occur,  a  later  successor  in  one  of 
Arndt's  pastoral  charges,  the  Rev.  J.  F.  Fedderson,  assumed  the  task  of 
revising  and  abridging  the  whole  of  the  original  German,  improving  or 
modernizing  the  style,  and  occasionally  adding  new  matter.  Tlie  result 
of  liis  labors  does  not  appear  to  liave  received  the  entire  approbation  of 
the  German  religious  world ;  the  original  and  unaltered  work  continues 
so  popular,  that  no  permanent  place  has  been  secured  for  the  substitute. 
A  portion  of  Fedderson's  production  was  translated  and  published  in 
Chambersburg,  Pennsylvania,  in  1834,  by  the  Rev.  John  Hoffman, 
Pastor  of  the  Evangelical  Lutheran  congregation  of  that  place.  The 
translation  was  never  completed.  The  part  which  was  given,  consisting 
mainly  of  Book  L,  has  long  since  been  out  of  print. 

§  37.  In  the  year  1815,  a  new  edition  of  Mr.  Boehm's  English  transla- 
tion was  issued  in  London  (evidently  without  any  reference  to  Mr.  Chad- 
dock's  American  edition),  by  William  Jacques,  A.M.,  who  had  already- 
distinguished  himself  by  his  translation,  from  the  Latin,  of  A.  H.  Francke's 
"Guide  to  the  Reading  and  Study  of  the  Holy  Scriptures,"  of  w^hich  a  re- 
print, in  a  very  unattractive  form,  and  with  omissions,  appeared  in  Phila- 
delphia, in  1823.  He  took  Mr.  Boehm's  translation  as  the  "ground-work," 
which,  as  he  states  in  his  Preface,  he  did  not  "edit  either  hastily  or  neg- 
ligently. There  is  not  a  single  page,  nor  a  single  paragraph,"  he  contin- 
ues, "which  has  not  been  subjected  to  scrutiny,"  etc.  Nevertheless,  Mr. 
Jacques,  who  does  not  appear  to  have  compared  the  translation  with  the 
original  German,  made  only  verbal  changes,  which,  as  it  is  evident,  ma- 
terially improve  the  style.  But  he  allowed  all  the  additions  of  Mr.  Boehm, 
which  are  generally  quite  tautological,  and  various  inaccuracies  in  thought 
and  expression  to  remain.  So  many  antiquated  expressions  w^ere  retained, 
that  it  would  have  been  inexpedient  to  reprint  the  work  precisely  as  Mr. 
Jacques  allowed  the  text  to  remain.  Besides,  he  curtailed  the  full  titles 
of  the  several  chapters,  and,  with  very  few  exceptions,  omitted  the  impor- 
tant and  appropriate  texts  which  Arndt  had  prefixed  respectively  to  the 
latter.  These  circumstances,  in  connection  with  others,  such  as  numerous 
typographical  errors,  especially  in  the  Scripture  references,  plainly  indi- 
cated that  a  revision  of  the  whole  was  necessary,  before  the  present  edition 
could  be  presented  to  the  public. 

§  38.  The  editor  of  the  present  American  edition  took  that  of  Mr. 
Jacques  as  the  basis  of  the  translation,  but  compared  every  sentence  with 
the  original  German.  He  found  some  cases  in  which  valuable  matter  had 
been  omitted,  and  was  occasionally  required  to  supply  sentences  that  had 


INTRODUCTION. 


XXXV 


been  mutilated  or  suppressed.  But  he  erased  all  the  verbal  additions,  and 
the  clauses,  or  sentences,  inserted  by  Mr.  Boehni,  where  it  seemed  to  have 
been  the  object  of  the  latter  only  to  explain  remarks  that  were  already 
perfectly  lucid,  or  to  add  emphasis  by  the  insertion  of  adjectives,  etc.,  or 
else  to  impart  beauty  by  the  adoption  of  poetical  terms  or  phrases,  which 
were  inconsistent  with  the  severe  simplicity  of  Arndt's  style.  He  even 
represents  the  author,  on  one  occasion,  as  quoting  from  the  "Homilies" 
of  the  Church  of  England,  which  Arndt  undoubtedly  never  read,  and  cer- 
tainly does  not  mention  in  the  original.  The  American  editor  has,  also, 
at  the  request  of  several  friends,  who  took  an  interest  in  securing  the  pub- 
lication of  the  present  edition,  prepared  a  somewhat  copious  I.\l»ex.  One 
of  the  Latin  editions  (London,  1708)  contains  an  index,  adapted  only  to  its 
own  pages.  Another,  in  German,  is  found  in  some  of  the  German  editions, 
for  instance,  in  that  of  Nuremberg,  1762,  also  adapted  to  tlie  pages  of  the 
particular  edition  only.  As  the  American  editor  found  none  in  English, 
and  preferred  to  adapt  the  new  Index,  prepared  by  him,  to  the  worh  itself 
(specifying  the  Book,  Chapter,  and  Section),  he  accordingly  completed  his 
task  on  this  plan,  after  a  considerable  expenditure  of  time  and  labor.  It  is 
somewhat  difficult  to  prepare  an  Index  for  a  work  w^hich  is  so  exclusively 
devotional  in  its  character  as  the  present,  and  in  which  the  author  does 
not  intend  to  discuss  subjects  in  a  strictly  scientific  manner.  Arndt,  for 
instance,  employs  terms  wdiich,  when  defined  with  precision,  indicate  dif- 
ferent shades  of  thought,  almost  as  if  they  were  synonj-mous  [e.  g., 
the  grace,  meraj,  goodness,  love,  etc.,  of  God),  and  often  repeats  the»  same 
thought  in  different  language.  For  this  we  can  easily  account,  when  we 
recollect  that  the  materials  of  the  work  were  taken  from  a  series  of  popu- 
lar sermons  of  the  author,  delivered  at  intervals.  The  editor  allows  him- 
self to  hope  that  the  Index  w^hich  he  has  prepared,  may  occasionally  be  of 
service  to  the  reader. 

§  39.  But  even  after  having  made  numerous  changes  on  everg  page  of  the 
old  translation  before  him,  the  American  editor  is  conscious  that  a  critical 
eye  will  discover  many  imperfections  in  the  style.  It  is  often  antiquated 
and  heavy,  and  sometimes  even  quaint.  Nevertheless,  in  all  these  in- 
stances he  allowed  the  English  text  to  remain  as  he  found  it,  content- 
ing himself  with  the  correction  of  orthographical  and  syntactical  inaccu- 
racies, the  rectification  of  Scripture  references,  the  errors  in  which  he 
found  to  be  unusually  numerous,  the  correction  of  quotations  in  accord- 
ance with  the  authorized  English  version  of  the  Bible,  in  the  many  cases 
in  which  Mr.  Boehm,  or  one  of  his  assistants,  translated  from  Luther's 
German  version,  or  quoted  the  English  version  from  memory,  etc.,  etc. 

§  40.  It  is  eminently  proper  that  a  new  edition  of  Arndt's  "True  Chris- 
tianity" should  appear  during  the  present  Jubilee  year  of  the  Evangelical 
Lutheran  Church,  and  that  it  should  be  undertaken  and  conducted  to  a 
successful  issue  by  members  of  the  Evangelical  Lutheran  Synod  of  Penn« 


INTEODUCTIOX. 


Bylvania.  The  deep  spirituality  of  Anidt,  and  his  active  and  pure  faith, 
can  be  luUy  understood  and  aj>preoiated  only  when  we  reflect  on  the  doc- 
trinal pysteni  to  whicli  he  had  given  his  heart,  and  to  which  we  have 
referred  above.  This  orthodox  system  found  no  favor,  at  a  later  period, 
among  the  Rationalists;  they  rejected  the  doctrines  of  the  Bible  respect- 
ing tlie  depravity  of  human  nature,  the  divinity  of  Christ,  the  efficacy  of 
the  divinely  appointed  means  of  grace,  and  similar  truths,  and  grievously 
complained  of  the  violence  which,  as  they  treacherously  alleged,  was  of- 
fered to  their  conscience,  when  the  demand  was  made,  that  if  they  claimed 
to  belong  to  the  Lutheran  Church,  to  occupy  its  pulpits,  and  to  receive 
their  support  from  it,  they  ought  also  to  adopt  its  faith.  Their  influence 
is  happily  decaying  in  Europe,  and  the  restoration  of  the  doctrines  of  the 
Symbolical  Books  of  the  Evangelical  Lutheran  Church  to  authority,  is 
coincident  with  the  new  and  healthy  religious  life  of  the  Lutheran  Church 
in  Germany,  Hungary,  Scandinavia,  and  Russia.  The  sincere  Christian, 
John  Arndt,  whom  we  heard  protesting  before  God,  with  his  last  breath, 
as  described  above,  that  he  believed  only  the  doctrines  of  the  Symbolical 
Books  of  the  Lutheran  Church,  and  all  those  doctrines,  little  thought  that 
more  than  two  centuries  afterwards,  in  the  remote  Western  continent  of 
America,  men  would  arise  who  w^ould  not  only  reject  with  scorn  "  all  the 
other  Symbolical  Books,"  which  he  revered,  but  also  speak  contemptu- 
ously of  the  Augsburg  Confession  and  its  holy  doctrines. 

§  41.  The  doctrinal  system  which  Arndt  so  sincerely  revered,  was 
brouoflit  to  this  country  by  the  Lutheran  pastors  who  visited  our  shores 
at  a  very  early  period.  Dr.  Henry  Melchior  Muhlenberg,  an  eminently 
enlightened  and  holy  man,  was  enabled,  by  his  well-disciplined  mind  and 
great  administrative  powers,  to  create  order  among  the  scattered  Luther- 
ans whom  he  found  in  this  country.  He  was  exceedingl}^  zealous  in  main- 
taining the  i)urity  of  the  Lutheran  faith,  to  which  he  owed  all  his  peace 
and  liis  hopes.  He  gave  unusual  prominence  to  the  Symbolical  Books — 
to  all  of  them,  mentioned  b}^  name — in  the  various  constitutions  of  con- 
gregations organized  or  influenced  by  him,  and  very  properly  claimed 
that  none  who  rejected  them  could  honestly  bear  the  name  of  Lutherans. 
We  will  give  only  one  illustration,  of  many  which  might  be  adduced,  to 
show  the  fidelity  with  which  he  held  to  the  Lutheran  Symbolical  Books,  as 
enumerated  by  Arndt  in  the  last  paragraph  of  his  Preface  to  Book  L,  in 
this  volume.  Dr.  Muhlenberg  states  in  an  official  Report  for  the  year 
1747,  which  he  transmitted  to  Halle  {Ball  Nachr.,  pp.  234,  235),  that  he 
had  visited  a  congregation  in  Maryland,  in  which  great  dissensions  pre- 
vailed at  the  time,  occasioned  by  eflforts  made  by  certain  individuals  to 
alienate  the  Lutherans  from  their  faith  and  church.  He  says,  "Before  we 
commenced  public  worship,  I  asked  for  the  Church  Record,  and  wrote 
certain  propositions  and  articles  in  it  in  the  English  language,  and  among 
other  statements,  made  the  following:  That  our  German  Lutherans  held 


INTEODUCTION. 


xxxvii 


to  the  holy  Word  of  God,  in  the  prophetic  and  apostolical  writings;  fur- 
ther, to  the  unaltered  Augsburg  Confession,  and  the  other  Symbolical 
Books,  etc.*  I  then  read  the  same  publicly  to  the  congregation,  and  ex- 
plained it  to  them  in  the  German  language,  and  added,  that  every  one 
who  desired  to  be,  and  to  remain,  such  a  Lutheran,  should  subscribe  his 
name."  He  informs  ns  that  the  genuine  Lutherans  readily  subscribed; 
the  rest,  who  had  unlutheran  sympathies,  withheld  their  names. 

§  42.  An  unhappy  change  occurred  after  Dr.  Muhlenberg's  day.  The 
Symbolical  Books,  which  he  and  his  contemporaries  received,  believed, 
and  sustained  in  their  whole  extent,  with  religious  veneration,  existed  at 
that  time  only  in  Latin  and  German.  They  gradually  receded  from  the 
view  of  many  pastors  of  the  church;  individuals  were  received  into  the 
ranks  of  the  ministry,  who  had  never  studied  them;  doctrines  and  usages, 
hitherto  unknown  to  the  church,  were  introduced  into  many  Lutheran 
congregations.  At  one  period  several  of  the  most  intelligent  pastors 
yielded,  to  a  certain  extent,  to  rationalistic  influences;  then,  the  opposite 
extreme,  of  fanaticism,  gained  adherents;  both  rationalism  and  fanaticism 
were  alike  hostile  to  "the  unaltered  Augsburg  Confession  and  the  other 
Symbolical  Books,''  and  a  strange  combination  of  elements,  derived  partly 
from  rationalism,  and  partly  from  fimaticism,  temporarily  held  sway. 
Dependence  was  now  placed  on  human  measures  and  inventions,  de- 
signed for  the  conversion  of  sinners  and  the  edification  of  believers, 
rather  than  on  the  divinely  appointed  means  of  grace,  which  men  like 
Arndt  and  Muhlenberg  recognized  as  the  only  channels  through  which 
the  Divine  Spirit  exercises  his  influence.  If  they  had  lived  among  us 
during  the  second,  third,  and  fourth  decades  of  this  century,  when  their 
doctrines,  and  their  mode  of  preaching,  w^ere  regarded  by  man}^  as  anti- 
quated, or  unsuited  to  a  supposed  higher  grade  of  religious  development, 
they  w^ould  have  readily  predicted  the  results — fanaticism,  latitudinarian- 
ism  in  doctrine,  an  evanescent  emotional  religion,  and,  by  consequence, 
the  rejection,  in  whole  or  in  part,  of  the  Augsburg  Confession  and  the 
other  Symbolical  Books. 

§  43.  God,  in  his  mercy,  has  interposed.  The  doctrines  which  Arndt, 
Muhlenberg,  and  men  of  the  old  faith,  regarded  as  the  life-blood  of  a 
healthy,  scriptural  religion,  are  regaining  their  authority.    Many  still 


^  The  term  "Symbol" — a  word  derived  from  the  Greek — was  applied,  at  a  very  early 
period  of  the  Christian  Church,  by  Greek-speaking  Christians,  to  the  "Apostles'  Creed,"  in 
the  sense  of  a  "token  or  mark  of  recognition."  He  who  knew  and  adopted  that  Creed, 
viewed  thus  as  a  symbol,  was  recognized  as  a  Christian  ;  he  who  knew  it  not,  or  who  rejected 
it,  was  not  a  Christian,  but  a  Jew  or  heathen.  After  diverse  creeds  had  been  formed  and 
adopted  in  the  course  of  time,  the  word  Symbol  was  retained,  as  applicable  to  a  particular 
creed  or  confession  of  faith.  Hence  the  term  "Symbols,"  or  its  equivalent,  "Symbolical 
Books,"  was  gradually  applied  to  the  several  Lutheran  Creeds  which  Arndt  mentions  with 
such  reverence  and  love,  as  we  have  seen  above. 


xxxviii 


INTRODUCTION. 


reject  tlieni ;  tlie  old  faith  of  the  church — Bible  truth,  is  unwelcome  to  an 
ignonint,  rationalistic,  and  unconverted  heart.  But  others  have  been 
taught  by  observation  and  experience  that  mere  human  measures  and  hi- 
ventions  cannot  conduct  to  a  liealthy  and  permanent  religion,  and  that 
divine  truth,  as  taught  in  the  Scriptures,  and  set  forth  in  our  Symbolical 
Books,  and  the  other  means  of  grace  given  to  the  Church  by  its  divine 
Head,  are  the  only  sources  from  which  such  a  healthy  religion  can  pro- 
ceed. In  this  spirit  Arndt  wrote  the  *'True  Christianity,"  and  by  this 
spirit  the  Synod  of  Pennsylvania  is  animated.  This  ecclesiastical  body 
desires  to  take  away  all  glory  from  man,  and  to  give  it  all  to  Christ. 
One  of  the  results  of  its  attachment  to  our  ancient  and  holy  faith,  is  the 
publication  of  the  present  volume,  in  which  the  author  so  eloquently  and 
afl'ectionately  urges  all  men  to  repent,  to  believe  in  Christ,  and  to  lead  a 
holy  life. 

§  44.  The  divine  blessing  has  so  remarkably  attended  the  use  of  Arndt's 
**True  Christianity,"  in  the  original  language,  and  in  its  various  transla- 
tions, that  the  present  editor  humbly  entertains  the  hope  that  the  time 
and  labor  expended  by  him  in  preparing  this  new  edition,  may  also  be  of 
avail.  And  he  prays  that  the  "True  Christianity"  may  continue  the  work 
which  it  has  already  performed,  and  instruct,  guide,  and  comfort  anew 
the  souls  of  its  readers,  to  the  praise  and  glory  of  God. 

C.  F.  S. 

Philadelphia,  August,  1868. 


THE  AUTHOR'S 
PREFACE  TO  THE  FIRST  BOOK. 


CHRISTIAN  READER!  That  the 
holy  Gospel  is  subjected,  in  our 
age,  to  a  great  and  shameful  abuse,  is 
fully  ])roved  by  the  ungodly  and  im- 
penitent life  of  those  who  loudly  boast 
of  Christ  and  of  his  word,  while  their 
unchristian  life  resembles  that  of  per- 
sons who  dwell  in  a  land  of  heathens 
and  not  of  Christians.  Such  an  un- 
godly course  of  conduct  furnished  me 
with  an  occasion  for  writing  this  Trea- 
tise ;  it  was  my  object  to  show  to  plain 
readers  wherein  true  Christianity  con- 
sists, namely,  in  the  exhibition  of  a 
true,  living,  and  active  faith,  which 
manifests  itself  in  genuine  godliness 
and  the  fruits  of  righteousness.  I  de- 
sired to  show  that  w^e  bear  the  name 
of  Christians,  not  only  because  we 
ought  to  believe  in  Christ,  but  also 
because  the  name  implies  that  we  live 
in  Christ,  and  that*  He  lives  in  us.  I 
further  desired  to  show  that  true  re- 
pentance proceeds  from  the  inmost 
centre  of  the  heart;  that  the  heart, 
mind,  and  affections  must  be  changed ; 
that  we  must  be  conformed  to  Christ 
and  his  holy  Gospel ;  and  that  we  must 
be  renewed  by  the  word  of  God,  and 
become  new  creatures.  For  even  as 
every  seed  produces  fruit  of  a  like 
nature,  so  the  word  of  God  must  daily 
produce  in  us  new  spiritual  fruits.  If 
we  become  new  creatures  by  faith, 
we  must  live  in  accoi^dance  with  our 
new  birth.  In  a  word,  Adam  must 
die,  and  Christ  must  live,  in  us.  It  is 
not  sufficient  to  acquire  a  knowledge 


of  the  word  of  God ;  it  is  also  our  duty 
to  obey  it  practically,  with  life  and 
power. 

2.  There  are  many  who  suppose 
that  Theology  is  merely  a  science,  or 
an  art  of  words,  whereas  it  is  a  living 
experience  and  practical  exercise. — 
Every  one  now  aims  at  acquiring  emi- 
nence and  distinction  in  the  world; 
but  no  one  is  willing  to  learn  how  to 
be  devout.  Every  one  now  seeks  out 
men  of  great  learning,  who  can  teach 
arts,  languages,  and  wisdom ;  but  no 
one  is  willing  to  learn  from  our  only 
Teacher,  Jesus  Christ,  how  to  become 
meek  and  sincerely  humble;  and  yet 
His  holy  and  living  example  is  the 
true  rule  for  our  life  and  conduct,  and, 
indeed,  constitutes  the  highest  wisdom 
and  knowledge;  so  that  we  can  with 
truth  declare,  "The  pure  life  of  Christ 
opens  all  knowledge  to  us." 

3.  Every  one  is  very  willing  to  be  a 
servant  of  Christ;  but  no  one  will  con- 
sent to  be  his  follower.  And  yei  he 
says:  "If  any  man  serve  me,  let  him 
follow  me."  John  12  :  26.  Hence,  he 
w^ho  truly  serves  and  loves  Christ, 
wmII  also  follow  him  ;  and  he  who  loves 
Christ,  will  also  love  the  example  of 
his  holy  life,  his  humility,  meekness, 
patience,  as  well  as  the  cross,  shame, 
and  contempt  which  he  endured,  al- 
though the  flesh  may  thereby  suffer 
pain.  And  although  we  cannot,  in 
our  present  weakness,  perfectly  imi- 
tate the  holy  and  exalted  life  of  Christ 
(which,  indeed,  is  not  intended  in  my 

(  xxxix  ) 


xl 


PEEFACE  TO  THE  FIEST  BOOK. 


Book),  iicvcrlliclcss,  w  c  oiiglit  to  love 
it,  and  long  to  imitate  it  more  fully; 
for  thus  \vc  live  in  Christ,  and  Christ 
lives  in  U8.  according  to  the  words  of 
St.  John:  "He  that  saith  he  abideth 
in  him  ought  himself  also  so  to  walk, 
even  as  he  walked."  1  John  2:6.  It 
is  now  the  disposition  of  the  world  to 
acquire  a  knowledge  of  all  things  ;  but 
that  which  is  belter  than  all  other 
knowledge,  namely,  "to  know  the 
love  of  Christ"  (Eph.  3  :  19),  no  one 
desires  to  acquire.  But  no  man  can 
love  Christ,  who  does  not  imitate  his 
holy  life.  There  are  many — a  major- 
ity, indeed,  of  men  in  this  world — who 
are  ashamed  of  the  holy  example  of 
Christ,  namely,  of  his  humility  and 
lowly  condition;  that  is,  they  are 
ashamed  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ;  of 
them  he  says :  Whosoever  shall  be 
ashamed  of  me  and  of  ray  words,  in 
this  adulterous  and  sinful  generation, 
of  him  also  shall  the  Son  of  man  be 
ashamed,"  etc.  Mark  8  :  38.  Christians 
now  desire  a  Christ  of  imposing  ap- 
pearance, who  is  magnificent,  rich, 
and  conformed  to  the  world;  but  no 
one  desires  to  receive,  to  confess,  and 
to  follow  the  poor,  meek,  despised, 
and  lowly  Christ.  He  will,  therefore, 
hereafter  say:  "I  never  knew  you" 
(Matt.  7  :  23);  ye  were  not  willing  to 
know  me  in  my  humility,  and  there- 
fore I  do  not  know  you  in  your  pride. 

4.  Not  only,  however,  is  ungodli- 
ness, in  all  its  forms,  at  variance  with 
Christ  and  true  Christianity,  but  it  is 
also  the  cause  of  the  daily  accumula- 
tion of  the  dis^pleasure  of  God,  and  of 
the  penalties  which  he  inflicts;  inso- 
much that  he  fits  all  creatures  to  be 
avengers,  and  that  heaven  and  earth, 
fire  and  water,  are  made  to  contend 
against  us;  so  that  all  nature  is  there- 
by sorely  distressed,  and  well  nigh 
overwhelmed.    Hence,  a  season  of  af- 


fliction must  be  expected;  war,  fam- 
ine, and  pestilence;  yea,  the  last 
plagues  are  coming  in  with  such  vio- 
lence, that  we  are  exposed  to  the  as- 
saults of  nearly  every  creature.  For 
even  as  the  terrible  plagues  of  the 
Egyptians  overtook  them  before  the 
redemption  and  departure  of  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel  from  Egypt,  so,  too, 
before  the  redemption  of  the  children 
of  God  occurs,  dreadful  and  unheard- 
of  plagues  will  overtake  the  ungodly 
and  impenitent.  It  is  therefore  high 
time  to  repent,  to  begin  another  course 
of  life,  to  turn  from  the  world  to  Christ, 
to  believe  truly  in  him,  and  to  lead  a 
Chi'istian  life  in  him,  so  that  we  may 
securely  "dwell  in  the  secret  place  of 
the  Most  High,  and  abide  under  the 
shadow  of  the  Almighty."  Ps.  91  :  1. 
Such  is  also  the  exhortation  of  the 
Lord:  "Watch  ye  therefore,  and  pray 
always,  that  ye  may  be  accounted 
worthy  to  escape  all  these  things." 
Luke  21 :  36.  The  same  is  also  testi- 
fied in  Ps.  112:7. 

5.  Now,  to  this  end,  my  Christian 
reader,  this  Book  may,  to  a  certain 
extent,  serve  thee  as  a  guide,  show- 
ing thee  not  only  how  thou  may  est, 
through  faith  in  Christ,  obtain  the  re- 
mission of  thy  sins,  but  also  how  thou 
mayest  avail  thyself  of  the  grace  of 
God,  in  order  to  lead  a  holy  life;  and 
how  thou  mayest  demonstrate  and 
adorn  thy  faith  by  a  Christian  walk 
and  conversation.  For  true  Christi- 
anity consists,  not  in  words,  nor  in 
any  external  show,  but  in  a  living 
faith,  from  which  proceed  fruits  meet 
for  repentance,  and  all  manner  of 
Christian  virtues,  as  from  Christ  him- 
self For  as  faith  is  hidden  from  hu- 
man view,  and  is  invisible,  it  must  be 
manifested  by  its  fruits;  inasmuch  as 
faith  derives  from  Christ  all  that  is 
good,  righteous,  and  blessed. 


PEEFACE  TO  THE  FIEST  BOOK. 


xli 


6.  Now,  when  faith  waits  for  tlie 
blessings  which  are  promised  to  it, 
the  offspring  of  this  faith  is  hope.  For 
what  else  is  hope  but  a  constant  and 
persevering  expectation,  in  faith,  of 
the  blessings  which  are  promised? 
But  when  faith  communicates  to  a 
neighbor  the  blessings  which  it  has  it- 
self received,  love  is  the  offspring  of 
such  a  faith,  imparting  to  the  neigh- 
bor that  which  it  has  itself  received 
from  God;  and  when  faith  endures 
the  trial  of  the  cross,  and  submits  to 
the  will  of  God,  it  brings  forth  jpa- 
tience.  But  when  it  sighs  under  the 
burden  of  the  cross,  or  offers  thanks 
to  God  for  mercies  which  it  has  re- 
ceived, it  gives  birth  to  prayer.  When 
it  compares  the  power  of  God,  on  the 
one  hand,  with  the  misery  of  man,  on 
the  other,  and  submits  unresistingly 
to  the  will  of  God,  humility  is  the  fruit. 
And  when  this  faith  diligently  labors 
that  it  may  not  lose  the  grace  of  God, 
or,  as  St.  Paul  says:  "  worketh  out 
salvation  with  fear  and  trembling" 
(Phil.  2  :  12),  then  the  fear  of  God  is 
the  result. 

7.  Thus  thou  seest  that  all  the 
Christian  virtues  are  the  offspring  of 
faith,  proceed  from  faith,  and  cannot 
be  separated  from  faith,  their  common 
source,  if  they  are  indeed  genuine, 
living,  and  Christian  virtues,  proceed- 
ing ultimately  from  God,  from  Christ, 
and  from  the  Holy  Spirit.  Hence  no 
work  can  be  acceptable  to  God  with- 
out faith  in  Christ.  For  how  can  true 
hope,  sincere  love,  persevering  pa- 
tience, earnest  prayer.  Christian  hu- 
mility, and  a  childlike  fear  of  God, 
exist  without  faith?  All  must  be 
drawn  from  Christ,  the  well  of  salva- 
tion (Isa.  12  :  3),  through  faith,  as 
well  righteousness,  as  all  the  fruits 
of  righteousness.  But  take  great 
care,  my  reader,  that  thou  do  not 


connect  thy  works,  the  virtues  which 
thou  hast  commenced  to  practise,  or 
the  gifts  of  the  new  life,  wiih  thy  jus- 
tification before  God.  For  in  this 
matter,  man's  works,  merit,  gifts,  and 
virtue,  however  lovely  these  may  ap- 
pear to  be,  have  no  efficacy;  our  justi- 
fication depends  solely  on  the  exalted 
and  perfect  merit  of  Jesus  Christ,  ap- 
prehended by  faith,  even  as  it  is  set 
forth  in  Chap.  Y,  XIX,  XXXIY,  and 
XLI,  of  this  Book,  and  in  the  first 
three  chapters  of  Book  II.  Take  great 
care,  therefore,  not  to  confound  the 
righteousness  of  faith,  on  the  one 
hand,  and  the  righteousness  of  a 
Christian  life,  on  the  other;  but  rather 
to  make  a  clear  distinction  between 
them;  for  here  the  whole  foundation 
of  our  Christian  religion  is  involved. 
Still,  thy  repentance  must  be  the  great 
concern  of  thy  life,  for  otherwise  thou 
hast  no  true  faith,  such  as  daily  puri- 
fies, changes,  and  amends  the  heart. 
Thou  must,  moreover,  know  that  the 
consolations  of  the  Gospel  cannot  be 
effectually  applied,  unless  they  have 
been  preceded  by  a  genuine  godly  sor- 
row, the  result  of  which  is  a  bruised 
and  contrite  heart;  for  we  read  that 
"to  the  poor  the  gospel  is  preached." 
Luke  7  :  22.  How,  indeed,  can  faith 
give  life  to  the  heart,  unless  that  heart 
has  been  previously  put  to  death  by 
sincere  sorrow  and  a  thorough  knowl- 
edge of  sin?  Do  not,  therefore,  im- 
agine that  repentance  is  a  slight  and 
easy  work.  Eemember  the  solemn 
and  severe  language  of  the  Apostle 
Paul,  when  he  commands  us  to  mortify 
and  crucify  the  flesh,  with  the  affec- 
tions and  lusts,  to  offer  the  body  as  a 
sacrifice,  to  die  unto  sin,  to  be  cruci- 
fied unto  the  world.  Col.  3:5;  Eom. 
6:6;  12  :  1;  1  Pet.  2  :  24;  Gal.  5:  24; 
6  :  14.  Truly,  none  of  these  things 
can  result,  when  we  gratify  the  flesh. 


xlii 


PREFACE  TO  THE  FIEST  BOOK. 


Kor  do  the  ho]y  prophets  employ 
cheerful  terms  when  they  call  for  a 
contrite  and  broken  heart,  and  say: 
"Ecnd  your  lieart — weep  and  lament." 
Joel  2  :  13,  17;  Jer.  4  :  8.  But  where 
is  such  repentance  now  exhibited? 
The  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  when  alluding 
to  it,  demands  that  we  siiould  deny 
ourselves,  and  renounce  all  that  we 
have,  if  we  desire  to  be  his  disciples. 
Luke  9  :  23;  Matt.  16  :  24.  Verily,  all 
this  can  never  proceed  from  a  gay, 
trifling,  and  light  mind;  of  this  the 
evidence  ma}'  be  found  in  the  seven 
Penitential  Psalms  of  David.  The 
Scriptures  abound  in  illustrations  of 
the  jealousy  of  God,  who  demands 
both  repentance  and  its  fruits,  with- 
out which  eternal  salvation  cannot  be 
obtained.  But  afterwards  the  conso- 
lations of  the  Gospel  manifest  their 
power.  And  both  such  repentance, 
and  such  consolation,  are  solely  the 
work  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  through 
the  Word. 

8.  'Now  this  Book  w^iich  I  have 
"written,  specially  treats  of  such  sin- 
cere and  earnest  repentance  of  the 
heart,  of  the  exhibition  of  faith  in  the 
life  and  conduct,  and  of  the  spirit  of 
love  which  should  animate  all  the  acts 
of  the  Christian;  for  that  which  pro- 
ceeds from  Christian  love,  is,  at  the 
same  time,  the  fruit  of  faith.  It  is 
true  that  I  have  referred  to  some  ear- 
lier writers,  such  as  Tauler,  Thomas  a 
Kempis,  and  others,  who  may  seem  to 
ascribe  more  than  is  due  to  human 
ability  and  works;  but  my  whole  Book 
is  designed  to  counteract  such  an 
error.  1  would,  therefore,  kindly  re- 
quest the  Christian  reader  to  remem- 
ber the  great  object  for  which  I  w  rote 
this  Book.  He  will  find  that  its  main 
purpose  is  this :  To  teach  the  reader 
how  to  perceive  the  hidden  and  con- 
nate abomination  of  Original  Sin;  to 


1  set  forth  distinctly  our  misery  and 
I  helplessness;  to  teach  us  to  put  no 
I  trust  in  ourselves  or  our  ability;  to 
I  take  away  everything  from  ourselves, 
and  to  ascribe  all  to  Christ,  so  that  He 
alone  may  dwell  in  us,  work  all  things 
in  us,  alone  live  in  us,  and  create  all 
things  in  us,  because  he  is  the  begin- 
ning, middle,  and  end,  of  our  conver- 
sion and  salvation.  All  this  has  been 
plain]}"  and  abundantly  explained  in 
many  passages  of  this  Book;  and,  at 
the  same  time,  the  doctrines  of  the 
Papists,  Synergists,  and  Majorists, 
have  been  expresslj^  refuted  and  re- 
jected. The  doctrine,  moreover,  of 
justification  by  faith,  has  been  set 
forth  in  this  Book,  and  especially  in 
Book  II.,  in  the  most  pointed  and  ex- 
plicit manner.  In  order,  however,  to 
obviate  all  misapprehensions,  I  have 
subjected  the  present  edition  to  a  very 
careful  revision,  and  I  beg  the  reader 
to  receive  the  editions  which  have  ap- 
peared in  Frankfort  and  other  places, 
in  the  sense  in  which  the  present 
Magdeburg  edition  is  to  be  received. 
I  also  affirm,  that  this  Book,  as  well 
in  all  other  articles  and  points,  as  also 
in  the  articles  of  Free  AVill,  and  of  the 
Justification  of  a  poor  sinner  before 
God,  is  not  to  be  understood  in  any 
other  manner  than  in  accordance  with 
the  Symbolical  Books  of  the  churches 
of  the  Augsburg  Confession,  namely, 
the  first  Unaltered  Augsburg  Con- 
fession, the  Apology,  the  Smalcald 
Articles,  the  Two  Catechisms  of  Lu- 
ther, and  the  Formula  of  Concord. 

May  God  enlighten  us  all  by  his 
Holy  Spirit,  so  that  we  ma}"  be  sin- 
cere and  without  off'ence,  both  in  our 
faith  and  in  our  life,  till  the  day  of 
Christ  (which  is  near  at  hand),  being 
filled  with  the  fruits  of  righteousness, 
unto  the  glory  and  praise  of  God ! 
Amen. 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


BOOK  L 

WHEKEIN  TRUE  CHRISTIANITY,  SINCERE  SORROW  FOR  SIN,  REPENT- 
ANCE, FAITH,  AND  THE  HOLY  LIFE  OF  THE  TRUE 
CHRISTIAN,  ARE  CONSIDERED. 

CHAPTER  L 

SHOWING  WHAT  THE  IMAGE  OF  GOTf  IN  MAN  IS. 

Be  renewed  in  the  sjnrit  of  your  mind ;  and  .  .  .  'pat  on  ike  new  man,  which  after  God  is  created 
in  righteousness  and  true  holiness. — Eph.  4  :  23,  24. 


THE  image  of  God  in  man,  is  the 
conformity  of  the  soul  of  man,  of 
his  spirit  and  mind,  of  his  understand- 
ing and  will,  and  of  all  his  faculties 
and  powders,  both  bodily  and  mental, 
to  God  and  the  Holy  Trinity.  For  the 
decree  of  the  Holy  Trinity  was  thus 
expressed:  Let  us  make  man  in  our 
image,  after  our  likeness,"  etc.  Gen. 
1 :  26. 

2.  It  is  evident,  therefore,  that, 
when  man  was  created,  the  image  of 
the  Trinity  was  impressed  on  him,  in 
order  that  the  holiness,  righteousness, 
and  goodness  of  God,  might  shine 
forth  in  his  soul;  diffuse  abundant 
hght  through  his  understanding,  will, 
and  affections;  and  visibly  appear 
even  in  his  life  and  conversation : 
that,  consequently,  all  his  actions, 
both  inward  and  outward,  might 
breathe  nothing  but  divine  love,  pu- 
rity, and  power,  and,  in  short,  that 
the  life  of  man  upon  earth  might  re- 


semble that  of  the  angels  in  heaven, 
who  are  always  engaged  in  doing  the 
will  of  their  Heavenly  Father.  In 
thus  impressing  his  image  on  man, 
God  designed  to  delight  and  rejoice  in 
him,  just  as  a  father  rejoices  in  a  child 
born  after  his  own  image  :  for  as  a  pa- 
rent, beholding  himself,  or  another  self  ^ 
in  his  offspring,  cannot  but  feel  the 
greatest  complacency  and  delight;  so, 
when  God  beheld  the  express  charac- 
ter of  his  own  Person  reflected  in  an 
image  of  himself,  his  "delights  were 
with  the  sons  of  men."  Prov.  8  :  31. 
Thus  it  Avas  God's  chief  pleasure  to 
look  on  man,  in  whom  he  rejoiced, 
and  rested,  as  it  were,  from  all  hia 
labor;  considering  him  as  the  great 
masterpiece  of  his  creation,  and  know- 
ing that  in  the  perfect  innocence  and 
beauty  of  man,  the  excellency  of  his 
own  glory  would  be  fully  set  forth. 
And  this  blessed  communion  our  first 
parents  and  their  posterity  were  al- 

(  1  ) 


TRUE  CIIEISTIANITY. 


[Book  I. 


ways  to  liuve  enjoyed,  had  the}-  con- 
tinued in  tiie  iiUeness  of  God,  and 
rested  in  him  and  in  iiis  will ;  M  ho,  as 
be  was  their  author,  was  also  to  be 
tbeir  end. 

8.  Il  iin(louI)tedly  is  the  essential 
property  of  every  image,  that  it  be  a 
just  representation  of  the  object  which 
it  is  intended  to  express;  and  as  the 
reflection  in  a  mirror  is  vivid  in  a  de- 
gree proportioned  to  the  clearness  of 
the  mirror  itself,  so  the  image  of  God 
becomes  more  or  less  visible,  accord- 
ing to  the  purity  of  the  soul  in  which 
it  is  belicld. 

4.  Hence  God  originally  created  man 
perfectly  pure  and  undefiled;  that  so 
the  divine  image  might  be  beheld  in 
him,  not  as  an  empt}^,  lifeless  shadow 
in  a  glass,  but  as  a  true  and  living 
image  of  the  invisible  God,  and  as  the 
likeness  of  his  inward,  hidden,  and 
unutterable  Ijcaiity.  There  was  an 
image  of  the  wisdom  of  God,  in  the 
understanding  of  man  ;  of  his  goodness, 
gentleness,  and  patience,  in  the  spirit 
of  man;  of  his  divine  love  and  mercy, 
in  i\\Q.  ajfeciions  o{'  iY\f\\\'^  heart.  There 
was  an  image  of  tlie  righteousness 
and  holines^s,  the  justice  and  purity 
of  God,  in  the  will  of  man;  of  his 
kindness,  clemency,  and  truth,  in  all 
the  words  and  actions  of  man;  of  his 
almighty  power,  in  man's  dominion 
over  the  earth,  and  inferior  creatures; 
and  lastly,  there  was  an  image  of  God's 
eternity,  in  the  inimortality  of  the  hu- 
man soul. 

5.  From  the  divine  image  thus  im- 
planted in  him,  man  should  have  ac- 
quired the  knowledge  both  of  God 
and  of  Jiimself.  Hence  he  might  have 
learned,  that  God,  his  Creator,  is  all 
in  all,  the  Being  of  beings,  and  the 
chief  and  only  BEING,  Irom  whom 
all  created  beings  derive  their  exist- 
ence, and  in  whom,  and  by  whom,  all 


things  that  are,  subsist.  Hence,  also, 
he  might  have  known,  that  God,  as 
the  Original  of  man's  nature,  is  all 
that  essentially,  of  which  he  himself 
Avas  but  the  image  and  representation. 
For  since  man  was  to  bear  the  image 
of  the  divine  goodness,  it  follows  that 
God  is  the  sovereign  and  universal 
goodness  essentially  (Matt.  19  :  17); 
and,  consequently,  that  God  is  essen- 
tial love,  essential  life,  and  essential 
holiness,  to  whom  alone  (because  he  is 
all  this  essentially),  worship  and  praise, 
honor  and  glory,  might,  majesty,  do- 
minion, and  virtue,  are  to  be  ascribed: 
whereas  these  do  not  appertain  to  the 
creature,  nor  belong  to  anything  but 
God  alone. 

6.  From  this  image  of  the  Divine 
Being,  man  should  lurther  have  ac- 
quired the  knowledge  of  himself.  He 
should  have  considered  what  a  vast 
difference  there  was  between  God  and 
himself  Man  is  not  God,  but  God's 
image;  and  the  image  of  God  ought  to 
represent  nothing  but  God.  He  is  a 
portraiture  of  the  Divine  Being;  a 
character,  an  image,  in  which  God 
alone  should  be  seen  and  glorified. 
Kothin^ij  therefore  ouo-ht  to  live  in 
man,  besides  God,  Nothing  but  the 
Divinit}^  should  stir,  will,  love,  think, 
speak,  act,  or  rejoice  in  him.  For  if 
anything  besides  God  live  or  work  in 
man,  he  ceases  to  be  the  image  of  God ; 
and  becomes  the  image  of  that  which 
thus  lives  and  acts  within  him.  If 
therefore  a  man  would  become,  and 
continue  to  be,  the  image  of  God,  he 
must  wholly  surrender  himself  to  the 
Divine  Being,  and  submit  entirely  to 
his  will ;  he  must  suffer  God  to  work 
in  him  whatsoever  he  pleases;  so  that, 
b}^  denying  his  own  will,  he  may  do 
the  will  of  his  Heavenly  Father  with- 
out reserve,  being  entirely  resigned  to 
God,  and  willing  to  become  a  holy  in- 


Chap.  I.] 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


3 


strument  in  his  hands,  to  do  his  will 
and  his  work.  Such  a  man  follows  not 
his  own  will,  but  the  will  of  God;  he 
loves  not  himself  but  God  ;  seeks  not 
his  own  honor,  but  the  honor  of  God. 
lie  covets  no  estates  nor  affluence  for 
himself,  but  refers  all  to  the  Supreme 
Good;  and  so  being  contented  to  pos- 
sess him,  rises  above  the  love  of  the 
creature  and  the  w^orld.  And  thus 
ought  man  to  divest  himself  of  all  love 
of  himself  and  the  world,  that  God 
alone  ma)^  be  all  in  him,  and  work  all 
in  him,  by  his  Holy  Spirit.  Herein  con- 
sisted the  perfect  innocence,  purity, 
and  holinessof  man.  For,  what  greater 
innocence  can  there  be,  than  that  a 
man  should  do,  not  his  own  w^ill,  but 
the  will  of  his  Heavenly  Father?  Or 
what  greater  purit}^,  than  that  man 
should  suffer  God  to  work  in  him,  and 
to  do  everything  according  to  His 
pleasure  ?  Or,  what  greater  holiness, 
than  to  become  an  instrument  in  the 
hands  of  the  Spirit  of  God  ?  To  resem- 
ble a  child,  in  whose  breast  sel[-!ove 
and  self-honor  do  not  yet  prevail,  is,  in 
truth,  the  highest  simplicity. 

7.  Of  this  entire  devotedness  to  the 
Divine  will,  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
while  he  sojourned  in  our  world,  was 
a  perfect  example.  He  sacrificed  his 
own  will  to  God  his  Father,  in  blame- 
less obedience,  humility,  and  meek- 
ness; readily  depriving  himself  of  all 
honor  and  esteem,  of  all  self-interest 
and  self-love,  of  all  pleasure  and  joy; 
and  leaving  God  alone,  to  think,  speak, 
and  act,  in  him,  and  b}^  him.  In  short, 
he  invariably  made  the  will  and  pleas- 
ure of  God  his  own,  as  the  Father 
himself  testified  by  a  voice  from  Hea- 
ven :  "  This  is  my  beloved  Son,  in 
whom  I  am  well  pleased."  Matt.  3  : 
17.  The  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  blessed 
forever,  is  the  true  Image  of  God,  in 
whom  nothing  appears  but  God  him-  I 


self,  and  such  manifestations  as  are 
agreeable  to  his  nature;  namei}^,  love, 
mercy,  long-suffering,  patience,  meek- 
ness, gentleness,  righteousness,  holi- 
ness, consolation,  life,  and  everlasting 
blessedness:  for  by  him,  the  invisible 
God  was  willing  to  be  discovered  and 
made  known  to  man.  He  is  indeed  the 
image  of  God  in  a  more  sublime  sense  ; 
that  is,  according  to  his  Divinity^  by 
virtue  of  which,  he  is  himself  very 
God,  the  express  and  essential  image 
of  his  Father's  glory,  in  the  infinite 
splendor  of  the  uncreated  light.  Ileb. 
1  :  3.  But  of  this  point  no  more  can 
at  present  be  said  :  our  design  being 
to  speak  of  him  only  as  he  lived  and 
conversed  in  his  holy  humanity^  while 
he  tabernacled  upon  the  earth. 

8.  It  was  in  such  a  holy  innocence 
as  this,  that  the  image  of  God  was,  in 
the  beginning,  conferred  on  Adam, 
which  he  should  have  preserved  in 
true  humility  and  obedience.  Suffi- 
cient it  surely  was  for  him,  that  he  was 
made  capable  of  all  the  benefits  of  the 
divine  image;  of  sincere  and  unmixed 
love  and  delight;  of  undisturbed  and 
solid  tranquillity  of  mind;  of  power, 
fortitude,  peace,  light,  and  life.  But 
not  duly  reflecting  that  he  himself 
w^as  not  the  chief  good,  but  merely  a 
mirror  of  the  Godhead,  formed  pur- 
posely to  receive  the  reflection  of  the 
divine  nature,  he  erected  himself  into 
a  God ;  and  thus  choosing  to  be  the 
highest  good  to  himself,  be  w^as  pre- 
cipitated into  the  greatest  of  all  evils, 
being  deprived  of  this  inestimable 
image,  and  alienated  from  that  com- 
munion with  God,  which,  by  virtue  of 
it,  he  before  enjoyed. 

9.  Had  self-will,  self-love,  and  self- 
honor,  been  excluded,  the  image  of 
God  could  not  have  departed  from 
man  ;  but  the  Divine  Being  would 
have  continued  to  be  his  sole  glory. 


4 


TRUE  CIIPJSTIANITY. 


[Book  I. 


honor,  and  praise.  As  everything  is 
capable  of  its  like  and  not  of  its  con- 
trary, and  in  its  like  acquiesces  and 
delights,  so  man,  being  in  the  simili- 
tude of  God,  was  thereby  prepared  to' 
receive  God  into  himself,  who  was 
also  ready  to  communicate  himself  to 
man,  with  all  the  treasures  of  his 
goodness ;  goodness  being  of  all  things 
the  most  communicative  of  itself. 

10.  Finally,  man  ouglit  to  have 
learned  from  the  image  of  God,  that 


by  means  of  it  he  is  united  to  God; 
and  that  in  this  union,  his  true  and 
everlasting  tranquillity,  his  rest,  peace, 
joy,  life,  and  happiness  alone  consist. 
He  should  have  learned  that  all  rest- 
lessness of  mind  and  vexation  of  spirit, 
arise  from  nothing  but  a  breach  of 
this  union,  by  which  he  ceases  to  be 
the  image  of  God;  for  man  no  sooner 
turns  to  the  creature,  than  he  is  de- 
prived of  that  eternal  good  which  is 
to  be  derived  from  God  alone. 


CHAPTER  IL 

OF  THE  FALL  OF  ADAM. 

As  hy  one  man^s  disobedience  many  were  made  sinners,  so  by  the  obedience  of  one  shall  many 

be  made  righteous. — KoM.  5:19. 


THE  fall  of  Adam  was  disobedience 
to  God,  by  which  man  turned 
away  from  the  Divine  Being  to  him- 
self, and  robbed  God  of  the  honor  due 
to  him  alone,  in  that  he  /i^'mse// thought 
to  be  as  God.  But  while  he  thus 
labored  to  advance  himself,  he  was 
stripped  of  that  divine  image,  which 
the  Creator  had  so  freely  conferred  on 
him  ;  divested  of  hereditary  righteous- 
ness; and  bereaved  of  that  holiness 
with  which  he  was  originally  adorned ; 
becoming,  as  it  regards  his  understand- 
ing, dark  and  blind;  as  to  his  will, 
stubborn  and  perverse;  and  as  to  all 
the  powers  and  faculties  of  the  soul, 
entirely  alienated  from  God.  This 
evil  has  infected  the  whole  mass  of 
mankind,  by  means  of  a  fleshly  gener- 
ation ;  and  has  been  inherited  by  all 
men.  The  obvious  consequence  aris- 
ing from  this  is,  that  man  is  become' 
spiritually  dead  and  the  child  of  wrath 
and  damnation,  until  redeemed  from 
this  miserable  state  by  Jesus  Christ. 


Let  not  then  any  who  are  called  Chris- 
tians deceive  themselves  with  regard 
to  Adam's  fall.  Let  them  be  cautious, 
how  they  attempt  to  extenuate  or 
lessen  the  transgression  of  Adam,  as 
though  it  were  a  small  sin,  a  thing  of 
little  consequence,  and,  at  the  worst, 
but  the  eating  of  an  apple.  Let  them 
rather  be  assured,  that  the  guilt  of 
Adam  was  that  of  Lucifer,  namely,  he 
would  be  as  God :  and  that  it  was  the 
same  most  grievous,  heinous,  and  hate- 
ful sin  in  both. 

2.  This  apostasy  (for  it  was  nothing 
less),  was,  at  first,  generated  in  the 
heart,  and  then  made  manifest  by  the 
eating  of  the  forbidden  fruit.  Though 
man  was  numbered  with  the  sons  of 
God;  though  he  came  forth  from  the 
hands  of  the  Almighty  spotless  both 
in  body  and  in  soul,  and  was  the  most 
glorious  object  in  the  creation;  though, 
to  crown  all,  he  was  not  only  a  son, 
but  the  delight  of  God ;  yet  not  know- 
ing how  to  rest  satisfied  with  these 


Chap.  II.] 


TRUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


5 


high  privileges,  he  attempted  to  in- 
vade Heaven,  that  he  might  he  yet 
higher;  and  nothing  less  would  suffice 
him,  than  to  exalt  himself  like  unto 
God.  Hence,  he  conceived  in  his  heart 
enmity  and  hatred  against  the  Divine 
Being,  his  Creator  and  Father,  whom, 
had  it  been  in  his  power,  he  was  dis- 
posed utterly  to  undo.  Who  could 
commit  a  sin  more  detestable  than 
this?  or  what  greater  abomination  is 
there,  that  it  was  possible  to  meditate  ? 

3.  Hence  it  was,  that  man  became 
inwardly  like  Satan  himself,  bearing 
his  likeness  in  the  heart;  since  both 
had  now  committed  the  same  sin,  both 
having  rebelled  against  the  majesty  of 
Heaven.  Man  no  more  exhibits  an 
image  of  God,  but  rather  that  of  the 
Devil ;  he  no  longer  is  an  instrument 
in  the  hands  of  Grod,  but  is  become  an 
organ  of  Satan,  and  is  thereby  ren- 
dered capable  of  every  species  of  dia- 
bolical wickedness :  so  that,  having 
lost  that  image  which  w^as  heavenly, 
spiritual,  and  divine,  he  is  altogether 
earthly,  sensual,  and  brutish.  For  the 
devil,  designing  to  imprint  his  own 
image  upon  man,  fascinated  him  so 
entirely  by  a  train  of  enticing  and  de- 
ceitful words,  that  man  permitted  him 
to  sow  that  hateful  seed  in  his  soul, 
which  is  hence  termed  the  seed  of  the 
serpent;  and  by  which  is  chiefly 
meant,  self-love,  self-will,  and  the  am- 
bition of  being  as  God.  On  this  ac- 
count it  is,  that  the  Scriptures  term 
those  who  are  intoxicated  with  self- 
love,  ^'a  generation  of  vipers."  Matt. 
3  :  7.  And  all  those  who  are  of  a 
proud  and  devilish  nature,  "the  seed 
(progeny)  of  the  serpent."  So  the 
Almighty,  addressing  the  serpent, 
says,  "  I  will  put  enmity  between  thee 
and  the  woman,  and  between  thy  seed 
and  her  seed."    Gen.  3  :  15. 

4.  From  this  seed  of  the  serpent 


nothing  but  deadly  and  liorrible  fruit 
can  possibl}^  proceed  ;  namely,  Satan's 
image,  the  children  of  Belial,  the  chil- 
dren of  the  devil.  John  8  :  44.  As  in 
every  natural  seed,  how  minute  soever 
it  may  be,  are  contained,  in  a  most 
wonderful  and  hidden  manner,  the 
nature  and  properties  of  the  future 
plant,  all  its  jiarts  and  proportions,  its 
branches,  leaves,  and  flowers,  in  minia- 
ture; so  in  that  seed  of  the  serpent, 
Adam's  self-love  and  disobedience 
(which  has  passed  unto  all  his  pos- 
terity by  a  fleshly  generation),  there 
lies,  as  it  were  in  embryo,  the  tree  of 
death,  with  its  branches,  leaves,  and 
flowers,  and  those  innumerable  fruits 
of  unrighteousness  which  grow  upon 
it.  In  short,  the  whole  image  of  Satan 
is  secretly  traced  out  there,  wMth  all 
its  marks,  characters,  and  j:)roper- 
ties. 

5.  If  we  observe  a  little  child  with 
attention,  we  shall  see  how  this  nat- 
ural corruption  displays  itself  from 
its  very  birth;  and  how  self-will  and 
disobedience  especially  discover  them- 
selves, and  break  forth  into  actions 
that  effectually  witness  to  the  hidden 
root  from  w^hich  they  spring.  Let  us 
consider  the  child  further,  as  it  grows 
up  to  maturer  years.  Observe  the  nat- 
ural selfishness  of  the  youth,  his  in- 
bred ambition,  his  thirst  after  worldly 
glory,  his  love  of  applause,  his  pursuit 
of  revenge,  and  his  proneness  to  deceit 
and  falsehood.  And  now  these  evils 
multiply.  Soon  may  be  discovered  in 
him  vanity,  arrogance,  pride,  blasphe- 
my, vain  oaths,  awful  curses,  frauds, 
skepticism,  infidelity',  contemjDt  of  God 
and  his  holy  Word,  and  disobedience 
to  parents  and  magistrates:  wrath  and 
contentiousness;  hatred  and  envy;  re- 
venge and  murder,  and  all  kinds  of 
cruelty;  especially  if  outward  occa- 
sions offer  themselves,  and  call  forth 


6 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book.  L 


into  iiction  this  latent  and  deiidly  seed, 
and  the  various  evils  of  Adam's  de- 
praved nature.  In  proportion  as  such 
occasions  continue  to  present  them- 
selves, we  shall  observe  the  appear- 
ance of  other  vices;  wantonness,  adul- 
terous thoughts,  lewd  imaginations, 
obscene  discourses,  lascivious  gestures, 
and  all  "i\\G  works  of  the  flesh:"  Ave 
shall  behold  drunkenness,  rioting,  and 
every  species  of  intemperance;  fickle- 
ness, excessive  wantonness,  and  all 
that  can  please  the  appetite,  the  lust 
of  the  eye,  and  the  pride  of  life.  And 
besides  these,  there  may  soon  be  dis- 
covered, covetousncsS;  extortion,  chi- 
canery, sophistry,  imposture,  and  every 
description  of  sinister  practice;  to- 
gether Avith  knavery,  overreaching 
in  trade,  and,  in  short,  the  whole 
troop,  or  rather  army  of  sins,  iniqui- 
ties, and  crimes,  which  are  so  various 
and  so  man}",  that  it  is  impossible  to 
recount  or  declare  the  number  of 
them;  according  to  the  words  of  the 
prophet  Jeremiah,  "the  heart  is  de- 
ceitful above  all  things,  and  despe- 
rately wicked;  who  can  know  it?*' 
Ch.  17 :  9.  And  if  to  those  already 
enumerated  there  be  added,  in  the  last 
place,  the  seducing  and  false  spirits; 
then  may  be  observed  schisms  in  the 
church,  wicked  and  dangerous  her 
esies,  yea,  the  abjuring  of  God  and 
Christ,  idolatry,  the  denial  of  the  faith, 
hatred  and  persecution  of  the  truth, 
the  sin  against  the  IIol}^  Ghost,  with 
every  kind  of  corruption  in  doctrine, 
perversion  of  the  Scriptures,  and 
strong  delusion.  Now,  Avhat  are  all 
these  but  the  image  of  Satan,  and  the 
fruits  of  the  serpent's  seed  soAvn  in 
man  ? 

G.  Who  could  ever  have  supposed 
that  such  a  dc])th  of  wickedness  and 
depravity  could  be  found  in  such  a 
weak  and  helpless  child ;  that  so  ven- 


omous a  principle,  so  corrupt  a  hear^,, 
lay  hid  in  a  babe  appai'cntly  so  harm- 
less?  Who  could  possibly  have  be- 
lieved this,  had  not  man  himself,  by 
his  sinful  and  abominable  life,  by  the 
imaginations  of  his  thoughts  (being 
"only  evil  continually,"  and  despe- 
rately bent  on  what  is  bad),  of  his  own 
will  brought  it  to  light,  and  expressed, 
from  his  childhood,  what  was  before 
concealed  as  in  a  seed?  Gen.  (5:5; 
8:21. 

7.  Oh!  most  vile  and  most  accursed 
root!  from  which  springs  the  poison- 
ous tree  that  is  so  fi-uitful  in  the  pro- 
duction of  every  kind  of  plague.  Ob, 
seed  of  the  serpent,  most  hateful,  most 
dreadful !  from  which  an  imaii-e  at  once 
so  deformed  and  foul  is  generated;  and 
which  continually  enlarges  itself,  as  it 
is  excit.ed  by  outward  temptations  and 
by  the  scandals  of  the  world.  Full 
well  might  the  blessed  Jesus  so  sol- 
emnly and  strictly  forbid,  that  an}-,  by 
bad  example,  should  offend  little  chil- 
dren ;  knowing  that  the  seed  of  the 
serpent  lurks  in  them,  as  the  deadly 
poison  in  the  venomous  Avorm,  ready 
to  break  forth  into  open  acts  of  sin, 
Avhenever  an  occasion  presents  itself. 

8.  Learn,  then,  O  man!  to  know  the 
fall  of  Adam,  and  the  true  nature  of 
Original  Sin.  Learn,  if  thou  art  Avise, 
to  discern  it  in  thyself  Examine  it, 
not  slightly  and  carelessly,  but  deeply, 
and  as  the  importance  of  the  matter 
deserves;  for  this  infection  is  greater, 
this  depravation  deeper  and  more 
deadly,  than  can  possibly  be  expressed 
by  Avords,  or  even  be  conceived  in  idea. 
"  Know  thyself! "  and  deeply  consider 
Avhat  thou  art,  O  man  !  siiiv^e  the  fall 
of  thy  first  father;  how  thou,  Avho 
wast  in  the  image  of  God,  art  become 
the  image  of  Satan,  an  epitome  of  all 
his  Avicked  tendencies,  and  art  con- 
formed to  Satan  in  all  malice  and  un- 


Chap.  HI  ] 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


7 


godliness.  For  as  in  the  imago  of  God 
all  the  divine  virtues  and  properties 
are  contained,  so  in  the  image  of  tlie 
Devil,  which  man,  by  turning  himself 
from  God,  has  contracted,  all  the  vices 
and  properties  arc  to  be  found,  and 
the  very  nature  of  the  Devil  himself 
For,  as  man,  before  the  fall,  bore  the 
image  of  the  heavenly  Adam,  that  is, 
was  altogether  heavenly,  spiritual,  and 
divine;  so,  since  the  first  apostasy, 
he  carries  about  with  him  the  image 
of  the  earthly  Adam,  being  inwardly 
earthly,  carnal,  and  corrupt. 

9.  Lo  !  he  is  become  as  one  of  the 
beasts  of  the  field.  For  Avhat,  O  fallen 
man!  is  thy  wrathfulness  ?  and  to 
whom  does  it  more  properly  belong, 
to  the  lion,  or  to  man?  And  do  not 
thine  envy  and  thy  greediness  betray 
in  thee  the  nature  of  the  doc;  and  of 
the  wolf?  And  with  regard  to  thy 
uncleanness  and  gluttony,  are  not 
these  evidences  of  a  swinish  nature? 
Didst  thou,  indeed,  but  rightly  ex- 
amine thine  own  breast,  thou  wouldst 
there  discover  a  w^orld  of  unclean  and 
noxious  beasts.  Even  in  the  tongue, 
that  "little  member,"  there  may  be 
found,  according  to  St.  James,  a  lake 
of  pestilential  and  creeping  things,  a 
hold  of  every  foul  spirit,  the  cage  of 
every  filthy  and  hateful  bird  (Isaiah 


13  :  21 ;  Rev.  18  :  2),  and,  in  a  word,  a 
"world  of  iniquity."  James  3:6.  Of- 
ten, alas!  do  we  make  such  progress  in 
wickedness  as  to  surpass  in  wrath  and 
fury  the  beasts  of  prey;  in  ravcnous- 
ncss  and  violence,  the  wolf;  in  sub- 
tilty  and  cunning,  the  fox;  in  malice 
and  virulence,  the  serpent;  and  in 
filthiness  and  obscenity,  the  swine. 
Hence  it  was,  that  our  Lord  termed 
Ilerod  a  fox,  and  the  unholy,  in  gen- 
eral, dogs  and  swine;  to  whom  that 
which  is  holy  should  not  be  given. 
Luke  13:32;  Matt.  7:6. 

10.  Whosoever,  therefore,  fails  to 
correct  this  corruption  of  nature,  by 
being  truly  converted  and  renamed  in 
Christ  Jesus,  but  dies  in  the  state 
which  has  been  described,  must  re- 
tain, forever,  this  bestial  and  Satani- 
cal  nature,  lie  must  be  arrogant, 
haughty,  proud,  and  devilish,  through- 
out eternity.  And  when  he  shall  have 
neglected  the  time  of  his  purification 
here,  he  shall  bear  about  with  him 
the  image  of  Satan  in  the  blackness 
of  darkness  forever ;  as  a  testimony, 
that  while  he  was  in  the  world,  he  did 
not  live  in  Christ,  nor  was  renewed 
after  the  image  of  God.  "  For  with- 
out are  dogs  and  sorcerers,  and  who- 
soever loveth  and  maketh  a  lie." 
Eev.  21  :  8  ;  22  : 15. 


CHAPTERIII. 

SHOWING  HOW  MAN  IS  RENEWED  IN  CHRIST  UNTO  ETERNAL  LIFE. 

In  Christ  Jesus  neither  circumcision  nvaileth  anythij^g,  nor  uncircumcision,  hut  a  new  crea- 
ture.— Gal.  6  : 15. 


THE  New  Birth  is  a  work  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  by  which  man,  of  a 
sinner,  is  made  righteous ;  and  from 
being  a  child  of  damnation  and  wrath, 
is  made  a  child  of  grace  and  salvation. 


This  change  is  effected  through  faith, 
the  word  of  God  and  the  Sacraments; 
and  by  it,  the  heart,  and  all  the  powers 
and  faculties  of  the  soul  (more  par- 
ticularly the  understanding,  will,  and 


8 


TEUE  CIIRISTIAXITY. 


[Book  I. 


affections),  arc  renewed,  enlightened, 
and  sanctified  in  Christ  Jesus,  and  arc 
fashioned  after  his  express  likeness. 
The  new  birth  comprehends  two  chief 
blessings,  namely,  justification,  and 
sanctification,  or  the  renewal  of  man. 
Tit.  3  :  5. 

2.  The  birth  of  every  real  Christian 
iH  twofold.  The  first  is  ''after  the 
flesh,"  the  second,  "  after  the  spirit;" 
the  first  is  from  beneath,  the  second 
from  above;  the  first  is  earthl}^,  but 
the  second  heavenly.  The  one  is  car- 
nal, sinful,  and  accursed,  as  descend- 
ing from  the  first  Adam  by  the  seed 
of  the  serpent,  after  the  similitude 
and  imago  of  the  Devil;  and  by  this, 
the  earthly  and  carnal  nature  is  prop- 
agated. The  other,  on  the  contrary, 
is  spiritual,  holy,  and  blessed,  as  de- 
rived from  the  second  Adam ;  after 
the  likeness  of  the  Son  of  God :  and 
by  this  is  propagated  the  heavenly 
and  spiritual  man,  the  seed  and  image 
of  God. 

3.  There  is  therefore  in  the  Chris- 
tian a  twofold  line  of  descent;  and, 
consequently,  two  men,  as  it  w^ere,  ex- 
ist in  one  and  the  same  person.  The 
fleshly  lineage  is  derived  from  Adam, 
and  the  spiritual  lineage  from  Christ, 
through  faith :  for  as  the  old  birth  of 
Adam  is  in  man  by  nature,  even  so 
must  the  new  birth  of  Christ  be  in 
him  by  grace.  This  is  the  old  and 
new  man,  the  old  and  new  birth,  the 
old  and  new  Adam,  the  earthlj^  and 
heavenly  image,  the  flesh  and  the 
Spirit,  Adam  and  Christ  in  us,  and 
also,  the  outwavd  and  inward  man. 

4.  Let  us  now  proceed  to  notice  how 
we  are  regenerated  by  Christ.  As  the 
old  birth  is  propagated  carnally  from 
Adam,  so  the  new  birth  is  spiritually 
propagated  from  Christ,  through  the 
w^ord  of  God.  This  word  is  the  seed 
of  the  new  creature  :  for  we  are  "  born 


again,  not  of  corruptible  seed,  but  of 
incorruptible,  by  the  word  of  God, 
which  liveth  and  abideth  forever." 
1  Tctcr  1:23.  And,  again,  "  Of  his 
own  will  begat  he  us  with  the  word 
of  truth,  that  we  should  be  a  kind  of 
first-fruits  of  his  creatures."  James 
1  : 18.  The  word  of  God  produces 
faith ;  and  faith  again  apprehends  the 
word  of  God,  and  in  that  word  em- 
braces Jesus  Christ  and  the  Holy 
Ghost,  by  whoso  spiritual  efficacy  and 
virtue  man  is  regenerated  or  born 
anew.  In  other  W'Ords,  regeneration 
is  effected,  in  the  first  place,  by  the 
Holy  Ghost;  and  this  is  what  Christ 
means  by  being  ''born  of  the  Spirit" 
(John  3:5);  secondl}',  by  faith; 
whence  it  is  said, — "  whosoever  be- 
lieveth  that  Jesus  is  the  Christ,  is  born 
of  God"  (1  John  5:1);  and  thirdly,  by 
holy  Baptism ;  according  to  that  pas- 
sago  of  Scripture,  "  Except  a  man  be 
born  of  water  and  of  the  Spirit,  he 
cannot  enter  into  the  kingdom  of 
God."  John  3  :  5. 

5.  In  Adam,  man  has  inherited  the 
chief  evils  ;  as  sin,  divine  wrath,  death, 
Satan,  hell,  and  damnation ;  but  in 
Christ,  he  is  restored  to  the  possession 
of  the  chief  blessings,  as  righteous- 
ness, grace,  blessing,  power,  a  heaven- 
ly life,  and  eternal  salvation.  From 
Adam,  man  inherits  a  carnal  spirit, 
and  is  subjected  to  the  rule  and  ty- 
ranny of  the  evil  spirit;  but  from 
Clirist,  he  obtains  the  Holy  Spirit, 
with  his  gifts,  together  with  his  com- 
forting guidance.  From  Adam,  man 
has  derived  an  arrogant,  proud,  and 
haughty  spirit;  but  if  he  would  be 
born  again  and  renewed  in  his  mind, 
he  must  receive  from  Christ,  by  faith, 
an  humble,  meek,  and  upright  spirit. 
From  Adam,  man  inherits  an  unbe- 
lieving, blasphemous,  and  most  un 
grateful  spii-it  ;  and  it  is  his  duty  to 


Chap.  III.] 


TEUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


9 


obtain  from  Christ  a  believing  spirit, 
that  will  prove  faithful,  acceptable, 
and  well-pleasing  to  God.  From 
Adam,  a  disobedient,  violent  and  rash 
spirit  is  inherited;  but  from  Christ, 
we  imbibe,  through  faith,  the  spirit  of 
obedience,  gentleness,  and  modesty, 
and  the  spirit  of  meekness  and  n)od- 
eration.  From  Adam,  we,  by  nature, 
inherit  a  spirit  of  wrath,  enmity,  re- 
venge, and  murder ;  but  from  Christ, 
we,  by  faith,  acquire  the  spirit  of  long- 
suffering,  love,  mercy,  forgiveness, 
and  universal  goodness  and  benignitj'. 
From  Adam,  man,  by  nature,  inherits 
a  covetous  heart,  a  churlish,  merci- 
less spirit,  that  seeks  only  to  profit 
self,  and  grasp  at  that  which  is  the 
right  of  another;  but  from  Christ,  is 
obtained,  by  faith,  the  spirit  of  mercy, 
compassion,  generosity,  and  mildness. 
P"'rom  Adam  proceeds  an  unchaste, 
unclean,  and  intemperate  spirit;  but 
from  Christ,  a  spirit  of  chastity,  pu- 
rity, and  temperance,  may  be  obtained. 
From  Adam,  there  is  communicated 
to  man  a  spirit  full  of  calumny  and 
falsehood;  while  on  the  other  hand, 
he  acquires  from  Christ  the  spirit  of 
truth,  of  constancy,  and  of  integrity. 
Lastly,  we  receive  from  Adam  a  brutish 
and  earthly  spirit;  and  from  Christ,  a 
spirit  from  above,  which  is  altogether 
heavenly  and  divine. 

6.  Hence,  it  behooved  Christ  to 
take  upon  himself  our  nature,  and  to  be 
conceived  and  anointed  by  the  Holy 
Ghost,  in  order  that  we  might  all  re- 
ceive of  his  fulness.  It  was  requisite 
that  "  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  should 
rest  upon  him,  the  spirit  of  wisdom 
and  understanding,  the  spirit  of  coun- 
sel and  might,  the  spirit  of  knowledge 
and  of  the  fear  of  the  Lord  "  (Isa.  11 : 
2),  that  so  human  nature  might  in  him, 
and  by  him,  be  restored  and  renewed, 
and  that  we,  in  him,  by  him,  and 


through  him,  might  become  new  crea- 
tures. This  is  accomplished  by  re- 
ceiving from  Christ,  the  spirit  of  wis- 
dom and  understanding,  for  the  spirit 
of  folly;  the  spirit  of  counsel,  for  that 
of  madness;  the  spirit  of  might,  for 
that  of  cowardice  and  fear;  the  spirit 
of  knowledge,  instead  of  our  natural 
blindness;  and  the  spirit  of  the  iV-ar 
of  the  Lord,  instead  of  the  spirit  of 
impiety  and  infidelity. 

7.  It  is  in  this  heavenly  change  that 
the  new  life  and  the  new  creation 
within  us  consist.  For  as,  in  Adam 
we  are  all  spiritually  dead,  and  in- 
capable of  performing  any  works,  ex- 
cept those  of  death  and  darkness;  so, 
in  Christ,  we  must  be  made  alive  (1 
Cor.  15  :  22)  and  do  the  works  of  light 
and  life.  As,  by  a  carnal  generation, 
w^e  have  inherited  sin  from  Adam  ;  so, 
by  faith,  we  must  inherit  righteous- 
ness from  Christ.  As,  by  a  fleshly 
descent  from  Adam,  pride,  covetous- 
ness,  lust,  and  all  kinds  of  impurity, 
are  entailed  upon  us;  so  by  the  spirit 
of  Christ,  our  nature  ought  to  be  re- 
newed, and  all  pride,  covetousness, 
lust,  and  envy,  be  mortified  within  us. 
And  thus  is  it  necessary  that  we 
should,  from  Christ,  derive  a  new 
spirit,  heart,  and  mind;  even  as  we 
derived  from  Adam  our  sinful  flesh. 

8.  With  reference  to  this  great 
w^ork  of  regeneration,  Christ  is  called 
^'the  everlasting  Father"  (Isa.  9:  6), 
and  we  are  renewed  in  him  to  life 
eternal,  being  here  regenerated  into 
his  likeness,  and  made  in  him  new 
creatures.  And  if  our  works  ever 
prove  acceptable  in  the  sight  of  God, 
they  must  spring  from  this  principle 
of  the  new  birth;  that  is,  from  Christ, 
his  Spirit,  and  an  unfeigned  faith. 

9.  Henceforth  we  must  live  in  the 
new  birth,  and  the  new  birth  in  us; 
we  must  be  in  Christ,  and  Christ  in 


10 


THUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  I 


us  :  we  must  live  in  the  spirit  of  Christ,  | 
and  the  spirit  of  Christ  in  us.  Gal.  | 
2:20.  This  regeneration  with  its  iit- 
tendant  fruits,  is  described  by  St. 
Paul,  as  the  being  "renewed  in  tlie 
spirit  of  our  mind,"  "putting  oif  the 
old  man,"  and  the  being  "  transformed 
into  the  image  of  God."  He  likewise 
considers  it  as  the  being  "renewed  in 
knowledge  after  the  image  of  him 
that  created  us,"  and  "the  renewing 
of  the  Holy  Ghost."  Eph.  4:23;  2 
Cor.  3:  18;  Col.  3:  10;  Tit.  3:5.  It  is 
termed  by  Ezekiel,  "  taking  away  the 
Btony  heart,  and  giving  a  heart  of 
flesh."  Ch.  11:19.  Hence  it  appears 
how  the  regeneration  of  man  proceeds 
from  the  incarnation  of  Jesus  Christ. 
As  man,  by  ambition,  pride,  and  dis- 
obedience, turned  himself  from  God; 
so  his  apostasy  could  not  be  expiated 
and  removed,  except  by  the  extreme 
humilit}",  lowliness,  and  obedience  of 
the  Son  of  God.  And  as  Christ,  when 
upon  earth,  was  most  humble  in  his 
conversation  among  men,  so  it  is  nec- 
essary, O  man  !  that  he  should  be  the 
same  in  thee;  that  he  should  dwell  in 
thy  soul,  and  restore  the  image  of  God 
in  thee. 

10.  And  now,  O  man!  contemplate 
the  perfectly  amiable,  lowly,  obedient, 
and  patient  Jesus,  and  learn  of  him ; 
live  as  he  lived,  yea,  live  in  him,  and 
tread  in  his  steps.  For  what  was  the 
cause  of  his  living  upon  earth?  It 
was  that  he  might  become  thy  exam- 
ple, thy  mirror,  and  the  rule  of  thy 
life.  He,  he  on\y,  is  the  rule  of  life, 
and  the  pattern  which  every  Christian 
should  strive  to  imitate.  It  is  not  the 
rule  of  any  man  whatsoever.  There 
is  but  one  example, — Christ;  and  him 
the  Apostles  have,  with  one  consent, 
set  belbre  us  for  our  imitation.  And 
in  the  same  manner  are  we  called  to 
view  his  passion,  death,  and  resurrec- 


tion :  even  that  thou,  O  man!  should- 
est  with  him,  die  unto  sin;  and  in 
him,  with  him,  and  by  him,  spiritu- 
ally rise  again,  and  walk  in  newness 
of  life,  "even  as  he  also  walked." 
Eom.  6:4. 

11.  Thus  may  we  see,  how  our  re- 
generation arises  from  the  passion, 
death,  and  resurrection,  of  our  gra- 
cious Lord  and  Saviour,  Jesus  Christ. 
Hence,  St.  Peter  saith,  "God  hath  be- 
gotten us  again  unto  a  lively  hope  by 
the  resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ  from 
the  dead."  1  Pet.  1  :  3.  And  all  the 
a|)0stles  will  everywhere  be  found  to 
lay  the  foundation  of  repentance  and 
of  a  new  life,  in  the  passion  of  Christ. 
St.  Peter,  indeed,  gives  this  express 
charge:  "Pass  the  time  of  your  so- 
journing here  in  fear;  forasmuch  as 
ye  know  that  ye  were  not  redeemed 
with  corruptible  things,  as  silver  and 
gold;  but  with  the  precious  blood  of 
Christ,  as  of  a  lamb  without  blemish 
and  without  spot"  (1  Pet.  1  :  17-19); 
in  which  we  may  observe,  that  the 
ransom  paid  for  our  redemption  is 
urged  as  the  motive  to  a  holy  conver- 
sation. The  same  apostle  tells  us, 
likewise,  that  "  Christ  his  own  self  bare 
our  sins  in  his  own  body  on  the  tree, 
that  we,  being  dead  to  sins,  should  live 
unto  righteousness"  (1  Peter  2 :  24); 
and  Jesus  himself  has  said  :  "Thus  it 
behooved  Christ  to  suffer,  and  to  rise 
from  the  dead  the  third  day :  and 
that  repentance  and  remission  of  sins 
should  bo  preached  in  his  name." 
Luke  24  :  46,  47. 

12.  It  is  evident,  therefore,  that 
from  the  passion  and  death  of  Christ, 
proceed  both  the  satisfaction  made  for 
our  sins,  and  the  renewing  of  our  na- 
ture by  faith  ;  and  that  they  both  are 
necessary  to  the  restoration  of  fallen 
man.  The  latter,  as  well  as  the  former, 
is  the  blessed  effect  of  Christ's  passion, 


Chap.  IV.] 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


11 


which  worketh  our  renewal  and  sancti- 
ficalion.  1  Cor.  1:30.  Thus  the  new 
birth  in  us  proceeds  from  Christ.  And 
as  a  means  to  attain  tliis  end,  holy  Bap- 
tism has  been  instituted,  wherein  we 


are  baptized  into  the  death  of  Christ, 
in  order  tliat  we  might  die  with  bim 
unto  sin  by  the  power  of  his  death, 
and  rise  again  from  sin  by  the  power 
of  his  resurrection. 


CHAPTER  lY. 

OF  TRUE  REPENTANCE,  AND  tllE  TRUE  YOKE  AND  CROSS  OF  CHRIST. 
They  that  are  Chrisfs  have  crucified  the  flesh  vnth  the  affections  and  lusts. — Gal.  5:  24. 


REPENTANCE,  or  true  conver- 
sion, is  the  work  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  under  the  influence  of  which, 
man,  through  the  iaio^  acknowledges 
his  sin,  and  the  wrath  of  God  provoked 
against  it;  and  earnestly  mourns  over 
bis  offences;  and  then,  understanding, 
through  the  Gospel^  the  grace  of  God, 
by  faith  in  Christ  Jesus,  he  obtains 
the  remission  of  his  sins.  By  this  re- 
pentance, the  mortification  or  crucify- 
ing of  the  flesh,  and  of  all  carnal  lusts 
and  pleasures,  is  carried  on;  together 
with  the  quickening  of  the  spirit,  or 
the  resurrection  of  the  new  man  in 
Christ.  Under  the  exercise  of  repent- 
ance, therefore,  the  old  Adam,  with 
his  corruptions,  dies  within  us;  and 
Christ  lives  in  us,  by  faith  (Gal.  2  : 
20)  ;  for  we  must  be  aware  that  these 
two  are  inseparably  connected.  The 
resurrection  of  the  spirit  follows  the 
mortification  of  the  flesh;  and  the 
quickening  of  the  new  man,  destroys 
and  annihilates  the  old  man;  the  ruin 
of  the  one,  is  the  life  and  resurrection 
of  the  other.  "Thougii  our  outward 
man  perish,  yet  the  inward  man  is 
renewed  day  by  day."  2  Cor.  4:16. 
We  are,  therefore,  enjoined  to  "mor- 
tify our  members  which  are  upon  the 
earth"  (Col.  3:5);  and  to  "reckon  our- 
selves to  be  dead  indeed  unto  sin,  but 


alive  unto  God,  through  Jesus  Christ 
our  Lord."  Bom.  6:11. 

2.  Let  us,  however,  inquire  why  the 
flesh  is  thus  to  be  mortified;  and  why 
the  whole  body  of  sin  is  at  last  to 
be  destroj^ed.  It  has  been  remarked 
(Chap.  II)  that,  by  the  fall  of  Adam, 
man  became  earthly,  carnal,  and  devil- 
ish ;  without  God,  and  without  love: 
for  being  without  God,  he  was  also 
without  love.  Man  was  now  turned 
from  the  love  of  God  to  the  love  of 
the  world,  and  especially  of  himself; 
so  that  in  every  situation,  and  under 
all  circumstances,  he  now  studies,  fa- 
vors, flatters,  counsels,  and  applauds 
himself;  and  provides  ojily  for  his 
own  interest,  honor,  and  glory.  All 
this  is  the  consequence  of  Adam's  fall; 
who,  while  meditating  how  he  might 
erect  himself,  as  it  were,  into  a  God^ 
was  involved,  together  with  all  his 
l^osterity,  in  the  same  awful  sin  and 
perdition.  This  depravation  of  human 
nature  must  of  necessity  be  entirely 
removed;  and  this  can  be  effected  only 
by  serious  repentance;  by  godly  sor- 
row; by  a  faith  that  apprehends  the 
remission  of  sin ;  by  the  mortification 
of  sensual  pleasure;  and  by  the  cruci- 
fixion of  pride  and  self-love.  For  true 
repentance  consists  not  in  putting 
away  gross  and  open  sins  only;  but 


12 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  I. 


it  requires  that  a  man  sliould  enter 
his  heart,  and  search  into  its  inmost 
recesses.  The  secret  parts,  the  wind- 
ing's and  the  turnings  of  iniquity  are 
to  he  laid  open  ]  in  order  that  the  re- 
turning sinner  may  he  tlioroughl}'  re- 
newed, and,  at  length,  be  converted 
from  tlie  h)ve  of  himself,  to  the  love 
of  God;  from  the  love  of  the  world, 
to  a  life  of  spirituality;  and  from  a 
participation  of  earthly  pomps  and 
pleasures,  to  a  participation,  through 
faith,  of  the  merits  of  Christ. 

3.  Hence  it  follows,  that  a  man  must 
deny  himself  (Luke  9  :28);  that  is,  be 
must  mortify  bis  own  will,  and  suffer 
himself  to  be  entirely  led  by  the  will 
of  God.  lie  must  no  longer  love,  seek, 
and  esteem  himself;  but  he  must  ac- 
count himself  to  be  the  unworthiest 
and  most  miserable  of  all  creatures. 
He  must  renounce  all  he  has  for  the 
love  of  Christ;  and  trample  on  the 
world,  its  pomps,  and  its  vanities.  He 
must  pass  by  his  own  wisdom  and 
natural  endowments,  as  though  he 
beheld  them  not;  he  must  confide  in 
no  creature,  but  in  God  alone ;  yea, 
he  must  "hate  his  own  life"  (Luke 
14  :  26),  that  is,  his  carnal  will  and 
pleasures;  his  pride,  covetousness, 
lust,  wrath,  and  envy.  He  must  not 
please,  but  rather  displease  himself; 
nor  must  he  attribute  anything  to  his 
own  strength  or  ability.  In  a  word, 
he  must  be  crucified  to  the  world  (Gal. 
C  :  14),  to  the  lust  of  the  eyes  and  the 
flesh,  and  to  the  pride  of  life.  This, 
and  this  alone,  is  that  true  repentance 
and  mortification  of  the  flesh,  without 
which  no  man  can  ever  be  a  disciple 
of  Jesus  Christ.  '  This  only  is  conver- 
sion from  self,  the  world,  and  the  devil, 
unto  God  (Acts  26: 18);  without  which 
no  one  can  receive  remission  of  sins, 
nor  be  saved. 

4.  This  is  the  true  cross  and  yoke 


of  Christ;  that  of  which  the  Saviour 
spoke  when  he  said,  "  Take  my  yoke 
upon  3'ou,  and  learn  of  me;  for  I  am 
meek  and  lowly  in  heart."  Matt.  11: 
29.  As  if  he  had  said,  ''Thy  self-love 
and  ambition  must  be  removed  by 
earnest  and  inward  humility,  of  which 
thou  hast  an  example  in  me;  and  by 
the  example  of  my  meekness,  must 
thy  wrath  and  desire  of  revenge  be 
subdued."  This,  to  the  new  man,  is 
an  easy  yoke  and  a  light  burden; 
though,  to  the  flesh,  it  may  seem  to 
be  a  most  bitter  and  afflictive  cross. 
This  is  to  crucify  our  own  flesh,  with 
the  affections  and  lusts.  Gal.  5  :  24. 

5.  They,  therefore,  who  are  ac- 
quainted with  no  other  cross  than  the 
tribulations  and  afflictions  of  this  life, 
greatly  err;  being  ignorant  of  that 
true  cross,  which  we  ought  to  bear 
after  our  Lord  daily;  namely,  inward 
repentance,  and  the  mortification  of 
the  flesh;  submitting  to  our  enemies 
with  great  patience;  and  overcoming 
the  malice  of  slanderers  by  humility 
and  mildness,  after  the  pattern  which 
the  Lamb  of  God  has  left  us.  For  it 
becomes  us  to  follow  the  example  of 
Christ,  who  renounced  all  worldly 
splendor  and  glory,  and  everj-thing 
that  is  commonly  esteemed  great  and 
noble. 

6.  This  yoke  of  Christ  is  the  real 
cross,  which  when  a  man  bears  he 
truly  dies  to  the  world.  It  is  not  to 
retire  into  monasteries  and  cloisters, 
nor  to  adopt  a  set  of  rules  and  orders 
for  the  regulation  of  life;  for  while  the 
heart  remains  disordered,  and  the  love 
corrupt;  while  the  man  is  puffed  up 
with  spiritual  pride,  and  a  pharisaical 
contempt  of  others;  while  he  is  de- 
voted to  lust,  envy,  hypocrisy,  secret 
hatred  and  malice ;  he  does  not  die  to 
the  world,  but  altogether  lives  to  it. 
This  is  not  the  Christian  yoke  nor  is 


Chap.  lY.] 


TEUE  CIIEISTIANITY. 


13 


it  the  cross  of  Christ;  for  these  con- 
sist in  mortifying  the  flesh,  with  its 
sinful  propensities;  in  turning  away 
from  tlie  world  to  God;  in  an  inward 
and  constant  secret  sorrow  for  our 
sins;  in  a  daily  dying  to  the  world, 
and  living  to  Christ  by  faith ;  in  fol- 
lowing his  steps  with  sincere  lowli- 
ness and  humility;  and  in  confiding 
only  in  the  grace  of  God  in  Christ 
Jesus. 

7.  To  this  unfeigned  repentance, 
this  true  and  inward  conversion  from 
the  world  unto  God,  hath  our  blessed 
Lord  called  us.  The  imputation  of 
his  righteousness  and  obedience,  to- 
gether with  the  remission  of  all  our 
sins,  apprehended  by  faith,  is  promised 
to  it  alone.  If  we  are  destitute  of  re- 
pentance, Christ  profiteth  us  nothing; 
that  is,  w^e  cannot  then  become  par- 
takers of  his  grace  and  favor,  nor 
of  the  efficacy  of  his  merits;  because 
these  can  be  applied  only  by  a  con- 
trite, penitent,  lowly,  and  believing 
heart.  And  truly  this  is  the  fruit  of 
the  passion  of  Christ  in  us,  that  we 
die  to  sin  by  a  sincere  repentance ;  as 
the  fruit  of  his  resurrection  is,  that 
Christ  may  live  in  us,  and  we  in  him. 

8.  All  this  is  necessary  to  render 
man  that  new  creature  in  Christ  Jesus, 
without  which  nothing  availeth  in  the 
sight  of  God.  2  Cor.  5 : 17 ;  Gal.  6 : 15. 

9.  Hence,  therefore,  let  us  be  in- 
structed in  the  nature  of  true  repent- 
ance; lest  we  be  led  away  into  that 
common  error,  that  the  mere  relin- 
quishment of  some  gross  enormity,  as 
theft,  fornication,  profaneness,  blas- 
phemy, is  the  genuine  and  only  re- 
pentance. It  is  certain,  that  this  is  a 
kind  of  external  repentance;  but  it  is 
no  less  so,  that  all  the  Scriptures  alike 
inculcate  the  necessity  of  an  inward 
repentance,  which  takes  possession  of 
the  whole  soul.    A  man  under  the  in- 


fluence of  this  repentance,  not  only 
supports  a  fair  conversation  in  the 
world,  but  he  also  denies  and  hates 
himself.  Eenouncing  the  world  and 
all  he  calls  his  own,  and  crucifvini^ 
the  flesh,  he  commits  himself  by  I'ailh 
to  God  alone;  and  offers  up  to  him  a 
broken  and  contrite  heart,  as  the  sac- 
rifice most  acceptable  in  his  sight. 
This  character  of  inward  repentance 
is  eminently  set  forth  in  the  Psalms 
of  David,  and  particularly  in  those 
termed  Penitential.* 

10.  This  is,  therefore,  the  only  true 
repentance,  when  the  heart  of  the  sin- 
ner is  inwardly  torn  with  grief,  and 
weighed  down  by  heaviness;  and  when, 
on  the  other  hand,  it  is  healed  by  faith 
and  the  remission  of  sin,  quickened  by 
the  infusion  of  divine  joy,  provoked 
to  good  works,  and  thoroughl}"  trans- 
formed and  chano-ed.  Such  a  frame  of 
mind  cannot  fail  to  be  attended  also 
with  an  external  reformation  of  life  and 
manners. 

11.  But,  on  the  other  hand,  though 
a  man  be  very  serious  in  the  perform- 
ance of  bodily  penances,  and,  from  a 
dread  of  punishment,  abstain  from  the 
commission  of  notorious  sins;  yet  if 
he  continue  unreformed  and  unregcn- 
erate  in  his  heart,  and  enter  not  upon 
that  new  and  inward  life  which  it  has 
been  our  object  to  describe,  he  will 
prove  but  a  castaway  (1  Cor.  9 : 27)  at 
last,  notwithstanding  the  whole  train 
of  his  external  acts.  It  will  avail  him 
nothing  to  cry,  "Lord,  Lord!"  He  will 
hear  the  tremendous  declaration,  '-I 
never  knew  you!"  For  most  certain 
it  is,  that  not  every  one  that  saith, 
Lord,  Lord,  shall  enter  into  the  king- 
dom of  heaven,  but  those  only  who 
do  the  will  of  their  Heavenly  Father. 


*  [These  are  Psalms,  6  ;  32  ;  38  ;  51 ;  102  ; 
130;  143.] 


14 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  L 


IMatt.  7  :  21-2:5.  And  under  this  awfid 
sentence  of  divine  majesty,  all  men  are 
comprised,  of  what  rank  or  order  so- 
ever, who  do  not  truly  and  inwardly 


repent,  and  who  are  not  new  creatures 
in  Christ,  for  if  any  man  have  not 
the  Spirit  of  Christ,  be  is  none  of  bis.'* 
Rom.  8:9. 


CHAPTER  V. 

WHEREIN  DOES  TRUE  FAITH  CONSIST? 
lV/(OSoever  belicveth  thai  Jesus  is  the  Christ,  is  born  of  God. — 1  John  5: 1. 


FAITH  is  a  sincere  confidence,  and  a 
fii'm  persuasion  of  the  grace  of  God 
promised  to  us  in  Christ  Jesus,  for  the 
remission  of  sin  and  eternal  life;  and 
it  is  enkindled  in  the  heart,  by  the 
word  of  God  and  the  Holy  Spirit. 
Throua;h  this  faitb  we  obtain  the 
forgiveness  of  our  sins,  without  any 
merits  of  our  own,  of  mere  grace  (Eph. 
2:8),  and  for  the  sake  of  the  merits 
of  Christ  alone;  that  so,  our  faith 
might  rest  on  a  firm  and  solid  founda- 
tion, and  remain  unmoved  by  j^erplex- 
ity  and  doubts.  This  forgiveness  of 
sin  constitutes  our  justification  before 
God,  which  is  true,  solid,  and  eternal; 
for  this  righteousness  is  purchased 
neither  by  men  nor  angels,  but  by 
the  obedience,  merit,  and  the  blood 
of  the  Son  of  God  himself  We  ap- 
propriate and  appl}^  it  to  ourselves 
b}-  faith;  and  hence  the  imperfections 
which  still  adhere  to  us  cannot  con- 
demn us,  since,  for  the  sake  of  Christ, 
who  now  lives  and  works  within  us, 
they  are  covered  with  a  veil  of  grace. 
Ps.'^32:  I. 

2.  By  this  cordial  and  unshaken 
failh,  man  wholly  dedicates  his  heart 
to  the  Almighty,  in  whom  alone  he 
seeks  his  rest.  To  him  only  is  he 
now  united,  and  with  him  alone  he 
enters  into  delightlul  fellowshi]).  lie 
partakes  of  all  thing's  that  are  of  God 


and  of  Christ,  and  is  made  one  spirit 
with  the  Lord.  From  him  he  receives 
divine  power  and  strength;  together 
with  a  new  life,  attended  with  new 
joys,  new  pleasures,  new  consolations, 
in  which  are  found  peace,  inward  ease, 
and  durable  satisfaction,  together  with 
righteousness  and  holiness.  And  thus 
man  is  born  anew  of  God  by  faith. 
For  wherever  there  is  true  faith,  there 
Christ  is  verily  present  with  all  his 
righteousness,  holiness,  and  remission 
of  sin;  with  all  his  merits,  justifica- 
tion, grace,  adoption,  and  inheritance 
of  eternal  life.  This  is  the  new  birth 
and  the  new  creature,  springing  from 
faith  in  Christ.  Hence,  the  apostle 
calls  faith  a  substance  (Ileb.  11 :  1);  un- 
derstanding by  it,  a  sure,  solid,  and 
unshaken  confidence  in  "things  hoped 
for,"  and  a  lively  conviction  of '-things 
not  seen.''  For  the  consolation  con- 
vej'ed  by  a  vital  faith  is  so  powerful, 
as  to  convince  the  heart  of  the  divine 
truth  by  inward  experience,  and  by 
the  tasting  of  the  heavenly  goodness 
in  the  soul,  and  of  the  peace  of  God, 
that  passes  all  understanding;  yea,  it 
is  so  mighty  as  to  enable  its  possess- 
ors to  die  with  a  joyful  heart.  In 
this  consist  that  strength  of  the  spirit, 
that  might  of  the  inner  man,  that 
vigor  of  fiiith,  that  holy  boldness;  this 
is  that  confidence  toward  God,  that 


CiiAP.  Y.] 


TEUE  CIiraSTIAXITY. 


15 


exceeding  and  abounding  assuranee, 
wliicli  arc  so  copiously  set  forth  by 
the  holy  apostles.  2  Tim.  2  :  1 ;  Eph. 
8  :  12,  IG  ;  Phil.  1 :  14  ;  1  John  3:21; 
1  Thess.  1:5;  2:2. 

o.  That  for  which  a  man  will  dare 
to  die,  must  be  rooted  in  the  soul,  and, 
by  the  operation  of  the  Spirit  of  God, 
afford  an  inward  assurance.  It  must 
be  a  cordial,  powerful,  and  eternal 
comfort,  infusing  heavenly  and  super- 
natural strength  into  the  soul,  by 
which  the  fear  of  death  and  the  love 
of  the  world  may  both  be  subdued. 
Now  all  this  begets  so  solid  a  trust  in 
Christ,  and  so  close  a  union  with  him, 
as  neither  death  nor  life  is  able  to  dis- 
solve. Eom.  8:38;  2  Tim.  1:12. 
Hence  St.  John  says  :  "  Whatsoever 
is  born  of  God  overcometh  the  world.'* 
1  John  5:4. 

4.  To  be  born  of  God  is  in  truth  no 
vain  figure,  no  empty  name;  it  must 
necessarily  be  a  lively  and  powerful 
change,  worthy  of  the  majesty  of  an 
omnipotent  God.  To  believe  that  the 
livinc;  God  could  beo-et  a  dead  off- 
spring,  that  lifeless  members  and  use- 
less organs  could  proceed  from  him, 
were  very  wickedness.  It  is  sure  and 
undoubted  that  God,  being  a  living 
God,  cannot  but  beget  a  living  man, 
even  the  new  man  in  Christ  Jesus. 
And  our  faith  is  the  victory  which 
overcomes  the  world.  1  John  5:4. 
Who  can  question  whether  it  be  en- 
dued with  strength  sufficient  for  the 
conquest?  It  is,  it  must  be  a  lively, 
v.gorous,  potent,  divine,  and  victori- 
ous principle;  but  all  its  power  is 
derived  from  him  who  is  embraced  by 
it,  even  Christ.  By  means  of  faith, 
we  return  into  God  again,  and  become 
one  with  him;  and  from  Adam,  as 
from  an  accursed  vine,  we  are  trans- 
planted into  Christ,  the  living  and 
blessed  vine.    John  15  :  4.    In  Christ, 


we  possess  everything  that  is  good, 
and  in  him,  are  justified. 

5.  As  a  scion,  when  grafted  on  a 
good  tree,  grows,  flourishes,  and  bears 
fruit,  but,  without  it,  withers  awa^^  ; 
so  man,  when  out  of  Christ,  ie  as  an 
accursed  vine,  whose  grapes  are  bit- 
terness and  gall ;  and  all  his  works 
are  sin.  Deut.  32:32,33;  Eom.  14: 
23.  But  when  he  is  in  Christ,  he  is 
righteous  and  blessed ;  because  "  he 
was  made  to  be  sin  for  us,  who  knew 
no  sin,  that  we  might  be  made  the 
righteousness  of  God  in  him."  2  Cor. 
5  :21. 

6.  It  is  most  evident,  from  what 
has  been  advanced,  that  works  cannot 
possibly  justify  a  sinner;  because,  be- 
fore we  can  perform  any  good  work, 
we  must  be  engrafted  into  Christ  by 
faith:  and  it  is  equally  clear,  that 
justification  is  entirely  the  gift  of  God, 
freely  conferred  on  man  and  preced- 
ing all  human  merit.  How  shall  a 
dead  man  see,  hear,  stand,  walk,  or 
do  any  good  thing,  unless  he  be  first 
raised  from  the  dead,  and  endued  with 
a  new  principle  of  life  ?  So  neither 
canst  thou,  O  man,  who  art  dead  in 
sins,  do  any  work  that  is  good  or  ac- 
ceptable, unless  thou  be  first  raised 
unto  life  by  Jesus  Christ.  Thus  right- 
eousness proceeds  only  from  faith  in 
Christ.  Faith  is  like  a  new-born 
babe,  weak  and  naked,  poor  and  des- 
titute, and  laid  before  the  e3'es  of 
the  Saviour;  from  whom,  as  from  its 
author,  it  receives  righteousness  and 
sanctification,  godliness,  grace  and  the 
Holy  Ghost. 

7.  The  naked  child  is  thus  clothed 
with  the  mercy  of  God.  He  lifts  up 
his  hands,  receives  all  from  God,  and  is 
made  a  partaker  of  grace  and  health, 
truth  and  holiness.  It  is,  therefore^ 
this  receiving  of  Christ  in  the  heartfj 
that  makes  a  man  holy  and  happy. 


16 


TEUE  CIIEISTIAXITY. 


[Book  I. 


8.  liigliteoiisness  proceeds  therefore 
Bolely  from  faith,  and  not  from  works. 
Indeed,  faith  receives  the  whole 
Christ,  and  accepts  him,  together 
with  all  that  he  has.  Then  sin  and 
death,  the  devil  and  hell,  must  flee, 
and  are  unable  any  longer  to  preserve 
their  ground.  Xay,  so  effectually  and 
so  powerfully  do  the  merits  of  Christ 
justify  the  sinner,  that  if  the  sins  of 
the  whole  world  were  charged  on  one 
man,  they  would  not  avail  to  condemn 
him,  if  he  believed  in  Christ. 

9.  Inasmuch,  therefore,  as  Christ 
lives  and  dwells  in  thy  heart  by  faith 
(Eph.  3 : 17),  never,  O  believer !  indulge 
the  thought,  that  his  indwelling  in 
thee,  is  a  dead  work  unattended  with 
any  vital  power.  Eather  believe  that 
it  is  a  quickening  principle,  a  mighty 
work,  and  an  effectual  transformino- 
of  thy  mind.  Faith  effects  two  things  : 
it  first  engrafts  thee  into  Christ,  and 
gives  him  freely  to  thee,  with  all  that 
he  has;  and  then,  it  renews  thee  in 
Christ,  that  thou  maj^est  grow,  flour- 
ish, and  live  in  him.  The  wild  graft 
is  introduced  into  the  stock,  for  no 
other  end  than  that  it  may  flourish 
and  bear  fruit.  As  by  the  apostasy 
of  Adam  and  the  temptation  of  the 
devil,  the  seed  of  the  serpent  was 
sown  in  man,  growing  up  into  a  tree 
and  bearing  the  fruits  of  death  ;  even 
so  by  the  divine  word  and  the  Holy 
Spirit,  is  faith  sown  in  man,  as  the 
seed  of  God.  See  Chap.  II.  In  this 
seed  all  divine  virtues  and  properties 
are,  in  a  most  wonderful  manner,  com- 
prehended; which  gradually  expand 
themselves  from  day  to  day.  This 
tree  is  adorned  with  a  profusion  of 
heavenly  fruit;  as  love,  2:)atience, 
humility,  meekness,  peace,  chastity, 
righteousness.    And  thus  the  whole 


kingdom  of  God  descends  into  man. 
For  true  and  saving  faith  renews  the 
whole  man,  purifies  the  heart,  sancti- 
fies the  soul,  and  delivers  from  the 
love  of  the  world.  It  unites  with 
God ;  it  hungers  and  thirsts  after 
righteousness;  it  works  love;  and  it 
brings  peace,  joy,  patience,  and  com- 
fort in  adversity  :  it  overcomes  the 
world ;  it  makes  us  sons  of  God,  and 
heirs  of  the  treasures  of  heaven;  and 
it  constitutes  us  joint-heirs  with  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.  But  if  any  one 
should  not  be  conscious  of  that  joyful- 
ness  which  faith  imparts  and  does  not 
experience  its  consoling  influences, 
let  him  not,  on  that  account,  despair  ; 
but  rather  let  him  trust  in  the  <irace 
which  is  promised  in  Christ :  for  this 
promise  ever  remains  sure,  immov 
able,  and  everlasting.  And  though 
through  the  infirmities  incident  to 
human  nature,  he  should  stumble  and 
fall ;  yet,  if  the  sinner  return  by  un- 
feigned repentance,  and  more  cau- 
tiously watch  against  the  sin  which 
so  easily  besets  him,  the  grace  of  God 
will  not  be  withdrawn.  For  Christ  is 
and  will  ever  be  Christ  and  a  Saviour, 
whether  the  faith  that  embraces  him 
be  strong  or  weak.  A  weak  faith 
has  an  equal  share  in  Christ  with  a 
strong  faith,  for  faith,  whether  it  be 
weak  or  strong,  possesses  the  whole 
Christ.  The  grace  which  is  promised 
is  common  to  all  Christians,  and  is 
eternal,  and  on  this  grace  faith  must 
rely,  whether  it  be  weak  or  strong. 
The  Lord  will  revisit  thy  soul  in  his 
own  time,  with  a  sense  of  his  graci- 
ous favor,  and  of  his  abundant  con- 
solations, although,  at  the  present,  he 
may  think  fit  to  put  a  veil  over  it  in 
thy  heart.  Ps.  37:23,  24;  77:7-10. 
Upon  this  subject,  see  Book  II. 


Chap.  YT.] 


TRUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


17 


CHAPTER  YL 


SHOWING  HOW  THE  VITAL  POWER  OF  THE  WORD  OF  GOD  SHOULD  BE 
MANIFESTED  IN   MAN  THROUGH  FAITH. 


Behold,  the  kingdom  of  God  is  within  you. — John  17  :  21. 


INASMUCH  as  man's  whole  welfare 
depends  on  his  regeneration  and 
renewal,  it  was  the  will  of  God  that 
all  those  chano-es  which  ono-ht  to  take 
place  in  man  spiritually  and  by  faith, 
should  be  also  outwardly  set  forth  in 
the  words  of  Holy  Scripture.  Since 
the  Word  is  the  seed  of  God  (Luke  8  : 
H)  within  us,  it  is  necessary  that  it 
should  also  spring  up  and  spiritually 
bear  fruit.  That  must  be  accomplished 
in  lis  by  faith,  which  is  declared  without 
us  in  the  letter  of  Scripture;  and  if 
this  effect  be  not  produced,  then  the 
Word  is  evidently  to  us  but  a  dead 
seed,  destitute  of  life  and  energy. 
Hence,  we  ought  in  faith  and  in  spirit 
to  learn  by  our  own  happy  experience 
the  truth  of  that  which  the  Serij^tures 
have  outwardly  declared. 

2.  When  God  revealed  his  will  in 
his  Word,  he  never  designed  that  the 
latter  should  be  a  dead  letter,  but  that 
it  should  grow  up  in  us  to  a  new  and 
inward  man  ;  otherwise  the  Word  is 
of  no  benefit  to  us.  These  truths  may 
be  explained  more  clearly  by  a  refer- 
ence to  some  example,  as  that  of  Cain 
and  Abel.  The  nature,  manners,  and 
actions  of  these  two  persons,  as  they 
are  recorded  in  Scripture,  clearly  ex- 
plain the  motions  and  workings  of  the 
old  and  the  new  man  in  the  breast  of 
the  believer.  Cain  perpetually  en- 
deavors to  oppress  and  destroy  Abel. 
What  else  is  this  but  the  daily  strife 
of  the  flesh  and  spirit,  and  the  enmity 
subsisting  between  the  serpent  and 


the  seed  of  the  woman?  With  Abra- 
ham, the  Christian  is  required  to  quit 
his  own  country,  leaving  all  that  he 
possesses,  even  life  itself,  in  order  that 
he  may  walk  before  God  with  a  per- 
fect heart,  obtain  the  victory,  and  enter 
into  the  land  of  promise  and  kingdom 
of  heaven.  Such  is  the  meaning  of 
the  Lord's  words:  "If  any  man  Come 
to  me,  and  hate  not  his  father,  and 
mother,  and  wife,  and  children,  and 
brethren,  and  sisters,  yea,  and  his  own 
life  also,  he  cannot  be  my  disciple;" 
that  is,  he  must  renounce  all  these 
rather  than  renounce  Christ.  Luke 
14  :  26.  With  Lot,  he  must  depart 
from  Sodom  and  Gomorrah,  forsaking 
the  wicked  course  of  the  world ;  not 
looking  back  with  Lot's  wife,  but 
obeying  Christ's  injunction  (Luke  17  : 
32),  in  order  that  his  deliverance  may 
be  completed.  Hither  are  all  the  wars 
and  battles  of  I'^rael  against  the  hea- 
then and  infidel  nations  to  be  referred; 
for  Avhat  is  represented  under  this  his- 
tory but  the  continual  strife  between 
the  flesh  and  the  spirit?  Whatsoever 
is  recorded  of  the  Mosaical  priesthood, 
the  tabernacle,  the  ark  of  the  cove- 
nant, or  the  merc3'-seat,  with  the  sac- 
rifices, etc., — all  has  relation  to  the 
Christian  believer.  For  unto  him  it 
appertains  to  pray  in  spirit  and  in 
truth;  to  burn  sj^iritual  incense;  and 
to  slay  the  sin-offering  by  presenting 
his  body,  through  mortification,  as  a 
reasonable  service  and  sacrifice, so  that 
Christ  may  truly  dwell  in  him  by  faith. 


2 


18 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  I. 


3.  And  if  wc  advert  to  the  New  I 
Testament  itself,  what  is  this  but  an 
outward  expression  of  those  truths, 
wliich  are  to  be  inwardly  fulfilled  by 
faith,  in  the  experienec  of  the  be- 
liever? If  I  become  a  new  creature 
in  Christ,  it  is  incumbent  on  me  to 
live  and  walk  in  him ;  in  him  and  with 
him,  to  flee  into  exile,  and  to  be  a 
stran_£^er  upon  the  earth.  The  virtues 
that  resided  in  him  I  ought  to  prac- 
tise; humility,  contempt  of  the  world, 
meekness,  and  patience;  and  I  am 
bound  to  be  fervent  in  acts  of  benig- 
nity, charity,  and  loving  kindness.  In 
and  with  Christ  I  should  exercise 
mercy,  and  pardon  and  love  my  ene- 
mies, and,  with  him,  do  the  Father's 
will.  I  must  be  tempted  by  Satan 
with  him;  and,  with  him,  I  must  ob- 
tain the  victory.  I  am  to  be  derided, 
despised  and  vilified  for  the  sake  of 
the  truth  that  is  in  me  ;  and,  if  called 
to  it,  T  ought  to  die  lor  and  with  him, 
after  the  example  of  the  saints,  and  in 
testimony  that  he,  by  faith,  hath  lived 
in  me,  and  I  in  him. 

4.  This  is  to  be  conformed  to  the 
imago  of  Christ;  this  is  to  be  born 
with  and  in  Christ;  to  put  on  Christ; 
to  grow  up  and  be  strong  in  Christ; 
to  live  with  Christ  in  banishment;  to 
be  baptized  with  his  baptism;  to  be 
scoffed  and  crucified  with  him;  to  die 
with  him;  to  be  buried  with  him;  to 
rise  with  him  from  the  dead;  and  to 
reign  with  him  to  all  eternity. 

5.  If  ever  thou  desirest  to  live  in  a 
constant  union  and  conformity  with 
thy  Head  and  Saviour,  thou  art  in  this 
manner  to  die  daily  with  him,  and  to 
crucify  the  flesh.  Eom.  6  :  5,  6.  Should 
this  divine  harmony  not  exist,  and  an- 
other way  be  devised  more  consonant 
to  thy  fancy,  then  Christ  will  not  be 
within  but  without  thee ;  far  from  thy 
faith,  thy  heart,  and  thy  spirit;  and. 


in  that  case,  he  will  profit  thee  noth- 
ing. But  if  thou  permit  him  to  dwell 
in  thy  heart  by  faith,  he  will  be  thy 
strength,  thy  comfort,  and  thy  salva- 
tion. 

6.  All  this,  O  man!  doth  faith  in 
Christ  effect  within  the  heart;  and 
thus  the  Word  of  God  becomes  a  liv- 
ing Word,  and,  as  it  were,  a  living  wit- 
ness in  us  of  all  those  things  which 
are  externally  declared  in  the  Scrip- 
tures. Hence,  faith  is  termed  by  the 
apostle  a  substance  and  an  evidence, 
Heb.  11:1. 

7.  It  is  therefore  evident,  that  all 
the  sermons,  discourses,  and  epistles, 
contained  in  the  Word  of  God,  whether 
proceeding  from  Christ,  or  the  proph- 
ets, or  the  apostles;  and,  in  a  w^ord, 
that  all  the  Scriptures,  in  general,  as 
it  regards  their  complete  fulfilment, 
belong  to  man,  and  to  every  man  in- 
dividually. Not  only  do  the  plain 
doctrines  appertain  to  us ;  but  all  the 
parables  and  miracles  with  which  the 
history  of  Christ  abounds,  have  their 
final  reference  to  man. 

8.  The  purpose  for  which  they  were 
written  was,  that  they  might  be 
spiritually  fulfilled  in  our  own  experi- 
ence. When,  therefore,  I  read  that 
Christ  healed  others,  I  promise  my- 
self the  same  relief;  for  we  live  in 
unity  one  with  another,  Christ  with 
me,  and  I  with  Christ.  When  I  read 
further,  how  he  cured  the  blind,  I  am 
encouraged  to  believe  that  he  will 
restore  me  to  the  enjoyment  of  spirit- 
ual sight,  who  am  blind  by  nature: 
and  so,  with  regard  to  all  his  other 
miracles.  Only  own  thyself  to  be 
blind,  lame,  deaf,  or  leprous;  to  be 
dead  in  trespasses  and  sins;  and  then, 
he  will  surely  heal  thy  maladies,  and 
quicken  that  which  is  dead,  that  so 
thou  mayest  have  part  in  the  first 
resurrection. 


Chap.  YII.] 


TRUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


19 


9.  The  substance  of  all  that  has 
been  advanced  is  tliis  :  the  IIolj^  Scrip- 
ture bears  outward  testimony  to  those 
things,  which  are  to  be  inwardly  ful- 
filled in  man,  by  faith.  It  points  out 
that  image  externall}',  which,  by  faith, 
is  to  be  formed  within  him.  It  de- 
scribes the  kingdom  of  God  in  the 
letter^  which  is  to  be  established  in  the 


heart,  by  faith,  after  the  spirit.  It 
exhibits  Christ  outwardly,  who  is,  by 
faith,  to  live  within  me;  and  it  testi- 
fies of  the  new  birth  and  of  the  new 
creature,  which  I  must  experience  in 
myself.  All  this  I  am  to  be  made  by 
faith,  or  the  Scripture  will  profit  me 
nothing. 


CHAPTER  VIL 

THE  LAW  OF  GOD,  WRITTEN  IN  THE  HEARTS  OF  ALL  MEN,  CONVINCES  THEM  THAT 
ON  THE  DAY  OF  JUDGMENT  THEY  WILL  BE  WITHOUT  EXCUSE. 

When  the  Gentiles  .  .  .  do  the  things  contained  in  the  law  .  .  .  they  shew  the  work  of  the  law 
written  in  their  hearts, — RoM.  2 :  14.  15. 


XT'J'IIEIS'  God  created  man  in  his 
VV  own  image,  in  righteousness 
and  holiness,  and  endowed  him  with 
exalted  virtues  and  gifts,  he  impressed 
three  qualities  on  the  human  con- 
science so  deeply,  that  they  can  never 
be  effaced  :  First,  the  natural  testi- 
mony that  there  is  a  God.  Secondly, 
a  testimony  that  a  day  of  Judgment 
will  come.  Rom.  2:15.  Thirdly,  the 
law  of  nature,  or  natural  righteous- 
ness, by  which  man  is  enabled  to  dis- 
tinguish between  honor  and  shame, 
and  to  experience  joy  and  sorrow. 

2.  For  no  nation  has  ever  been  dis- 
covered so  wild  and  barbarous,  as  to 
deny  that  a  God  exists,  inasmuch  as 
nature  furnishes  internal  and  external 
evidence  of  this  fact.  Indeed,  men 
have  not  only  acknowledged  the  being 
of  a  God,  of  which  they  were  assured 
by  their  consciences ;  but  they  have 
also  been  affected  with  a  sense  of  his 
justice,  as  an  avenger  of  evil,  and  a 
rewarder  of  good;  and  this  persuasion 


arose  from  the  consciousness,  that,  on 
some  occasions,  they  were  harassed 
with  fearful  apprehensions;  while,  on 
others,  they  felt  a  certain  measure  of 
peace  and  joy.  By  this  knowledge, 
they  even  proceeded  farther,  and  dis- 
covered the  doctrine  of  the  immor- 
tality of  the  soul,  as  appears  from 
Plato,  who  most  amply  discussed  this 
subject.  And,  lastly,  they  gathered 
from  this  inward  law,  that  God  was 
the  author  and  source  of  all  that  was 
good  in  nature,  and  therefore  ought  to 
be  worshipped  by  an  assiduous  atten- 
tion to  virtue,  and  with  a  j^ure  heart. 
Hence,  they  defined  virtue  to  be  man's 
chief  good ;  and  schools  of  moral  vir- 
tue were  accordingly  instituted  by 
Socrates,  and  by  other  heathen  phi- 
losophers. This  may  be  suflScient  to 
convince  us,  that  God,  even  since  the 
fall,  has  allow^ed  a  spark  of  natural 
light  to  remain  in  men,  in  order  that 
they  might  be  admonished  of  their 
heavenly  origin,  and  be  assured,  that 


20 


TEUE  CHPJSTIANITY. 


[Book  I. 


it  was  only  by  following  these  foot- 
steps of  divinity,  that  they  could  be 
restored  to  their  former  perfection. 
Some  of  the  heathens  themselves, 
have  not  been  unacquainted  with  this 
truth;  among  whom  is  Aratus,  the 
poet,  quoted  by  St.  Paul,  who  de- 
clares that  "we  are  God's  offspring." 
Acts  17  : 28. 

3.  The  Gentiles,  however,  stifling  the 
testimony  of  conscience,  contemned 
the  light  of  nature,  and  "the  work  of 
the  law  written  in  their  hearts"  (Eom. 
2  :  15);  so  that  it  cannot  but  be  their 
own  fault,  that  they  are  condemned 
and  lost;  and  they  are,  as  St.  Paul 
argues,  left  altogether  without  excuse. 
Eom.  1  :  19,  20.  And  as  the  Gentiles 
knew,  by  nature,  the  justice  of  God, 
and  that  such  as  did  evil  were  worthy 
of  death;  and  yet  not  only  committed 
evil  but  had  pleasure  in  it;  it  follows, 
that  they  thereby  condemned  them- 
selves, whilst  "  their  thoughts  accus- 
ing or  excusing  one  another,"  con- 
vinced them  of  the  certainty  of  the 
day  of  judgment.  Eom.  1:32;  2  :  15. 
But  if  the  Gentiles  shall  be  "inexcus- 
able," because,  though  endued  with 
the  natural  knowledge  of  God,  they 
sought  him  not,  as  was  their  duty; 
what  shall  they  plead  in  their  own  be- 
half, to  whom  God  hath  givep  his  Holy 
Word,  and  whom  he  hath  so  earnestly 
invited  to  repentance,  by  Jesus  Christ 
his  beloved  Son  ;  in  order  that,  forsak- 
ing the  corruptions  of  the  world,  they 
might,  by  faith,  apprehend  tKe  merits 
of  the  Saviour,  and  obtain  eternal  life 
and  salvation  ? 

4.  Therefore,  every  false  Christian 
shall,  in  the  day  of  judgment,  be  con- 
demned by  two  mighty  witnesses  :  by 
hisown  conscience  or  t  he  law  of  nature, 
and  likewise  by  the  revealed  Word  of 
God,  which  will  then  judge  him.  In 
that  day,  "  it  shall  bo  more  tolerable 


for  the  land  of  Sodom,"  than  for  such 
false  pretenders  to  religion.  Matt.  11: 
24. 

5.  Their  anguish  and  torment  shall 
be  without  end;  since  God  has  made 
the  soul  immortal  and  planted  the  con- 
science in  it,  to  be  both  a  witness  and 
a  judge.  The  conscience  can  never 
throw  off  the  recollection  of  God,  and 
3'et  cannot  of  itself  approach  him; 
which  must  be  attended  with  unutter- 
able pain  to  the  soul,  and  expose  it  to 
the  worm  that  dieth  not,  and  to  the 
fire  that  cannot  be  quenched.  And 
the  more  the  wicked  have,  through 
impenitence  of  heart,  treasured  up  to 
themselves  "wrath  against  the  day  of 
wrath"  (Eom.  2  :  5),  the  more  severe 
will  this  inward  and  eternal  suffering 
be.  For  as  God,  in  the  exercise  of  his 
righteous  judgment,  gave  up  the  Gen- 
tiles to  a  reprobate  mind,  because  they 
sinned  against  their  own  consciences, 
and  "  the  work  of  the  law  written  in 
their  hearts;"  so  that  they  became 
blind  in  their  understandings,  and 
rushed  into  every  kind  of  filthy  and 
abominable  pollution ;  thus  drawing 
down  upon  themselves  the  wrath  of 
God,  denounced  against  all  crimes  that 
are  committed  against  the  light  of 
knowledge :  so  the  same  doom  (yea, 
and  a  far  heavier  one)  will  be  inflicted 
upon  those  who  rest  in  the  mere  pro- 
fession of  the  Christian  faith,  and  deny 
the  life  and  the  power  of  godliness. 
The  reason  of  this  is  obvious:  such 
persons  have  contemned  the  inward 
as  well  as  the  outward  word  and  testi- 
mony of  God,  and  have  not  only  per- 
severed in  a  state  of  impenitence,  but 
have  resisted  the  Divine  Spirit,  and 
blasphemed  Him  who  favored  them 
with  the  light  of  his  Gospel.  On  this 
account,  God  gives  them  up  to  a  rep- 
robate mind,  so  that  they  become  worse 
than  heathens  and  infidels.   He  sends 


Chap.  VII.] 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


21 


them  "strong  delusion,  that  they 
should  believe  a  lie;  that  they  all 
might  be  damned  who  believ^ed  not  the 
truth,  but  had  pleasure  in  unrighteous- 
ness/' 2  Thess.  2:11,  12. 

6.  This  is  the  true  reason  why  vices 
of  so  detestable  a  nature  universally 
abound  among  Christians;  many  of 
which  were  not  so  much  as  known 
among  the  Pagan  nations.  What  sa- 
tanical  pride,  what  insatiable  covet- 
ousness,  what  unheard-of  intemper- 
ance, what  bestial  lust;  in  a  word, 
what  inhuman  wickedness,  is  not  prac- 
tised by  those  who  call  themselves 
Christians  !  And  whence  does  all  this 
arise,  but  from  that  blindness  and  hard- 
ness of  heart,  which  they  have  con- 
tracted by  confirmed  habits  of  iniquity. 
When  those  w^ho  are  called  Christians 
disdain  to  imitate  the  meek  and  lowly 
Jesus  in  their  manners  and  their  con- 
versation; when  they  are  scandalized 
at  him,  and  consider  it  disgraceful  to 
look  to  him  whom  God  has  appointed 
to  be  the  light  of  the  world,  and  our 
great  example  (John  8: 12);  then  the 
righteous  God  gives  them  up  to  follow 
Satan;  to  take  upon  them  the  life  of  the 
devil,  his  abominable  impiety,  wicked- 
ness, and  lies;  that  they  may  execute 
with  him  all  the  works  of  darkness, 
inasmuch  as  they  refuse  to  walk  in  the 
light.  For  thus  saith  the  Lord,  "Walk 
while  ye  have  the  light,  lest  darkness 
come  upon  you."  John  12  :  35. 

7.  Finally,  if  God  gave  up  the  hea- 
then to  so  terrible  a  blindness  and  so 
reprobate  a  mind;  and  this  because 
they  proved  disobedient  to  the  glim- 
mering light  of  nature;  or,  as  St.  Paul 
expresses  it,  because  they  did  not 
like  to  retain  God  in  their  knowledge," 
in  order  to  be  preserved  by  him  (Rom. 
1 :  28) ;  how  much  more  shall  those  be 
banished  from  life  and  salvation,  to 
\rhom  the  truth  of  God  has  come  not 


only  by  natural  light,  but  by  means 
of  his  revealed  word,  and  the  new  cov- 
enant, and  who  yet  haughtily  despise 
these  special  tenders  of  divine  mercy! 
Of  which  new  covenant,  God  thus 
sj^eaks:  "I  will  put  my  law  in  their 
inward  parts,  and  write  it  in  their 
hearts;  and  will  be  their  God,  and 
they  shall  be  my  people.  And  they 
shall  teach  no  more  every  man  his 
neighbor,  and  every  man  his  brother, 
saying,  Know  the  Lord ;  for  they  shall 
all  know  me,  from  the  least  of  them 
unto  the  greatest  of  them,  saith  the 
Lord  ;  for  I  will  forgive  their  iniquity, 
and  I  will  remember  their  sin  no 
more."  Jer.  31:33,  31;  John  6:45. 

8.  And  here,  let  us  also  attend  to 
that  which  the  Apostle  says,  concern- 
ing those  who  offend  wilfully.  "  If," 
says  he,  "  we  sin  wilfully,  after  that 
we  have  received  the  knowledge  of  the 
truth,  there  remaineth  no  more  sacri- 
fice for  sins,  but  a  certain  fearful  look- 
ing foi-  of  judgment  and  fiery  indigna- 
tion, which  shall  devour  the  adver- 
saries. He  that  despised  Moses'  law," 
continues  the  Apostle,  "  died  without 
mercy  under  two  or  three  witnesses  ; 
of  how  much  sorer  punishment,  sup- 
pose ye,  shall  he  be  thought  worthy, 
who  hath  trodden  under  foot  the  Son 
of  God,  and  hath  counted  the  blood  of 
the  covenant,  wherewith  he  was  sanc- 
tified, an  unholy  thing,  and  hath  done 
despite  unto  the  spirit  of  grace  ?  For 
we  know  him  that  hath  said.  Ven- 
geance belongeth  unto  me,  I  will  re- 
compense, saith  the  Lord.  It  is  a 
fearful  thing  to  fall  into  the  hands 
of  the  living  God."  Ileb.  10  :  26-31. 
These  words,  however,  are  not  pro- 
nounced in  reference  to  those  who  fall 
through  natural  infirmity,  but  against 
them  who  sin  wilfully  and  against 
knowledge,  and  who  persevere  to  the 
end  in  a  state  of  impenitence. 


22 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  T. 


CHAPTER  VII 1. 


NO  ONE  CAN  FIND  COMFORT  IN  CHRIST  AND  HIS  MERITS,  WHO  DOES  NOT  TRULY 

REPENT. 


No  unclean  person  was  permUted  to  eat  of  the  passover. — ExOD.  12  :  48. 


IT  was  the  declaration  of  the  Lord 
Jcsiis  Christ,  The}^  that  be  whole 
need  not  a  physician,  but  they  that 
are  sick.  I  am  not  come  to  call  the 
righteous,  but  sinners  to  repentance." 
Matt.  9  :  12,  13.  By  this  declaration 
the  Lord  teaches  us,  that  he  indeed 
calls  sinners,  but  that  he  calls  them 
to  repentance ;  whence  it  is  evident, 
that  no  man  can  come  to  Christ  with- 
out true  repentance  and  conversion 
from  sin,  and  without  a  true  faith. 

2.  Now  repentance  consists  in  dying 
unto  sin  through  true  sorrow  for  our 
sins,  and  in  obtaining  the  remission 
of  sins  through  faith  and  living  unto 
righteousness  in  Christ.  There  is  no 
real  repentance  unless  a  genuine  godly 
sorrow  is  first  experienced,  by  which 
the  heart  is  broken  and  the  flesh  cru- 
cified. Hence  it  is  termed  "repent- 
ance from  dead  works"  (Heb.  6:1); 
or  the  renunciation  of  such  works  as 
issue  in  death.  To  abstain  from  dead 
works  is,  therefore,  one  of  the  princi- 
pal parts  of  true  repentance. 

3.  If  we  be  not  the  subjects  of  this 
repentance,  the  merit  of  Christ  profits 
us  nothing ;  nor  can  wo  lay  the  small- 
est claim  to  the  benefits  which  thence 
accrue  ;  for  Christ  proffers  his  aid,  as 
the  physician  of  souls,  and  his  blood, 
as  the  only  effectual  medicine  for  our 
sjiiritual  maladies. 

4.  But  as  not  even  the  most  precious 
remedy  can  effect  a  cure  of  a  disorder 
unless  the  patient  refrain  from  things 
that  arc  hurtful  in  their  tendency,  and 


that  resist  the  operation  of  the  medi- 
cine, so  the  blood  and  death  of  Christ 
will  be  of  no  avail  to  him  who  does  not 
fully  resolve  to  forsake  his  sins,  and  to 
live  up  to  the  requirements  of  the  gos- 
pel ;  for  St.  Paul  says :  They  who  do 
such  things  (the  works  of  the  flesh), 
shall  not  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God," 
and,  of  course,  have  not  any  part  in 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  GaL  5  :  21. 

5.  Again,  if  Christ,  by  his  most 
precious  blood,  is  to  become  our  med- 
icine, it  cannot  be  doubted  that  we 
must  be  in  a  diseased  state,  and  that 
we  must,  for  ourselves,  feel  that  we 
are  so.  The  whole  need  not  a  phy- 
sician, but  the  sick  only  (Matt.  9  : 12)  j 
and  none  is  spiritually  sick  (at  least  so 
as  to  be  conscious  of  it)  who  does  not 
experience  unfeigned  contrition  for  the 
sins  which  he  has  committed,  and  who 
has  not  a  sense  of  the  indignation  of 
God  which  is  excited  against  them. 
He  is  no  proper  patient  for  the  phy- 
sician of  souls  who  avoids  not  worldly 
lusts  and  vanities,  honors  and  riches; 
but  goes  on  in  a  state  of  spiritual  un- 
concern, without  any  regard  to  his 
past  life  or  his  final  salvation.  L^pon 
a  man  of  this  character,  no  cure  can 
possibly  be  wrought.  He  does  not  see 
his  distemper,  and  therefore  needs  no 
physician.  In  short,  Christ  profits 
him  nothing,  and  his  merits  leave  no 
saving  effect  upon  his  soul. 

6.  Eemembcr,  therefore,  O  man ! 
that  Christ  is  come  to  call  sinners  to 
repentance ;  and  that  it  is  only  such  as 


Chap.  VIII.] 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


23 


arc  broken  in  heart  and  contrite  in 
spirit;  only  such  as  fervently  desire 
and  thirst  after  this  righteousness  that 
are  in  a  condition  to  receive  tlie  saving 
influence  of  the  blood,  death,  and 
merits  of  the  Lord  Jesus. 

7.  Happy  is  ho  Avho  feels  in  his 
heart,  and  still  more  happy  he  who 
proves  obedient  to  this  holy  calling, 
that  is,  the  "godly  sorrow  for  sin, 
which  worketh  repentance  to  salva- 
tion not  to  be  repented  of,"  and  which 
is  the  ^vork  of  the  Holy  Spirit  him- 
self It  arises,  first,  from  the  law,  and 
from  serious  meditation  on  the  passion 
of  Christ,  which  abounds  with  loud 
invitations  to  unfeigned  repentance. 
It  exhibits,  as  in  a  mirror,  both  the 
wrath  of  God  against  sin,  and  also  his 
infinite  grace  in  saving  the  sinner. 
To  make  an  atonement  for  our  sins, 
Jesus  shed  his  blood ;  and  love  induced 
him  to  die  for  us  while  we  were  3'et 
sinners.  Rom.  5:8.  Here  the  divine 
justice  and  clemency  combine  for  the 
salvation  of  souls. 

8.  How  is  it  possible  that  a  man 
who  believes  in  Christ,  should  continue 
in  sins  which  the  Lord  expiated  at  no 
less  a  price  than  his  own  most  precious 
blood?  AVhen,  therefore,  O  man  !  thou 
art  tempted  to  pride  and  ambition,  re- 
flect upon  the  contempt  and  humilia- 
tion to  which  Jesus  submitted  in  order 
to  atone  for  thy  pride  and  thy  am- 
bition. When  thou  art  covetous  after 
this  world,  tliink  of  the  poverty  which 
he  underwent  that  lie  might  make  sat- 
isfaction for  thy  cupidity;  and,  surely, 
this  will  extinguish  in  thee  the  love  of 
money  and  of  worldly  estates.  What 
anguish  and  agony  did  Christ  sufi'er 
on  account  of  thy  lusts  and  sinful 
pleasures;  and  art  thou  yet  in  pursuit 
of  these  pleasures  that  will  leave  be- 
hind them  a  mortal  sting?  Alas  I  how 
great  must  be  the  corruption  of  our 


nature  when  w^e  can  delight  in  things 
for  which  our  Redeemer  and  Lord  was 
sorrowful  even  unto  death !  Christ 
died  to  expiate  thy  wrath,  liatred,  and 
enmity;  to  atone  for  thy  bitterness 
and  rancor,  for  thy  love  of  revenge, 
and  the  implacableness  of  thy  spirit. 
This  lie  eftccted  by  his  extreme  mild- 
ness and  patience,  mercy  and  long-suf- 
fering. And  wilt  thou  be  angry  on 
ever}^  trifling  occasion,  and  esteem  re- 
venge to  be  sweet,  w^hen,  to  atone  for 
it,  thy  Redeemer  drank  to  the  very 
dregs  the  cup  of  bitterness  and  afflic- 
tion ? 

9.  Truly  as  many  as  assume  to  them- 
selves the  name  of  Christians,  and  yet 
do  not  forsake  the  pleasures  of  sin, 
"crucify  Christ  to  themselves  afresh, 
and  put  him  to  an  open  shame"  (Ileb. 
6:6);  and  it  is,  therefore,  utterly  im- 
possible that  they  should  partake  of 
that  merit  which  they  tread  under 
foot.  They  pollute  the  blood  of  the 
everlasting  covenant,  and  do  not  be- 
lieve that  their  sins  are  expiated  by 
it.  They  do  "despite  unto  the  Spirit 
of  grace;"  they  despise  and  resist  him; 
and,  by  their  ungodly  lives,  scorn  and 
contemn  the  grace  of  God  oifered  in 
Christ  Jesus.  Heb.  10  :  29.  Hence,  the 
blood  of  the  Saviour,  which  was  shed 
for  their  sakes,  cries  aloud  for  ven- 
geance against  them  ;  and  this  it  does 
by  the  righteous  judgment  of  God, 
which  they  thus  draw  down  upon 
themselves,  —  a  consideration  that 
ought  to  strike  a  terror  into  every  one 
that  names  the  name  of  Christ.  In- 
deed, "it  is  a  fearful  thing  to  fall  into 
the  hands  of  the  living  God"  (Heb. 
10  : 31);  for  he  is  a  Ucing  God,  and  not 
a  lifeless  idol,  incapable  of  punishing 
so  scornful  a  contempt  of  his  grace 
and  mercy. 

10.  With  this  divine  wrath  and  ven- 
geance, even  their  own  consciences 


24 


TEUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


[Book  L 


threaten  tlicm,  as  inevitably  following 
those  who  (though  they  know  that  it 
was  to  atone  for  nin  that  the  Son  of 
God  died  so  ignominious  a  death)  are 
yet  not  careful  to  put  away  their 
sins. 

11.  It  was  for  this  reason  that,  soon 
after  the  death  of  Christ,  repentance 
was  preached  over  all  the  world ; 
namely,  both  because  he  died  "for 
the  sins  of  the  whole  world"  (1  John 
2:2);  and  because  in  all  places  of  the 
world  men  should  rejDont.  Acts  17  :30. 
Thus  it  is  said,  "  God  now  commandeth 
all  men  every  where  to  repent,"  and  to 
receive  with  a  contrite,  penitent,  and 
believing  heart  the  sovereign  medicine 
purchased  by  the  death  of  Christ,  in 
order  that  the  grace  of  God  be  not 
frustrated,  but  answer  the  end  de- 
signed. 

12.  Remission  of  sins  immediately 
follows  true  repentance;  but  how  shall 
a  man  have  his  sins  remitted  when  he 
does  not  repent  of  them,  na}',  when  he 
still  rejoices'in  them  ?  Nothing  surely 
could  be  more  preposterous  than  to 
expect  that  sins  should  be  pardoned 
which  a  man  has  no  design  to  re- 
nounce; and  nothing  can  be  more  ab- 
surd than  to  seek  consolation  in  the 
sufferings  of  Christ,  and  yet  continue 
in  the  mire  of  sin  which  caused  Christ's 
death. 

13.  But  certain  and  obvious  as  these 
truths  are  in  themselves,  there  are 
many  that  call  themselves  Christians 
who  never  repented,  and  who  yet  will 
presume  to  lay  claim  to  a  share  in  the 
merits  of  Christ,  and  in  the  remission 
of  sins  which  he  has  purchased.  They 
have  not  ceased  to  indulge  their  ac- 
customed wrath,  covetousness,  pride, 
malice,  envy,  h^'pocrisy,  and  unright- 
eousness, but  have  rather  become  more 
and  more  enslaved  by  them ;  and  yet, 
alas  !  they  expect  forgiveness  of  sin. 


and  presumptuously  apply  to  them- 
selves the  merits  of  Christ  as  a  defence 
against  the  impending  judgment  of 
Almighty  God.  And  though  this  is 
one  of  the  grossest  and  most  palpable 
of  errors,  yet  they  do  not  hesitate  to 
bestow  upon  it  the  specious  name  of 
faith^  by  w^hich  they  hope  for  salva- 
tion. These  arc  they  that  flatter  them- 
selves to  their  own  destruction;  fondly 
supposing  that  ihay  are  true  Chris- 
tians because  they  have  a  speculative 
knowledge  of  the  Gospel,  and  because 
they  believe  that  Jesus  died  for  their 
sins.  This,  alas!  is  not  falth^  but  fancy  ; 
and  thou  art  an  unhappy,  and  most 
awfully  infatuated  false  Christian^  if 
thou  canst  suffer  thyself  to  be  deluded 
in  this  manner  !  Never  did  the  Word 
of  God  teach  such  a  doctrine ;  but  the 
unvarying .  language  of  the  inspired 
writers  is:  "If  thou  earnestly  desirest 
the  pardon  of  thy  sins,  repent  of  them, 
and  firmly  resolve  to  give  up  the  prac- 
tice of  them;  and  thus,  grieving  from 
thy  heart  that  thou  hast  so  greatly 
offended  God,  and  determining  to  lead 
a  new  life,  believe  on  Jesus  Christ,  the 
great  propitiation  for  the  sins  of  the 
whole  world." 

14.  But  how  should  that  man  feel 
sorrow  for  his  sins,  who  will  not  be  in- 
duced to  quit  them?  and  how  should 
he  quit  them,  while  he  remains  un- 
concerned about  committing  them? 
Christ,  and  all  his  apostles  and  proph- 
ets, unite  in  teaching  thee,  O  man! 
that  thou  must  die  to  the  world  and 
to  thy  sins  ;  die  to  thy  pride,  thy  cov- 
etousness, thy  lust,  and  thy  wrath; 
and  that  thou  must  return  to  the  Lord 
with  all  thy  heart,  and  implore  his 
gracious  pardon.  And  this  being  sin- 
cerely done,  thou  art  absolved,  and 
thy  sins  are  forgiven.  Then,  the  heav- 
enly physician  looks  upon  thee  gra- 
ciously; for  he  is  come  to  revive  those 


Chap.  VIII.] 


TEUE  CHEISTIANITY 


25 


that  are  of  a  contrite  spirit,  and  to 
bind  up  the  broken  in  heart.  Ps.  147 : 
3  But  if  thou  eeekcst  for  some  otlier 
way  to  be  saved,  than  that  which  is 
here  pointed  out,  then  Christ  will 
profit  thee  nothing,  and  the  boasting 
of  thy  faith  is  altogether  vain.  For 
true  faith  renews  him  who  possesses 
it;  it  mortifies  sin,  and  raises  the  soul, 
with  Christ,  into  a  new  life;  for  such 
a  man  lives,  by  faith  in  Christ,  in  his 
love,  his  humility,  his  meekness,  and 
his  patience.  It  is  thus,  O  man  !  that 
Jesus  becomes  unto  thee  the  way  of 
life,  and  thus  thou  becomest  in  him  a 
"new  creature."  But  if  thou  continu- 
est  to  commit  thy  favorite  sins,  and  re- 
mainest  unwilling  to  die  to  the  corrupt 
bent  of  '-the  old  man"  (Rom.  6:6; 
Eph.  4  :  22),  how  wilt  thou  pretend  to 
be  a  new  creature?  How  is  it  possible 
for  thee  to  belong  to  Christ,  when 
thou  dost  not  "crucify  the  flesh,  with 
its  affections  and  lusts?"  Gal.  5  :  24. 

15.  Even  if  thou  shouldst  listen  to 
ten  sermons  in  one  day,  shouldst  con- 
fess thy  sins  every  month,  and  receive 
the  Lord's  Supper,  thou  wouldst  de- 
rive no  benefit  from  such  exercises, 
nor  obtain  the  remission  of  sins;  the 
reason  is,  that  thou  hast  not  a  peni- 
tent, contrite,  and  believing  heart, 
which  can  be  reached  by  the  healing 
influences  of  the  medicine.  The  Word 
of  G  od  and  the  Sacraments  are,  indeed, 
salutary  remedies;  but  they  are  such 
to  those  alone  who  unfeignedly  repent 
and  believe.  What  would  it  profit,  to 
anoint  a  stone  with  costly  ointment? 
What  harvest  shalt  thou  reap,  if  thou 
sowest  among  briers  and  thorns  ?  First 
pull  up  the  thorns  and  thistles  that 
choke  the  good  seed,  and, then, thou 
mayest  reasonably  expect  the  precious 
fruit.  Luke  8:  7.  And,  in  fine,  Christ 
will  never  profit  thee  at  all,  if  thou  con- 
tinuest  to  love  sin  ra'her  than  Him. 


The  birth  of  the  Saviour  is  of  no  ad- 
vantage to  a  man  whose  aim  it  is  not 
to  be  horn  with  liim;  nor  shall  his 
death  avail  for  any,  who  are  not  dis- 
posed to  die  to  sin,  and  to  mortily  the 
deeds  of  the  flesh.  Eom.  6:11.  So, 
the  resurrection  of  Christ  will  benefit 
none  w^ho  will  not  rise  from  sin,  and 
live  unto  righteousness;  nor  will  his 
ascension  prove  a  blessing  to  any  who 
refuse  to  ascend  with  him,  and  to  have 
their  conversation  in  heaven. 

16.  But  when,  on  the  contrary,  a 
man,  like  the  Prodigal  Son,  truly  re- 
turns to  his  offended  father,  deplor- 
ing, hating,  and  forsaking  his  sins; 
when  he  earnestly  seeks  forgiveness, 
and,  with  the  eye  of  faith,  beholds 
Christ  and  his  bleeding  wounds,  as 
the  Israelites  beheld  the  serpent  of 
brass,  and  I'ived  (Numb.  21  :  9);  when, 
at  last,  under  a  real  sense  of  guilt,  he 
cries  out  with  the  penitent  publican, 
"God  be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner" 
(Luke  18  :  13);  then,  then^  the  pardon 
is  granted,  the  absolution  is  sealed, 
however  great  and  many  the  sins  be 
which  he  has  committed  against  his 
God. 

17.  Such  is  the  eflicacy  of  the  re- 
demption which  the  blood  of  Christ 
has  effected,  and  of  so  extensive  a  na- 
ture is  his  merit,  that  it  is  fully  im- 
puted, through  faith,  to  every  peni- 
tent soul.  Thus  is  brought  to  pass  the 
scripture,  "He  giveth  repentance  and 
forgiveness  of  sins"  (Acts  5  :  31);  that 
is,  he  pardons  the  repentant  sinner 
freely  and  wholly,  for  Christ's  sake. 
For  it  is  a  pleasure  with  God  to  exer- 
cise mercy,  and  to  forgive  a  sinner. 
"My  bowels  are  troubled  for  him;  I 
will  surely  have  mercy  upon  him,saith 
the  Lord."  Jer.  31:  20;  Hoseall:  8. 
Then  it  is,  that  the  death  of  Christ  is 
rendered  truly  effectual;  and  then  it 
is,  that  the  angels  of  God  rejoice  in 


26 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  I. 


Leaven  (Luke  15:  7),  because  the  blood  |  poor  sinner  for  whom  lie  had  died, 
of  Christ  was  not  shed  in  vain  lor  the  i  1  Cor.  8:  11. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

THE  UNCHRISTIAN  WALK  OF  MANY  PERSONS  IN  OUR  DAY,  IS  A  CAUSE  OE  THE 
REJECTION  OF  CHRIST  AND  OF  THE  TRUE  FAITH. 

Having  a  form  of  godliness,  but  denying  the  power  thereof. — 2  Tim.  3  :  5. 


EVERY  one  calls  himself  by  the 
Christian  name,  even  though  he 
do  not  perform  the  least  part  of  what 
he  thereby  professes;  and,  b}^  this 
means,  the  Saviour  is  denied,  con- 
temned, blasphemed,  scourged,  cruci- 
fied, and,  as  it  were,  cast  out  of  the 
sight  of  men,  as  dead.  The  Apostle 
expressly  declares,  that  some  persons 
"crucify  the  Son  of  God  afresh." 
Heb.  6  :  G. 

2.  Would  to  God  that  Christ  were 
not,  even  in  our  daj'S,  crucified  again 
and  again  among  those  who  call  them- 
selves after  his  name,  and  honor  him 
with  their  lips;  and  yet,  by  their  anti- 
christian  lives  and  actions,  utterly  re- 
ject and  deny  him.  Ilis  most  holy, 
humble,  and  exemplary  life  is,  at  this 
day,  to  be  found  among  but  few ;  and 
wherever  there  is  not  the  life  of  Christ, 
there  Christ  is  not  himself,  however 
loudly  the  faith  and  the  doctrine  may 
be  commended.  For  the  Christian 
faith  without  a  Christian  life  is  a  tree 
without  fruit.  True  faith  works  by 
love  (Gal.  5:6);  and  wherever  it  is 
found,  there  Christ  dwells,  with  all 
his  divine  graces  and  virtues.  Eph. 
3:  17. 

3.  But  when  these  are  not  expressed 
in  the  lives  of  those  who  profess  his 
doctrine,  there  Christ  himself  is  rooted 
up  and  denied;  for  it  is  only  where 
truo  faith  exists  that  Christ  dwells. 


4.  Now  Christ  hath  said,  "Whoso- 
ever  shall  deny  me  before  men,  him 
will  I  also  deny  before  my  Father  and 
the  angels."  Matt.  10:33;  Luke  12:9. 
This  denial  of  Christ  is  not  only  made 
in  words  (as  by  those  Avho  renounce 
Christ  and  Christianity),  but  it  is  also 
done  when,  by  our  lives  and  actions, 
we  wilfully  sin  against  the  Saviour 
and  resist  the  Holy  Ghost.  St.  Paul 
speaks  of  some  who  "  profess  that  they 
know  God,  but  in  works  deny  1dm''  (Tit. 
1:16);  and  it  is  certain  that  Christ 
is  no  less  denied  by  a  wicked  and  Sa- 
tanic life,  than  he  is  by  a  verbal  ab- 
juration. It  is  with  hypocrisy  and 
an  empty  profession  of  the  faith  as  it 
is  with  open  wickedness;  and  this  is 
strikingly  illustrated  by  our  Lord's 
l^arable  of  the  two  sons,  who  were 
commanded  by  their  father  to  go  and 
work  in  his  vineyard.  The  one  (^openly 
denying)  said,  "I  will  not;"  while  the 
other  {2jrofessing  obedience)  said,  "I 
go,  sir,"  and  went  not.  Matt.  21  : 
28-30. 

5.  This  is  a  forcible  representation 
of  those  Christians  who  make  religion 
to  consist  in  empty  profession  without 
obedience.  They  will  cry  "Yea,  yea," 
and  "Lord,  Lord!"  (Matt.  7  :  21),  and 
yet  are  worse  than  others,  because 
they  pretend  to  be  children  of  the 
Father,  and  yet  do  not,  in  any  re- 
spect, obey  his  will.    Their  character 


Chap.  X.] 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


27 


is  thus  given  by  St.  Paul :  "  Having  a 
form  of  godliness,  but  denying  the 
power  thereof."  2  Tim.  3  :  5.  Now, 
what  is  it  to  deny  tho  power  of  godli- 
ness but  to  deny  Christ  himself,  and 
to  shake  off  allegiance  to  him,  and 
thus  to  act  the  part  of  a  heathen 
under  the  mask  and  name  of  a  Chris- 
tian?   These  are  'Hhe  children  of  un- 


belief or  disobedience,"  in  whom  the 
spirit,  not  of  Christ,  but  of  tJds  luorld, 
workcth.  Eph.  2  :  2.  They,  therefore, 
who  usurp  a  Christian's  name,  and  yet 
do  not  a  Christian's  work,  shall  be  de- 
nied, in  their  turn,  by  the  Saviour 
when  he  shall  pronounce  the  sentence : 
"  I  never  knew  you:  depart  from  me, 
ye  that  work  iniquity."  Matt.  7  :  23. 


CHAPTER  X. 

THE  CHILDREN  OF  THE  WORLD  ARE  AGAINST  CHRIST,  AND,  CONSEQUENTLY, 
THEIR  LIFE  AND  THEIR  CHRISTIANITY  ARE  BOTH  ALIKE  FALSE. 

He  that  is  not  with  me  is  against  me. — Matt.  12  :  30. 


IF  the  conduct  of  the  generality  of 
men  in  the  present  age  bo  exam- 
ined by  the  standard  of  life  and  doc- 
trine left  us  by  Christ,  we  must  soon 
come  to  the  conclusion  that  it  is 
wholly  unchristian,  and  totally  repug- 
nant to  his  example.  The  lives  of 
men  in  our  day  are,  in  too  many  cases, 
made  up  of  insatiable  avarice,  sordid 
and  self-seeking  manners,  worldl}- 
mindedness,  worldly  cares,  the  lust 
of  the  flesh,  the  lust  of  the  eye,  and 
the  pride  of  life;  disobedience,  wrath, 
strife,  hatred,  malice,  contentions,  and 
a  violent  thirst  after  human  applause, 
pomps,  and  dignities.  Add  to  these 
the  jealousies,  the  revenge,  the  secret 
feuds  and  envyings,  the  unforgiving 
spirit,  the  injustice  and  hypocrisy,  the 
frauds  and  calumnies,  the  lies  and  per- 
juries, together  with  all  the  impurity 
and  unrighteousness  with  which  the 
world  so  exceedingly  abounds.  In 
short,  the  wdiole  life  of  the  children 
of  this  generation  consists  of  the  love 
of  the  world,  self-love,  self  honor,  and 
self-seeking. 


2.  To  all  this  the  life  of  Christ  is 
entirely  opposed;  it  can  have  no  sort 
of  communion  with  it.  His  life  is 
nothing  else  but  pure  and  sincere  love 
to  God  and  men.  It  is  composed  of 
humanity  and  kindness,  of  meekness 
and  j^atience,  of  humility  and  obedi- 
ence even  unto  death,  of  mercy  and 
righteousness,  of  truth  and  simplicity, 
of  purity  and  holiness,  of  contempt  of 
the  world,  its  honors,  wealth,  and 
pleasures;  of  self-denial ;  of  the  cross, 
tribulations,  and  afflictions;  of  fervent 
desires  after  the  kingdom  of  God,  and 
after  the  fulfilment  of  the  divine  will. 
This  is  the  life  of  Christ,  to  which  the 
false  Christianity  of  the  present  age  is 
so  greatly  opposed. 

8.  If,  then,  it  be  the  truth  that  he 
who  is  not  ivith  Christ  is  accounted  as 
one  that  is  against  him;  and  he  that 
standeth  not  in  the  will  of  God,  as  he 
that  withstandetli  it  (and  we  know  that 
this  is  the  meaning  of  the  language  of 
our  Lord  himself),  it  is  most  evident 
that  the  generality  of  those  who  make 
a  public  profession  of  the  Christian 


28 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  L 


fiiitli,  not  being  with  Christ,  must  be 
against  liim.  The}^  have  no  commu- 
nion with  him,  but  arc  contrary  to 
him;  llicy  are  not  led  by  a  Christian, 
but  l)y  an  antichristian  spirit.  Scarcely 
an}',  indeed,  are  to  be  found  who  are 
of  one  soul,  one  will,  one  mind,  and 
one  spirit  with  liim ;  and  3'et  only 
these  can  be  Christ's,  or  bo  accounted 
his  disciples.  It  is  in  reference  to  the 
latter  that  the  apostle  speaks  when  he 
says,  they  have  the  mind  of  Christ" 
(1  Cor.  2  :  10);  and,  in  another  ]^lace, 
"Let  this  mind  be  in  you  which  was 
also  in  Christ  Jesus."  Phil.  2  :  5.  The 
children  of  the  world  have  not  this 
mind,  and  it  is  hence  certain  that  they 
are  not  luitJi  but  against  Christ.  JSTow 
whatever  an^^  man's  profession  and 
doctrine  be,  he  wdio  is  thus  against 
Christ  in  his  life  and  actions,  is  most 
undoubtedly  an  antichrist.  1  John 
2:18. 

4.  Where,  alas!  shall  we  now  find 
true  Christians,  in  the  midst  of  so 
many  unchristian  disorders  that  univer- 
sally abound  ?  How  justl}^  may  they  be 
termed  a  little  flock  !"  (Luke  12  :  32) 
as  they  were  called  by  our  Lord  him- 
self How  justly  has  the  prophet 
Isaiah  compared  the  church  to  a  soli- 
tary cottage  in  a  vineyard,  and  to  a 
wasted  cit}^  1  Isa.  1:8.  "  Woe  is  me  !" 
exclaims  Micah,  "  I  am  as  when  they 


have  gathered  the  summer  fruits,  as 
the  grape-gleanings  of  the  vintage : 
there  is  no  cluster  to  eat :  my  soul 
desires  the  first  ripe  fruit.  The  good 
man  is  perished  out  of  the  earth  ;  and 
there  is  none  upright  among  men." 
Micah  7:1,  2.  See  also  Ps.  74  : 19; 
102:  7. 

5.  God  alone  knows  where  and  who 
these  are  :  but  be  they  where  and  who 
they  may,  assuredly  Christ  is  with 
them,  yea,  in  them,  alway,  even 
unto  the  end  of  the  world."  Matt.  28: 
20.  Xor  will  he  ever  leave  them  with- 
out suflScient  succor;  "I  will  not 
leave  yoxx  comfortless,"  he  says ;  "  I 
will  come  unto  you."  John  14  :  18. 
For  ho  knoweth  them  that  are  his, 
and  those  whom  he  is  said  to  Aviok.',  he 
watches  over  with  never-ceasino*  and 
distinguishing  care.  "  The  founda- 
tion of  God  standeth  sure,  having  this 
seal.  The  Lord  knoweth  them  that  are 
his."  But  who  are  his?  The  answer 
is  immediately  annexed  :  "  Let  every 
one  that  nameth  the  name  of  Christ 
depart  from  iniquity."  2  Tim.  2:19. 
But  let  those  who  are  not  disposed  to 
obey  this  injunction,  assume  some 
other  name  that  shall  better  accord 
with  their  conduct;  and  let  them  not 
name  His  name,  until  they  conform 
to  Ilis  life  by  a  living  faith. 


Chap.  XL] 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


29 


CHAPTER  XL 

SHOWING  THAT  HE  DOES  NOT  TRULY  REPENT,  IS  NOT  A  CHRISTIAN,  AND  NOT  A 
CHILD  OF  GOD,  WHO  DOES  NOT,  IN  HIS  LIFE  AND  CONDUCT,  FOLLOW  CHRIST  ; 
ALSO,  WHEREIN  THE  NEW  BIRTH  AND  THE  YOKE  OF  CHRIST  CONSIST. 

Christ  also  suffered  for  us,  leaving  us  an  example.^  that  ye  should  follow  his  steps. — 1  Pet.  2  :  21. 


GOD  has  appointed  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  to  be  our  prophet  or 
teacher  ;  and,  by  a  voice  from  heaven, 
has  commanded  us  to  hear  him  ;  say- 
ing, "  This  is  my  beloved  Son,  in 
whom  I  am  well  pleased :  hear  ye 
him."  Matt.  17:5.  This  office  was 
most  faithfully  executed  by  the  Son 
of  God,  not  only  in  words,  but  (as  be- 
came a  teacher  engaged  in  so  sacred 
a  function)  by  a  most  holy  and  un- 
blemished life.  In  allusion  to  this, 
St.  Luke  thus  prefaces  his  account 
of  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles:  "The 
former  treatise  have  I  made,  O  The- 
ophilus,  of  all  that  Jesus  began  both 
to  do  and  teach,  etc.";  where,  it  is  to 
be  remarked,  that  he  places  doing  be- 
fore teaching;  intimating  that  these 
ought  never  to  be  separated.  It  cer- 
tainly is  the  duty  of  every  true 
teacher,  first,  to  practise  himself  the 
duties  which  he  purposes  to  teach 
others.  Such  a  teacher  was  our  Lord 
Jesus ;  and  his  conduct  is  the  pattern 
of  teaching,  and  the  book  of  life  which 
we  ought  to  study. 

2.  It  was  for  this  cause,  that  the 
Son  of  God  became  man,  and  con- 
versed with  men  upon  earth,  that  he 
might  give  us  a  visible  example  of  an 
innocent,  perfect,  and  divine  life  and 
that  we  mip'ht  follow  him  as  a  li";ht 
that  shineth  in  darkness,  to  lead  us 
in  the  way  in  which  we  should  go. 


Hence  he  calls  himself  "  the  light  of 
the  world  ;"  and  promises  that  "  he 
who  folio weth  him  shall  not  walk  in 
darkness,  but  shall  have  the  light  of 
life."  John  8  : 12. 

3.  Hence  it  clearly  appears,  that 
they  who  refuse  to  follow  Christ  in  his 
life,  and.  to  tread  by  faith  in  his  steps, 
remain  in  darkness,  and  are  not  in  the 
way  to  obtain  "  the  light  of  life."  But 
what  is  this  darkness?  It  is  an  impen- 
itent and  depraved  life,  called  by  the 
apostle  "works  of  darkness,"  which 
are  to  be  cast  off,  that  so  we  may  put 
on  the  armor  of  light "  (Rom.  13  : 12) ; 
and  in  genuine  repentance  both  these 
duties  are  comprised. 

4.  It  has  been  abundantly  proved 
above,  that  godly  sorrow  and  true 
faith  thoroughly  change  a  man  ;  that 
they  crucify  the  flesh,  effect  an  entire 
transformation  in  the  soul,  and  beget, 
thi'ough  the  Holy  Ghost,  a  new  life. 
Lest,  however,  this  should  be  a  mere 
theoretical  knowledge,  devoid  of  life 
and  practice,  God  has  been  pleased  to 
set  before  us  his  own  Son,  not  only  as 
a  ransom  and  a  Mediator,  but  also  as 
a  mirror  of  perfect  godliness,  and  as  a 
most  finished  pattei'n  of  the  new  man, 
who  is  regenerated  after  the  image 
of  God.  In  him,  the  fleshly  Adam, 
the  corrupt  nature,  never  reigned;  but 
the  blessed  God  alone.  Him  it  hath 
pleased  God  to  set  forth  before  our 


so 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  I. 


eyes,  that,  contemplating  him  and  his 
righteous  life,  wc  might  be  daily  more 
and  more  renewed  after  his  image. 
Let  us  explain  this  point  more  fully. 

5.  Sad  experience  teaches  us  con- 
tinually, that  our  whole  nature,  body 
and  soul,  is  polluted  with  every  kind 
of  sin,  vice,  and  corruption.  These 
are  the  works  of  the  devil  appearing 
in  the  carnal  man ;  and  it  is  principally 
in  the  depraved  and  perverted  will, 
that  these  diabolical  operations  are 
most  visibly  discerned.  For  the  de- 
praved will  is  the  root  of  all  sin:  if 
that  were  removed,  there  would  be  sin 
no  more.  With  regard  to  the  power 
and  natural  bias  of  this  will,  it  consists 
chiefly  in  turning  man  away  from  God 
and  from  His  will.  ISTow,  whatever  de- 
2)arts  from  that  Being  who  is  the  sove- 
reign and  supreme  Good,  cannot  but 
be  in  itself  evil;  for  it  i)artakes  of  the 
nature  of  the  supreme  evil,  and  is  a 
violation  of  the  original  constitution 
of  our  nature,  as  derived  from  God 
himself  It  was  this  turning  away  from 
God  that  produced  the  fall  both  of 
Satan  and  of  man ;  whence  sin  entered 
into  the  world,  and  has,  by  fleshly  gen- 
eration, passed  upon  all  men. 

G.  The  nature  of  man  is  then  inoc- 
ulated with  the  nature  of  the  devil  him- 
self, and  his  will  tainted  with  satan- 
ical  wickedness,  as  with  deadly  poison. 
Ilence  Christ  called  the  Pharisees 
"children  of  the  devil"  (John  8:44); 
and  even  to  one  of  his  own  disciples 
gave  the  name  of  Satan  (John  6  :7o); 
intimating  as  though  the  covetousness, 
Ij'ing,  pride,  and  evil  concupiscence, 
by  which  the  nature  of  ail  men  is  de- 
filed, were  Satan  himself. 

7.  Ilence  it  may,  with  all  propriety, 
be  affirmed,  that  they  who  lead  a  life 
void  of  repentance,  a  life  of  pride, 
avarice,  lust,  and  envy,  live  in  the 
devil,  and  partake  of  his  nature.  Such 


persons  may  assume  the  garb  of  hon- 
esty; they  may  veil  their  real  charac- 
ters under  a  fair  show  of  morality  and 
correct  deportment;  yet,  inwardly,  ac- 
cording to  the  saying  of  Christ  to  the 
Jews,  they  are,  nevertheless,  devils. 
John  8:44.  Such  a  declaration  is 
dreadful  to  be  made;  but  the  truth  of 
it  is  confirmed,  both  by  the  Word  of 
God  and  by  continual  experience. 

8.  Our  nature,  as  fallen  creatures, 
being  thus  miserably  depraved,  thus 
desperately  perverted,  and  vitiated  in 
all  its  springs;  there  is  an  absolute 
necessity  that  it  should  be  purified 
and  renewed.  There  must  be  a  total 
renovation  of  the  soul^  in  all  its  powers 
and  all  its  faculties.  But  how  shall 
this  be  effected?  We  answer:  As  the 
chief  evil  has  made  a  breach  upon  our 
nature,  and  has  infused  poison  into  its 
very  springs;  so  must  the  chief  Good 
revisit  and  renew  our  nature,  that  it 
may  be  assimilated  to  itself  That 
which  the  supreme  evil  has  so  radi- 
cally corrupted,  can  be  corrected  only 
by  a  thorough  and  vital  penetration  of 
the  supreme  Good,  even  of  God  him- 
self; and,  therefore,  it  was  necessary 
that  the  Word  should  be  made  flesh. 

9.  The  Son  of  God  truly  became 
man,  not  for  his  own  sake,  but  for  our 
sakcs;  that,  by  reconciling  us  to  God 
by  himself,  he  might  make  us  par- 
takers of  the  sovereign  good,  having 
cleansed  and  sanctified  us,  to  that 
end;  for  whatever  is  to  be  sanctified, 
must  be  sanctified  by  God  and  with 
God.  And  as  God  is  in  Christ,  so 
ought  we  to  be  united  to  him  by  faith, 
that  we  may  live  in  God,  and  God  in 
us;  we  in  Christ,  and  Christ  in  us 
(2  Cor.  5:  19,  21);  that  the  will  of 
God  be  in  us,  and  we  in  the  will  of 
God,  being  made  the  righteousness  of 
God  in  Christ.  2  Cor.  5:  21.  This  is 
the  only  way  in  which  Christ  admin- 


Chap.  XL] 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


31 


isters  medicine  to  our  corrupt  nature; 
and  the  more  powerfully  he  influences 
man,  the  more  thoroughly  will  human 
nature  be  purified. 

10.  Oh!  how  blessed  is  the  man  in 
whom  Christ  does  all  and  is  all ;  whose 
will,  thoughts,  mind,  and  words,  are 
the  will,  thoughts,  mind,  and  words  of 
Christ!  It  was  thus  the  apostle  said, 
"We  have  the  mind  of  Christ."  1  Cor. 
2: 16.  And  so  indeed  it  must  be  with 
the  believer;  because  the  life  of  Christ 
is  the  new  life,  yea,  the  new  man  in 
him ;  and  whoever  lives  in  Christ  after 
the  Spirit,  hath  really  put  on  the  new 
man,  and  all  the  graces  with  which  he 
is  adorned.  His  meekness  and  obedi- 
ence are  the  meekness  and  obedience 
of  Christ;  his  patience  and  humility 
are  the  patience  and  humility  of 
Christ;  and  his  life  itself  is  the  life 
of  Christ,  b}^  whom  and  in  whom  he 
lives.  This  is  the  ^'new  creature" 
which  is  created  after  God  (2  Cor.  5: 
17);  and  that  life  of  Christ  in  us,  of 
which  St.  Paul  experimentally  says, 
"I  live,  yet  not  I,  but  Christ  liveth  in 
me."  Gal.  2 : 20.  This  is  to  follow 
Christ  truly.  This  is  to  walk  in  the 
light  of  his  life,  and  to  bring  forth 
"fruits  meet  for  repentance ;"  for,  by 
this  means,  the  "old  man"  is  de- 
stroyed, the  carnal  life  gradually  de- 
clines, and  the  new  and  divine  life  is 
established  in  the  soul.  He  who  has 
this  life  is  not  a  nominal^  but  a  real 
Christian;  a  Christian  not  in  word 
and  in  appearance  only,  but  in  deed 
and  in  truth.  He  is  a  true  child  of 
God,  begotten  of  Him,  and  quickened 
and  renewed  by  faith  after  the  image 
of  Jesus  Christ. 

11.  Although  we  cannot  attain  to  a 
state  of  perfection,  while  encompassed 
with  so  many  infirmities  that  obstruct 
our  progress  in  the  divine  life,  we 
ought  not,  therefore,  to  be  discouraged. 


but  rather  to  be  inspired  with  more 
fervor  in  seeking  after  a  consumma- 
tion so  much  to  be  desired.  We  ought 
ardently  to  wish  and  pray,  to  endeavor 
and  studj^  that  the  kingdom  of  Christ 
be  established  within  us,  and  the  king- 
dom of  Satan  destroyed.  1  John  3:9; 
Epb.  2:5.  The  object  of  our  cares 
and  efforts,  of  our  groans  and  prayers, 
should  be  —  how  we  may  more  and 
more  mortify  the  old  man  by  daily 
repentance.  For,  the  more  a  man  dies 
to  himself,  the  more  Christ  lives  in 
him;  the  more  corruptions  are  removed 
by  the  good  Spirit  of  God,  the  more 
divine  grace  possesses  the  heart.  In 
proportion  as  the  flesh  is  crucified,  the 
spirit  is  quickened;  as  the  works  of 
darkness  are  put  off,  the  armor  of  light 
from  above  is  put  on;  and  in  the  same 
degree  as  the  outward  man  perisheth, 
the  inward  man  is  strengthened  and 
renewed.  2  Cor.  4  : 16 ;  Col.  3  :  5.  The 
decrease  of  the  carnal  life,  is  the  in- 
crease of  that  which  is  spiritual  and 
divine.  As  the  affections  of  the  former, 
self-love,  ambition,  wrath,  covetous- 
ness,  and  voluptuousness,  are  weak- 
ened and  subdued,  so  are  opposite 
affections  of  the  spiritual  life  invigo- 
rated and  raised.  The  farther  a  man 
departs  from  the  world,  from  "the  lust 
of  the  flesh,  the  lust  of  the  eyes,  and 
the  pride  of  life  "  (1  John  2  :  16)  ;  the 
more  do  God,  Christ,  and  the  Holy 
Spirit  enter  into  the  heart  and  dwell 
there.  And,  on  the  other  hand,  the 
more  nature,  flesh,  darkness,  and  the 
world^  reign  in  man;  the  less  of  grace, 
light,  the  Holy  Spirit,  God,  and  Christ, 
is  there  to  be  found  in  him. 

12.  This  spiritual  life  is  enmity  to 
the  flesh,  because  the  latter  is  hereby 
restrained,  subdued,  and  brought  under 
the  yoke,  and  crucified  with  its  "affec- 
tions and  lusts."  In  this,  however, 
consist  the  power,  efficacy,  and  fruit 


32 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  I 


of  true  repentance.  The  nature  of 
flesh  and  blood  is  to  lead  a  lawless, 
dissolute,  and  voluptuous  life,  unshac- 
kled by  restraint,  and  entirely  agree- 
able to  its  own  will  and  humor.  It  is 
this  which  it  finds  sweet,  and  in  which 
it  rejoices.  To  the  flesh  and  the  "old 
man,"  the  life  of  Chi-ist  is  a  most  severe 
cross,  and  an  intolerable  burden;  but 
to  the  new  and  spiritual  man,  "this 
yoke  is  easy  and  this  burden  light" 
(Matt.  11  :30),  and  attended  with  di- 
vine serenity  and  peace  of  mind.  For 
the  true  rest  of  the  soul  will  be  sought 
for  in  vain,  unless  in  faith  in  Christ; 
in  his  meekness  and  humility,  patience 
and  love.  Here  he  hath  himself  pro- 
mised, "Ye  shall  find  rest  unto  your 
souls."  Yea,  he  that  really  loves  the 
Lord  Jesus,  will  not  deem  it  hard  to 
suffer  even  death  for  his  sake,  but  ac- 
count it  a  joy  and  a  happiness.  Such 
is  the  yoke  of  the  Saviour,  which  we 
are  invited  to  take  upon  us,  that  Ave 
may  find  "rest  unto  our  souls." 

13.  It  is  necessary,  therefore,  that 
every  one  who  is  resolved  to  take  upon 
himself  the  yoke  of  Christ,  and  to  im- 
itate His  holy  example,  should,  in  the 
first  place,  shake  off'  the  3'oke  of  Satan, 
and  repress  the  carnal,  selfish,  and  un- 
ruly propensities  of  his  fallen  nature, 
in  order  that  the  flesh  may  vex  the 
spirit  no  more.  All  must  be  subju- 
gated to  the  obedience  of  Christ,  to 
the  wise  and  righteous  discipline  of 
his  law;  that  is,  the  will,  understand- 
ing, reason,  and  appetites,  together 
with  the  sensual  desires  of  the  old 
Adam,  that  before  reigned  in  the  mor- 
tal body,  must  henceforth  3'ield  a  free 
obedience  to  the  government  of  the 
Lord.  Eom.  G  :  12. 

14.  True  it  is  that  the  flesh  is  highly 
gratified  when  honored,  courted,  and 
praised,  and  when  abounding  in  the 
riches  and  pleasures  of  this  life;  but 


the  yoke  of  Christ,  b}-  which  the  flesh 
is  mortified  and  subdued,  requires  us 
to  prefer  ignominy,  contempt,  and  pov- 
erty, to  affluence  and  honor;  to  ac- 
count ourselves  unworth}^  of  these 
things,  and  freely  to  give  up  all  that 
is  great  in  the  estimation  of  the  world. 
It  is  here  that  the  humility  and  life  of 
Christ  are  most  striking  and  apparent. 
This  is  the  "yoke"  and  this  the  "bur- 
den," which  are  easy  and  light  to  the 
spirit;  this  is  the  law  of  love,  the  com- 
mandments of  w^hich  are  not  grievous 
but  delightful.  1  John  5  :  3.  What  was 
the  w^hole  life  of  Christ  but  holy  pov- 
erty, extreme  contempt,  and  severe 
persecution  ?  Is  it  not  true  that  he 
"came  not  to  be  ministered  unto,  but 
to  minister,  and  to  give  his  life  a  ran- 
som for  many"  ?  Matt.  20  :  28. 

15.  It  is  the  tendency  of  the  natural 
man  to  desire  to  excel  others,  and  to 
be  thought  of  importance;  but  the 
spiritual  man  loves  the  humility  of 
the  Eedeemer,  and  desires  to  be  re- 
puted as  nothing  in  this  world.  The 
carnal  man,  that  follows  the  propen- 
sities of  corrupt  nature,  and  has  never 
learned  of  Christ  humility,  meekness, 
and  love,  deems  it  folly  to  live  as 
Jesus  lived,  and  thinks  those  only  are 
wise  who  indulge  their  appetites  in 
security,  and  satiate  themselves  with 
every  object  w^hich  they  desire;  and 
when  such  a  one  most  lives  in  the 
devil,  he  is  so  blinded  by  ignorance 
and  darkness  as  to  esteem  his  own 
life  the  happiest  that  can  be  desired, 
and  to  applaud  himself  in  his  own 
folly.  And  hence  it  is  that  these  de- 
luded wretches,  following  the  false 
light  of  carnal  wn'sdom,  are  not  only 
deceived  themselves,  but  are  the  means 
of  involving  others  in  the  same  ruin. 
They,  on  the  contrary,  whose  minds 
have  been  enlightened  by  the  true 
and  eternal  light,  are  struck  with 


Chap.  XL] 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


33 


horror  and  surprise  whenever  they 
cast  their  eyes  upon  the  pomps  and 
vanities  of  this  world,  upon  the  am- 
bition and  pride,  the  wrath  and  re- 
venge, the  intemperance  and  voluptu- 
ousness, and  the  other  fruits  of  the 
carnal  life  which  universally  abound. 
Their  language  is:  "Alas!  how  far  re- 
moved is  all  this  from  Christ!  How 
far  from  true  repentance  and  the 
knowledge  of  Jesus  is  the  man  that 
acts  thus  !  How  far  from  the  nature 
and  disposition  of  a  child  of  God ! 
Alas!  he  is  still  dead  in  sins,  and  a 
slave  of  the  devil."  That  man,  there- 
fore, who  does  not  imitate  the  life  of 
Christ,  is  an  entire  stranger  to  true 
repentance;  he  is  not  a  Christian,  nor 
a  child  of  God ;  nay,  he  is  wholly  ig- 
norant of  Jesus  Christ;  for  be  w^ho 
desires  to  know  Christ  savingly,  both 
as  the  Saviour  of  the  world  and  as  the 
great  exemplar  of  life,  must  know  him 
to  be  pure  meekness,  gentleness,  and 
love,  and  to  be  wholly  composed  of 
patience  and  humility.  This  living 
ensample  of  goodness  and  piety  which 
the  Lord  hath  set  before  him,  he  must 
carry  in  his  heart,  and  must  labor  to 
be  transformed  into  its  image.  The 
virtues  that  resided  in  Christ  he  must 
have  within  himself;  and  if  he  would 
ever  effectually  know  him,  he  must 
love  and  admire  them  in  his  inward 
soul.  As  a  plant  discovers  its  nature 
by  the  fragrance  which  it  diffuses 
around,  so  the  know- ledge  of  Christ 
discovers  itself  by  the  sweet  and  sa- 
cred odors  which  proceed  from  it. 
Then  is  acquired  an  experimental 
knowledge  of  the  life,  power,  rest,  and 
consolation  which  flow  from  the  Sa- 
viour; which  circulate  through  all  the 
faculties  of  the  soul,  and  quicken  them 
by  a  kind  of  spiritual  sweetness.  Thus 
is  man  made  to  "taste  how  good  the 
Lord  is"  (Ps.  34:  8);  thus  is  the  truth 


known,  and  the  supreme  and  eternal 
good  apprehended  and  enjoyed.  And 
thus  is  it  certainly  ascertained  that  the 
life  of  Christ  is  infinitely  superior  to 
every  other  life  in  goodness  and  sweet- 
ness, in  dignity  and  in  peace;  yea,  that 
it  resembles  life  eternal  itself,  being  in- 
deed the  foretaste  of  such  a  life  upon 
earth. 

IG.  As  there  is  nothing  more  excel- 
lent than  the  life  of  Christ,  nothing 
more  delightful,  more  peaceful,  or 
more  satisfying  to  the  soul,  it  ought 
to  have  no  rival  in  our  affections,  but 
to  be  endeared  to  us  above  all  things 
else.  He  who  is  destitute  of  Christ 
and  of  his  knowledge,  can  form  no 
conceptiun  of  the  rest  and  quiet  of 
eternal  life ;  or  of  the  sovereign  good; 
or  of  the  everlasting  truth  ;  or  of  the 
imperishable  word ;  or  of  the  joy  of 
the  soul;  or  of  the  true  light  of  love; 
for  all  these  centre  in  Christ,  and  he 
w  ho  has  him  has  them;  because  Christ 
is  all  these  to  the  man  who  truly  be- 
lieves in  his  holy  name.  "Every  one 
that  loveth  is  born  of  God,  and  know- 
eth  God.  He  that  loveth  not,  knoweth 
not  God;  for  God  is  love."  1  John  4  : 
7,  8. 

17.  It  is,  therefore,  most  evident 
that  the  fruits  and  effect  of  the  new 
birth  do  not  consist  in  w^ords,  however 
sound,  or  in  a  form  of  godliness,  how- 
ever specious,  but  in  an  abiding  sub- 
stance, even  in  that  love  which  is  God 
himself.  A  son  bears  the  image  of 
him  who  begat  him ;  and  whoever  is 
born  of  God  should  evidence  it  by  love, 
for  God  is  love;  and  hence  it  is  clear 
that  "he  that  dvvelleth  in  love,  dwell- 
eth  in  God,  and  God  in  him."  1  John 
4:16. 

18.  The  knowledge  of  God,  in  like 
manner,  does  not  consist  in  words, 
nor  in  merely  speculative  and  super- 
ficial knowledge,  but  in  a  vital,  con- 


34 


TEUE  CnKISTlANITY. 


[Book  I. 


solatoiy,  and  divine  feeling,  in  a  pure 
and  unmixed  pleasure,  gently  infusing 
itself  into  the  heart  by  faith,  and  pen- 
etrating it  with  an  unutterable  and 
heavenly  sweetness.  This  is  a  true, 
living,  and  efficacious  knowledge  of 
God;  such  as  that  which  the  P.salmist 
means  when  he  says,  "My  heart  and 
my  flesh  cry  out  for  the  living  God" 
(Ps.  84:2);  and  again,  "Thy  loving 
kindness  (as  experienced  in  the  di- 


vine sensations  of  my  soul)  is  better 
than  life"  (Ps.  63:3);  that  is,  this 
divine  life  infinitely  transcends  every 
other  life;  in  which  it  is  evident  that 
he  means  that  unutterable  joy  which 
is  produced  by  an  experimental  knowl- 
edge of  God,  and  which  is  infused  into 
a  believing  heart.  Thus  man  liveth 
in  God,  and  God  in  man;  and  thus 
man  knoweth  God  in  truth,  and  is 
known  of  God. 


CHAPTER  XII. 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  DIES  UNTO  HIMSELF  AND  THE  WORLD,  AND  LIVES  IN  CHRIST. 


Christ  died  f 07'  all,  ihat  they  which  live  should  not  henceforth  live  unto  themselves,  but  unto 
him  which  died  fur  tliem,  and  rose  agaiti. — 2  Cor.  5  :  15. 


"  /JURIST,"  says  the  apostle,  "died 
\J  for  all,  that  they  w^hich  live 
should  not  henceforth  live  nnto  them- 
selves, but  unto  liim  which  died  for 
them,  and  rose  again."  Besides  that 
this  sentence  is  replete  Avith  divine 
consolation,  declaring  that  Jesus  died 
for  all,  it  inculcates  a  lesson  of  the 
most  salutary  nature,  namely,  that  we 
should  live  not  unto  ourselves,  but 
unto  him  who  died  for  us.  To  live  to 
him,  however,  before  we  are  dead  to 
ourselves,  is  impossible.  If,  therefore, 
thy  resolution  be  to  live  to  Christ, 
thou  must  certainly  die  to  the  world 
and  to  thyself;  but  if  thou  rather  in- 
clinest  to  live  to  the  world  and  to 
thyself,  it  follows  that  thou  must  re- 
nounce thy  communion  with  the  Sa- 
viour. For  what  communion  hath 
light  with  darkness,  Christ  with  the 
world,  or  the  Spirit  with  the  flesh? 
2  Cor.  G :  14,  15. 

2.  There  are  three  kinds  of  death : 
the  one  spiritual,  the  second  natural, 


and  the  third  eternal.  The  first  occurs 
when  a  man  dies  daily  to  himself; 
that  is,  to  his  own  carnal  desires,  to 
his  avarice,  pride,  lust,  and  wrath, 
and  such  other  sins  and  passions  as 
have  their  rise  in  a  corrupt  nature. 

3.  It  is  of  the  second  kind  of  death 
that  the  apostle  speaks,  where  he 
says,  "To  me  to  live  is  Christ,  and  to 
die  is  gain."  Phil.  1  :  21.  As  if  he 
had  said,  Christ  is  the  life  and  death, 
the  gain  and  advantage  of  the  be- 
liever, even  when  he  passes  through 
natural  death,  for,  by  it,  he  exchanges 
a  short  and  miserable  life  for  an  eter- 
nal and  blessed  one;  and  earthly  ob- 
jects for  possessions  that  are  eternal 
and  divine:  an  exchange  which  can- 
not but  prove  in  the  highest  degree 
gainful  to  himself 

4.  If,  however,  any  think  that  the 
apostle's  language  is  also  to  be  under- 
stood of  the  spiritual  death  of  sin,  they 
will  not  commit  an  error.  For  thrice 
happy  is  the  soul  to  whom,  in  this 


I 


Chap.  XIT.] 


TEUE  CJHEISTIANITY. 


35 


sense,  "  to  live  is  Christ :"  thrice 
happy  the  soul  in  wliich  Jesus  lives 
by  faith,  and  that  imitates  the  graces 
which  manifested  themselves  in  him, 
especially  those  of  humility  and  meek- 
ness. Bat  alas  !  by  far  the  greater 
part  of  men  have  put  on  the  life  of 
the  devil  rather  than  the  life  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  by  yielding  to 
avarice,  pride,  anger,  and  other  un- 
holy passions. 

5.  Awake,  therefore,  O  man !  and 
consider  who  it  is  that  liveth  in  thee. 
If  thou  <!*anst  truly  affirm,  "  to  me,  to 
live  is  Christ,"  happy  art  thou,  as  it 
respects  bolh  this  world  and  the  world 
to  come.  Here,  even  on  earth,  let 
Christ  be  thy  life,  that  he  may  be  thy 
life  to  all  eternity:  and  in  order  to 
this,  account  it  the  greatest  of  gain, 
when  thou  art  enabled  to  die  to  the 
world  and  to  thy  own  corruptions. 
Then,  in  both  senses,  for  thee,  to  live 
is  Christ,  and  to  die,  gain.  What,  in- 
deed, can  be  more  profitable  or  ad- 
vantageous, than  to  die,  in  this  re- 
spect, to  all  thy  sinful  desires  and  af- 
fections? Go  on,  then,  in  the  Lord, 
and  never  faint,  allowing  Christ  to 
live  in  thee  now,  that  thou  may  est 
also  live  with  him  hereafter. 

6.  No  man  is  capable  of  settled 
peace  and  tranquillity,  who  is  dis- 
tracted and  disturbed  with  earthly 
desires  and  designs  ;  therefore,  before 
thou  canst  live  unto  Christ,  thou  must 
die  to  the  flesh  and  to  the  Avorld. 
This  dying  to  self  and  living  to  Christ, 
may  be  illustrated  by  a  reference  to 
several  types  and  histories  in  the 
Old  Testament. 

7.  Thus,  as  the  promise  relative  to 
Christ,  and  the  seal  of  it  by  circum- 
cision, w^ere  not  given  to  Abraham, 
until  he  had  quitted  his  father's  house 
and  relinquished  his  earthly  inherit- 
ance (Gen.  12 : 1,  and  17  :  10),  so  man, 


as  long  as  his  affections  cleave  to  the 
world,  is  unprepared  to  receive  the 
promise  which  is  by  the  Saviour;  and 
as  long  as  he  refuses  to  die  to  it,  and 
deny  himself,  so  long  it  is  impossible 
that  he  should  enjoy  Christ,  or  tho 
things  which  arc  His. 

8.  Jesus  can  never  live  in  thy  soul, 
until  thou  art  dead  to  the  affections 
of  carnal  nature.  St.  Paul  was  thus 
dead  ;  and  hence  he  could  say,  "  I  live, 
3'et  not  I,  but  Christ  liveth  in  me" 
(Gal.  2  :  20) ;  and  writing  to  the  church 
at  Colosse,  he  says,  "Ye  are  dead,  and 
your  life  is  hid  with  Christ  in  God." 
Col.  3 :  3. 

9.  A  man  may  be  considered  as 
dead  to  sin,  when  sin  dies  in  him,  and 
he  ceases  from  the  commission  of  it. 
The  same  apostle  says,  "  If  we  live  in 
the  Spirit,  let  us  also  walk  in  the 
Spirit."  Gal.  5  :  25.  If  we  live  in 
Christ,  we  must  walk  even  as  he 
walked  ;  for  it  is  not  sufficient  to  boast 
of  the  Spirit  in  words,  while  our  words 
are  not  confirmed  by  our  works;  or 
of  faith,  w4iile  this  is  not  evidenced  by 
its  fruits.  Indeed  it  is  said  unto  all, — 
"  If  ye  live  after  the  flesh,  ye  shall  die ; 
but  if  ye,  through  the  Spirit,  do  mor- 
tify the  deeds  of  the  body,  ye  shall 
live."  Pvom.  8  : 13. 

10.  Multitudes,  however,  may  be 
coaiparcd  to  Saul,  who,  instead  of 
slaying  Agag  (1  Sam.  15  :  8),  accord- 
ing to  the  commandment  of  God,  only 
cast  him  into  prison.  They  do  not 
c/cs^ro?/ their  lusts  and  sinful  desires; 
but  are  contented  to  conceal,  and  as 
it  were  imprison  them,  that  at  a  fu- 
ture opportunity,  they  may  indulge 
them  with  the  greater  secresy.  But 
let  us  carefully  avoid  this  trifling ;  and 
instead  of  subjecting  our  corrupt  pro- 
pensities to  a  temporary  restraint,  let 
us  lay  the  axe  of  mortification  to  the 
very  root :  for  unless  this  be  effected, 


36 


TRUE  CHELSTlANITY. 


[Book  I. 


we  fihall,  like  Saul,  be  cast  out  from 
the  kingdom,  and  lose  the  crown  of 
everlasting  life. 

11.  Some  professed  friends  of  reli- 
gion resemble  trees,  the  leaves  of 
which  fall  olf  when  winter  approaches, 
but  their  foliage  appears  again  when 
the  season  becomes  more  favorable 
and  mild;  for  in  the  winter  of  adver- 
sit}^  they  conceal  their  lusts,  and  re- 
strain their  sinful  propensities;  but 
when  prosperity  smiles  upon  them, 
they  break  out  again,  as  at  the  first, 
and  return  to  their  evil  ways.  This 
is  an  evidence  of  hypocrisy;  whereas 
a  true  Christian  is  in  all  circum- 
stances, and  under  every  vicissitude, 
whether  public  or  private,  always  the 
same,  and  remains  unalterably  fixed 
in  his  God.  lie  is  the  same  both  in 
prosperity  and  adversity,  in  poverty 
and  in  affluence,  steadily  cleaving  to 
God,  and  meeting  with  resignation 
every  affliction  that  Providence  lays 
upon  him. 

12.  The  history  of  Ahab  (1  Kings 
20:42)  furnishes  us  with  another  in- 
stance, not  much  unlike  the  case  of 
Saul;  for,  in  opposition  to  the  com- 
mand of  God,  he  spared  the  life  of  the 
king  of  Syria;  and,  in  consequence, 
sentence  went  forth  against  him,  and 
his  life  was  required  for  that  of  the 
captive  king.  They  who  nourish  in 
their  breasts  those  lusts  which  are 
the  enemies  of  God  and  of  themselves, 
and  which  are  appointed  to  destruc- 
tion, voluntarily  draw  upon  them- 


selves everlasting  death  and  damna- 
tion. 

13.  ^s'either  prayer  nor  a  devout 
spirit  can  ever  be  perfected  in  man, 
Avitliont  the  mortification  of  the  flesh. 
Thus  God  appointed  that  every  beast 
which  approached  the  holy  mount  of 
Sinai  should  be  destroyed.  Exod.  19: 
12,  13.  How  much  more  does  it  be- 
hoove us  to  slay  our  unholy  lusts  and 
affections,  if  we  would  ever  ascend  the 
mountain  of  the  Lord's  house  (Isaiah 
2  :  2,  3  ;  Mic.  4  :  2),  offer  up  the  incense 
of  prayer,  or  meditate  upon  the  Word 
of  God!  If  we  neglect  to  do  this,  we 
are  already  judged,  and  shall  be  ban- 
ished forever  from  the  presence  of  the 
Lord. 

14.  Jacob  (Gen.  ch.  29)  served  for  his 
beloved  Eachel  twice  seven  years;  and 
love  so  alleviated  his  toil,  that  the 
years  seemed  but  as  so  many  days: 
thus,  for  the  salvation  of  our  souls, 
did  Christ  Jesus  undergo  thirty  and 
three  3'ears'  service,  and  what  Jacob 
said  of  himself  is,  in  an  eminent  de- 
gree, applicable  to  Ilim:  "In  the  day, 
the  drought  consumed  me,  and  the 
frost  by  night;  and  my  sleep  departed 
from  mine  eyes"  (Gen.  31:40):  "for 
the  Son  of  man  came  not  to  be  min- 
istered unto,  but  to  minister,  and  to 
give  his  life  a  ransom  for  man3\" 
Matt.  20:28.  Shall  we,  then,  scruple 
to  love  Christ  again,  and  to  fight  under 
his  banner  against  his  enemy,  th^ 
world  ? 


Chap.  XIII.] 


TEUE  CIIEISTIANITY. 


37 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


THE  CHRISTIAN  OUGHT  WILLINGLY  TO  DTE  UNTO  HIMSELF  AND  THE  WORLD,  FOR 
THE  SAKE  OF  THE  LOVE  OF  CHRIST,  AND  FOR  THE  SAKE  OF  THAT  FUTURE 
AND  ETERNAL  GLORY,   FOR  W^HICH  WE  WERE   CREATED  AND  REDEEMED. 

Ye  know  the  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christy  that,  though  he  was  rich,  get  for  gour  sakes  he 
became  poor,  that  ge  through  his  poverig  might  he  rich. — 2  Cor.  8  :  9. 


THOU  art  required,  O  man  !  to  die 
to  th3'self,  thy  sin,  and  the  world; 
and  to  lead  a  holj',  harmless  life,  ac- 
cording to  the  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ. 
This  thou  art  to  do,  not  with  a  view 
to  merit  anything  at  the  hands  of 
God,  but  from  a  principle  of  love  to 
him,  who  performed  and  merited  all 
for  thee,  and  died  to  save  thee. 

2.  Be  not  deceived:  Jesus  must  be 
loved  by  thee,  not  in  word  and  in 
tongue,  but  in  deed  and  in  truth.  "  If," 
says  he  (John  14:23),  "a  man  love 
me,  he  will  keep  my  words;"  and  so 
St.  John  speaks:  ''This  is  the  love 
of  God,  that  we  keep  bis  command- 
ments: and  his  commandments  are  not 
grievous."  1  John  5  : 3.  And,  again, 
the  Saviour  says :  "  My  yoke  is  easy, 
and  my  burden  is  light."  Matt.  11 :  30. 
To  him,  indeed,  who  loves  Christ  with 
all  his  heart,  it  cannot  but  be  easy  to 
sacrifice  the  pleasure  which  earthly 
vanities  afford,  and  to  do  that  which 
is  good,  without  constraint.  Love  ren- 
ders every  burden  light  that  is  laid 
upon  us  by  Jesus;  whereas  to  him 
that  is  devoid  of  this  heavenly  2:)rin- 
ciple,  every  act  which  duty  requires 
is  grievous  and  oppressive.  To  such 
a  one,  every  religious  exercise  is  pain- 
ful and  laborious;  whereas  the  man 
who  sincerely  loves  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  esteems  death  itself  to  be  in 
nowise  terrible,  when  submitted  to  for 
his  sake.   And,  therefore,  the  Apostle 


says:  "Unto  you  it  is  given,  in  the 
the  behalf  of  Christ,  not  only  to  be- 
lieve on  him,  but  also  to  suffer  for  his 
sake"  (Phil.  1 :  29);  nay,  to  lay  down 
life  itself,  whenever  that  sacrifice  is 
required  of  us. 

3.  In  order  to  confirm  thy  faith, 
consider  the  example  of  Moses,  who, 
"  by  faith,  when  he  was  come  to  years, 
refused  to  be  called  the  son  of  Pha- 
raoh's daughter;  choosing  rather  to 
suffer  affliction  with  the  people  of  God, 
than  to  enjoy  the  pleasures  of  sin  for 
a  season;  esteeming  the  reproach  of 
Christ  greater  riches  than  the  treas- 
ures in  Egypt."  Heb.  11  :  24-26. 

4.  Consider  Daniel,  who  refused  the 
luxuries  of  a  court,  and  desired  to  be 
fed  with  pulse  and  water,  resolving 
"  that  he  would  not  defile  himself 
with  the  portion  of  the  king's  meat, 
nor  with  the  Avine  which  he  drank." 
Dan.  1  :  8,  12.  He  contemned  the 
pleasures  of  Babylon,  that  he  might 
attain  ''the  wisdom  that  is  from 
above"  (James  3:17),  which  dwells 
only  in  a  heart  preserved  pure  from 
the  pollutions  of  an  unholy  world. 
So,  if  thou  desirest  that  Christ,  the 
eternal  Wisdom,  should  enter  into  thy 
soul,  thou  must  abhor  the  pleasures  of 
sin.  For  as  Daniel  and  his  compan- 
ions were  made  fairer  by  their  sobri- 
ety and  abstemious  life,  so  be  thou 
firmly  assured,  that  th}'  soul  will  ap- 
pear more  beautiful  and  fair  in  the 


38 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  I. 


eight  of  God,  even  as  "partaking  of 
the  divine  nature,"  if  thou  escape 
"  the  corruption  that  is  in  the  world 
through  lust."  2  Pet.  1:4. 

5.  Consider,  further,  the  example  of 
St.  Paul,  who  says,  "The  world  is  cru- 
cified unto  me,  and  I  unto  the  world" 
(Gal.  G  :  14);  that  is,  I  am  dead  to  the 
world,  and  the  world  is  dead  to  me. 
Thus  are  all  true  Christians  in  the 
world,  yet  not  of  it.  Though  they 
live  in  it,  they  do  not  love  it;  for 
they  view  it  as  a  transient  shadow; 
and  its  pomps,  dignities,  and  lusts,  as 
vanity  and  deceit,  vexation  and  dis- 
appointment. Hence,  they  are  cruci- 
fied to  the  world,  though  they  remain 
in  it;  and  the  world  is  crucified  to 
them;  that  is,  they  desire  no  mere 
worldly  honor,  wealth  or  joy. 

6.  How  happy  is  the  man  who  is 
dead  to  earthly  vanities,  and  alive  to 
God;  separated  from  the  world,  and 
drawn  into  Christ!  How  blessed  is 
he  into  whose  heart  divine  grace  is  so 
infused,  as  wholly  to  wean  it  from  in- 
ferior objects,  and  exalt  it  to  the  fru- 
ition of  the  light  and  glory  of  heaven. 
Such  a  state  is  the  ctfect  of  daily  prayer 
and  supplication,  without  which  a  true 
Christian  cannot  possibly  exist. 

7.  Agur  ])rayed  to  the  Lord  thus  : 
"  Two  things,  have  I  required  of  thee ; 
deny  me  them  not  before  I  die.  Give 
me  neither  poverty  nor  riches;  feed 
me  with  food  convenient  for  me." 
Prov.  80:7,  8.  So  let  the  Christian 
pray:  '-Two  things  I  desire  of  thee, 
O  Lord,  even  these  two:  that  I  may 
die  to  myself,  and  to  the  world." 
For  without  this  death,  it  is  utterly 
impossible  to  be  a  true  Christian. 
If  thou,  O  Man!  thinkest  otherwise, 
thou  certainly  deceivest  thyself,  and 
shalt  at  last  hear  from  the  mouth  of 
Christ  that  awful  sentence,  "I  know 
you  not."  Matt.  7:  23;  25:  12. 


8.  Though  to  die  thus  to  self  and 
to  the  world,  is,  to  flesh  and  blood,  a 
grievous  cross,  yet  will  the  spirit  and 
the  love  of  Christ  eventually  triumph 
over  every  diflSculty.  So  powerful 
indeed  are  these  aids,  that  they  ena- 
ble the  true  Christian  to  bear  all 
things  for  the  sake  of  the  Beloved,  as 
a  pleasant  yoke  and  easy  burden. 
And  although  he  who  lives  a  life  thus 
mortified,  will  be  hated  by  the  world, 
yet  shall  he  be  loved  of  God  :•  for  the 
enmity  of  the  world  is  friendship  with 
him  (James  4  :  4).  And  the  Lord  hath 
himself  declared,  "  Jf  3'e  were  of  the 
world,  the  world  would  love  his  own  ; 
but  because  ye  are  not  of  the  world, 
but  I  have  chosen  3'ou  out  of  the 
world,  therefore  the  world  hateth 
you."  John  15  : 19. 

9.  Those  who  are  dead  to  the  world 
for  the  testimony  of  Jesus,  it  casts 
out;  but  it  honors  and  applauds  them 
who,  living  in  the  enjoyment  of  its 
pomp  and  splendor,  are  its  genuine 
offspring;  because  they  live  in  the 
world,  and  the  world  liveth  in  them. 

10.  In  short,  that  man  is  not  re-; 
ceived  and  commended  by  the  world, 
but  is,  on  the  contrary-,  cast  out  of  iti 
in  whose  heart,  pride,  covetousnessi 
lust,  wrath,  revenge,  and  the  other 
corrupt  passions  of  nature,  are  morti- 
fied and  restrained.  Unto  him  the 
world  is  dead;  and  he  again  is  dead 
to  the  world:  he  begins  to  live  in 
Christ,  and  Christ  lives  in  him  :  and 
he  will  be  confessed  by  the  Saviour, 
as  one  of  his  peculiar  j^eople,  in  whom 
the  great  design  of  redemption  has 
been  effected.  To  others,  on  the  con- 
trar}',  it  will  be  said,  "  I  know  you 
not,  as  3'e,  in  like  manner,  knew  me 
not."  You  have  not  confessed  me  be- 
fore men,  but  have  been  ashamed  of 
my  life,  my  meekness,  humility,  and 
patience;  and  I  will  not  confess  you  : 


ClIAP.  XIII.] 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


39 


you  have  despised  the  shame  of  my 
cross;  and  you  shall  be  with  shame 
disowned  by  me.  Mark  8 : 38.  For 
whoever  refuses  to  live  with  Christ 
in  time,  cannot  expect  to  live  with 
him  in  eternity:  whoever  has  not  the 
life  of  Christ  here,  shall  never  have  it 
set  forth  in  him  hereafter:  and  who- 
ever disdains  to  follow  Jesus  in  the 
present  world,  shall  never  be  glorified 
WMth  him  in  the  world  to  come. 

11.  Therefore,  O  Man!  strictly 
scrutinize  thy  life,  and  see  whether 
thou  bearest  a  greater  conformity  to 
the  life  of  Christ,  or  to  the  life  of  the 
devil:  for  thou  must  inevitably  be 
united  to  one  or  other  of  these 
throughout  all  eternity. 

12.  If  thou  art  dead  to  thyself  and 
to  thy  depraved  desires  within  thee, 
thou  -wWt  find  it  no  hard  task  to  die 
to  the  world  and  its  vain  allurements 
which  are  without  thee  :  and  w^hoevfj^- 
is  thus  dead  to  the  world,  will  not 
love  it  or  the  things  which  it  con- 
tains ;  for,  "  if  any  man  love  the  world, 
the  love  of  the  Father  is  not  in  him." 
1  John  2  :  15.  Again,  how  shall  his 
desires  any  more  go  out  after  the 
world  without  him,  when  he  is  dead 
to  it  ?  Great  indeed  would  be  the 
loss  sustained  b}^  a  lover  of  the 
blessed  God,  were  he,  in  any  degree, 
to  yield  to  the  allurements  of  the 
world,  and  allow  it  to  obtain  a  share 
in  that   affection  which    should  be 

I    fixed  solely  on  the  Supreme  Good. 

i  A  soul  so  undecided  would  soon  be 
entirely  vanquished  by  the  blandish- 
ments of  sin,  as  was  Samson  by  the 
charms  of  Delilah  (Judg.  16  :  6);  and 
would  become  subject  to  all  that 
misery  and  vexation  of  heart,  which 
invariably  attend  the  love  of  this 
"world. 

13.  The  love  of  the  world  apper- 
tains not  to  the  new  creature,  but  to 


the  old:  for  the  w^orld  has  nothing 
to  bestow  but  honor  and  vainglory, 
riches,  pleasures,  and  carnal  desires; 
in  these  the  "old  man"  delights.  The 
new  man,  on  the  other  hand,  has  no 
peace  except  in  Christ,  who  is  his 
honor  and  glory,  his  riches  and  his 
heaven. 

14.  And  as  nothing  can  be  con- 
ceived of  that  is  greater  or  more  ex- 
alted than  the  image  of  God  renewed 
in  Christ  Jesus,  so  it  should  be  our 
only  concern  and  care,  to  render  our- 
selves partakers  of  this  exalted  honor; 
remembering  the  w^ords  of  Tauler, 
"What  man,  who  is  possessed  of 
reason,  can  doubt  for  a  moment,  that 
God  can  infinitely  more  rejoice  and 
delight  the  heart,  than  the  corrupt 
and  indigent  creature  is  capable  of 
doing?" 

15.  In  addition  to  this,  the  Scrip- 
tures assure  us  that  man  was  not  cre- 
ated for  the  world's  sake,  but  the 
world  for  man's.  It  was  not  to  pam- 
per his  appetite,  to  heap  up  riches,  or 
to  extend  his  empire  without  limits, 
that  man  was  formed;  it  was  not  that 
he  might  acquire  large  estates  and 
possessions,  erect  palaces,  or  be  gor- 
geously attired,  that  he  was  endued 
with  a  soul  intelligent  and  immortal: 
man  was  made  to  be  lord  of  the  earth, 
and  not  its  slave;  to  subdue,  and  not 
to  be  subdued.  He  was  not  to  seek 
his  pleasure  and  enjoyment  on  earth, 
however  fair  and  fascinating  it  might 
be  to  a  depraved  taste:  he  was  not 
destined  to  be  an  heir  of  this  inferior 
world,  nor  the  possessor  of  terrestrial 
treasures,  nor  to  be  actuated  by  any 
worldly  motive  whatsoever.  Man  is 
to  depart  hence,  as  one  that  dwells  on 
earth  as  a  tenant  at  ivill.  He  was  not 
made  for  it,  and  cannot  remain  in  it; 
he  entered  it  naked,  and  naked  he 
must  quit  it  again.  Many,  indeed,  are 


40 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  I. 


bom  into  the  world  at  the  same  time; 
but  an  equal  number,  on  the  other 
hand,  arc  daily  taken  out  by  death; 
nor  can  any  carry  with  them  even  an 
atom  of  the  treasures  which  they  had 
accumulated  upon  earth. 

IG.  Man,  then,  is  but  a  guest  and  a 
pilgrim  below;  and  most  obvious  it  is, 
that  he  was  not  created  for  this  tem- 
poral life,  and  that  this  world  was 
never  designed  to  be  the  end  of  his 
being.  That  end  is  God,  and  the 
image  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus,  unto 
which  we  are  renewed  by  the  Spirit; 
and  we  are  created  for  the  kingdom 
of  God  and  for  eternal  life.  These  our 
blessed  Redeemer  purchased  for  us, 
when  they  had  been  forfeited  by  us; 
and  it  is  his  Spirit  that  regenerates 
men  who  had  been  without  God  in 
the  world. 

17.  How  unreasonable,  therefore^  is 
it  in  man  to  fix  his  affections  on  tem- 
poral objects,  when  we  are  assured 
that  the  soul  is  infinitely  more  noble 
and  more  precious  than  the  whole 
world!  IIow  preposterous  is  it,  that 
he  should  lavish  his  time  in  the  pur- 
suit of  earthly  things,  when  he  is 
conscious  that  he  was  created  to  bear 
the  image  of  God  in  Christ,  through 
the  Holy  Spirit!  Therefore,  let  us 
now  solemnly  repeat  what  has  been 
before  affirmed,  namely,  that  man  was 
not  made  for  the  world,  but  the  world 
for  man.  The  excellency  of  the  image 
of  God  in  Christ  Jesus,  is  inconceiva- 


bly great  and  glorious:  so  that  were 
all  mankind  to  unite  their  labor  and 
might,  their  wealth,  their  honors,  and 
their  all,  they  could  not  succeed  in  re- 
storing even  one  soul  to  the  possession 
of  this  image.  It  became  requisite 
that  Christ  himself  should  die,  in 
order  that  this  divine  image  which 
had  been  utterly  defaced  by  sin, 
might,  through  His  Spirit,  be  revived; 
and  that  man  might  again  become  the 
temple  and  house  of  God  through  all 
eternity. 

18.  This  being  duly  considered,  as 
certainly  it  ought  to  be,  how  is  it  that 
man  so  thoroughly  debases  his  soul  as 
to  seek  after  the  things  of  this  world, 
its  honors,  its  pleasures,  lusts,  and 
wealth?  He  should  surely  reason  Avith 
himself,  and  say:  "Shall  I,  for  the 
sake  of  a  little  gold,  or  for  this  fading 
world,  or  for  all  the  honors  and  pleas- 
ures it  can  afford  me, — shall  I,  for 
the  sake  of  these,  sacrifice  my  immortal 
soul,  which  Christ  has  redeemed  at  so 
infinite  a  price?  God  forbid."  "What 
is  a  man  profited,  if  he  shall  gain  the 
whole  world,  and  lose  his  own  soul? 
or  what  shall  a  man  give  in  exchange 
for  his  soul?"  Matt.  16  :  26.  Alas!  the 
"whole  world,"  with  all  its  power  and 
glory,  could  not  avail  to  rescue  one 
soul  from  eternal  destruction ;  for  the 
soul  is  immortal,  while  the  world 
passeth  aw^ay  with  all  that  it  con- 
tains. 1  Cor.  7:31;  1  John  2 :  17. 


Chap.  XIV.] 


TEUE  CnRISTIANITY. 


41 


CHAPTER  X  I  y. 

THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN.  WHO  IMITATES  CHRIST,  HATES  HIS  OWN  LIFE  IN  THIS 
WORLD,  AND  FORSAKES  THE  WORLD. 

Jj  nny  wan  come  to  me^  and  hate  not  ....  his  own  life  also,  he  cannot  be  my  disciple. — LuKE 
14  :  26.  lie  that  loveth  his  life  shall  lose  it;  and  he  that  hateth  his  life  in  this  world  shall 
keep  it  unto  life  eternal. — John  12  :  25. 


"TN  order  that  a  man  may  hate  him- 
X  self,  he  must,  in  the  first  place, 
cease  to  love  himself;  secondly,  he 
must  daily  die  to  sin;  and,  thirdly, 
maintain  a  continual  warfare  with  his 
corrupt  nature,  or  the  flesh. 

2.  There  is  nothing  that  more  ob- 
structs the  everlasting  salvation  of 
mankind  than  self-lqve.  This  is  not  to 
be  understood  of  that  natural  love 
which  excites  to  a  due  regard  to  self- 
preservation,  but  of  that  carnal  and 
inordinate  atfection  which  influences 
man  to  be  wholly  concerned  about 
himself,  without  any  reference  to  the 
Supreme  Being,  the  great  Author  of 
life.  In  this  sense  the  term  is  used  in 
the  present  Book.  Man  was  created 
to  love  God  alone;  and  since  God  only 
is  to  be  loved,  it  follows  that  he  who 
loves  himself  is  an  idolater,  and  makes 
of  himself  a  god.  The  heart  of  man 
rejoices  and  rests  in  the  object  of  his 
aff"ection  ;  and,  whatever  this  be,  he  is 
brought  by  it  into  bondage,  and  is  de- 
voted to  it.  Man,  in  this  state,  is  be- 
come a  servant,  and  is  deprived  of  that 
genuine  liberty  in  the  enjoyment  of 
which  he  was  originally  created;  and 
in  this  lapsed  and  divided  state  he 
must  serve  as  many  masters  as  there 
are  objects  upon  which  his  affections 
are  placed.  But  if  thy  love,  O  man  ! 
be  sincerely  and  simply  fixed  on  God, 
then  thou  art  subject  to  no  lord  but 
Him;  and  thou  preservest  thy  liberty 


with  all  the  privileges  appertaining  to 
it.  It  becometh  thee,  therefore,  to  be 
very  circumspect  in  thy  life  and  con- 
duct, lest  thou  shouldst  in  any  degree 
obstruct  the  progress  of  divine  love  in 
thy  soul.  If  ever  thou  desirest  to  pos- 
sess God  alone,  thou  must  make  a  sur- 
render of  thyself  solely  to  him.  If 
thou  lovest  and  pleasest  thyself,  in- 
stead of  loving  and  pleasing  God,  then 
sorrow  and  fear,  sadness  and  anxiety, 
will  inevitably  attend  thee;  whereas, 
if  thou  wholly  yieldest  thyself  unto 
God,  cleaving  to  him  and  delighting 
thyself  in  him  alone,  then  he  will 
never  leave  thee  nor  forsake  thee,  but 
remove  by  his  gracious  presence  all 
fear  and  anxiety  from  thy  mind.  He, 
on  the  other  hand,  who  seeks  himself 
in  all  situations  and  in  every  circum- 
stance, and  who  incessantly  pursues 
after  profit,  praise,  and  lust,  can  never 
attain  to  serenity  and  peace  of  mind; 
for  some  circumstance  there  always 
Avill  be  to  cross  his  desires  and  to  dis- 
turb his  rest.  Never,  therefore,  yield 
to  the  belief  that  an  accession  of  fame, 
wealth,  or  honor  in  this  world,  is  al- 
ways good  and  profitable  for  thee; 
when,  on  the  contrary,  a  righteous 
contempt  of  all  such  transient  objects, 
nay,  an  utter  extirpation  of  our  love 
of  them,  would  be  attended  with  an 
infinite  blessino-  and  advantaj^e. 

3.  As  then,  on  the  one  hand,  the 
things  of  this  life,  such   as  praise, 


42 


TEUE  CHKISTIANITY. 


[Book  1. 


riches,  and  pleasure,  arc  frail,  and 
pass  away  with  the  world  that  sup- 
plies tliem,  while,  on  the  other,  the 
lovo  of  God  cndureth  forever,  it  is 
evident  that  no  satisfaction  can  be 
durable  that  is  founded  upon  the  love 
of  self  and  of  earthly  objects.  Such 
peace  would  be  interrupted  by  every 
trivial  circumstance  that  occurred; 
whereas,  when  the  mind  is  firmly  set 
upon  God  and  upon  his  love,  it  cannot 
fail  to  be  preserved  in  perfect  peace 
and  perpetual  serenity  amid  all  the 
changes  of  this  life.  Forsake  thou, 
therefore,  all  things,  and  thou  shalt, 
by  faith,  recover  all  things  again;  for 
never  can  the  lover  of  himself  and  of 
the  world  find  the  blessed  God. 

4.  Inordinate  self-love  is  begotten 
of  the  world,  and  not  of  God ;  it  is 
earthly,  and  the  chief  enemy  to  "the 
wisdom  which  is  from  above."  James 
3 :  17.  This  wisdom  does  not  seek  the 
praise  and  applause  of  men;  and 
though  in  itself  "a  pearl  of  great 
price"  (Matt.  13:46),  yet  appearing 
with  no  other  recommendation  than 
its  own  native  simplicity,  it  is  but 
little  valued  in  the  world,  and,  with 
but  few  exceptions,  is  entirely  ne- 
glected and  forgotten ;  and  though 
there  are  many  who  make  a  boast  of 
this  wisdom,  yet  the  gem  conceals  it- 
self from  all  who  do  not  desire  to  ap- 
ply it  in  their  practice.  If,  therefore, 
thou  dcsirest  to  be  possessed  of  it,  O 
man  !  lay  aside  all  that  human  wisdom 
which  "puffeth  up"  (1  Cor.  8:1),  to- 
gether with  thy  self-love  and  self-ap- 
plause, and  then  shalt  thou  exchange 
thy  earthly  wisdom,  which  the  w^orld 
admires,  for  that  which  is  heavenly 
and  divine.  Then,  instead  of  the  wis- 
dom of  this  world,  which  in  its  nature 
is  elevated  and  seeks  the  applause  of 
men,  thou  shalt  be  put  in  possession 
of  a  wisdom  which,  far  from  attract- 


ing the  notice  of  the  world,  is  despised 
and  rejected  by  it,  but  which  is,  never- 
theless, of  a  divine  origin,  and  of  ever- 
lastinor  continuance. 

o 

5.  It  is  impossible  to  love  God,  until 
thou  abhorrest  thyself;  that  is,  until 
thou  art  heartily  displeased  with  thy- 
self and  with  thy  sins;  until  thy  own 
carnal  nature  is  crucified,  together 
with  the  evil  propensities  of  thy  self- 
will.  For  the  more  a  man  strives  to 
love  God,  the  more  he  labors  to  subdue 
the  lusts  of  the  flesh  and  his  sensual 
appetites;  and  the  more  he  departs 
from  self  and  from  self-love,  by  the 
power  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  the  more 
nearly  he  approaches,  by  faith,  unto 
God,  and  to  his  divine  love.  For  as 
inward  peace  depends  on  a  freedom 
from  desires  after  the  things  of  this 
world;  so  when  this  peace  is  once  set- 
tled in  the  soul,  and  the  heart  has  dis- 
engaged itself  from  the  ties  which 
bound  it  to  the  creature,  it  returns 
freely  into  God,  and  rests  in  him 
alone. 

6.  Now  he  who  is  sincerely  disposed 
to  deny  himself,  must  follow,  not  his 
own  will,  but  the  will  of  Christ,  who 
has  declared,  I  am  the  way,  and  the 
truth,  and  the  life.''  John  14 :  6.  As 
though  he  had  said:  "Without  the 
way,  no  man  walketh;  w^ithout  the 
truth,  nothing  is  known  ;  and  without 
life,  no  man  liveth  :  therefore,  look 
upon  me,  who  am  the  way  in  which  it 
is  thy  duty  to  walk,  the  truth  in  which 
thou  art  called  to  believe,  and  the  life 
in  which  thou  art  bound  to  live.  I 
am  the  unerring  way,  the  infallible 
truth,  and  the  everlasting  life :  the 
way  to  immortality  is  through  my 
merit;  the  truth  itself  is  in  my  word; 
and  life  is  through  the  efficacy  of  my 
death;  and,  therefore,  if  thou  con- 
tinuest  in  the  way,  the  truth  will  guide 
thee  unto  eternal  life.  If  thou  desirest 


Chap.  XIY.] 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


43 


not  to  go  astray,  follow  mc;  if  thou 
wilt  know  the  truth,  believe  in  me; 
and  if  thou  wonldst  possess  life  ever- 
lusting,  put  thy  whole  trust  in  me, 
who  for  thy  sake  have  endured  the 
death  of  the  cross.'' 

7.  What,  indeed,  is  the  safe  way,  the 
inlallible  truth,  and  the  endless  life? 
What,  the  way,  truth,  and  life,  that 
are  more  excellent  than  every  other? 
vSurely  there  is  no  way,  but  the  holy 
and  precious  merits  of  Christ ;  no  truth, 
but  his  eternal  word;  no  life,  but  a 
blissful  immortality  in  heaven.  If, 
therefore,  O  Christian!  thou  desirest 
to  be  raised  up  into  heaven  with  Christ 
Jesus,  believe  in  him  here,  and  tread 
in  the  footsteps  of  his  humility;  this 
is  the  safe  AYay  to  everlasting  glory. 
If  thou  wouldst  escape  the  snares  of 
the  world,  take  hold  of  his  Word  by 
faith,  and  follow  the  example  which 
he  has  left  for  thy  imitation;  because 
this  is  the  infallible  Truth.  And  if  it 
be  thy  wish  to  live  w^ith  Christ,  then 
die  thou  with  him  and  in  him  unto  sin, 
and  become  a  new  creature;  for  this  is 
Life.  Thus  Christ  is  the  way,  the 
truth,  and  the  life;  and  he  is  so,  both 
by  his  example  and  by  his  merit. 

8.  "Be  ye  followers  of  God  as  dear 
children."  Eph.  5  : 1.  Let  us  labor  and 
strive  after  this  one  thing;  that  our 
lives  may  resemble  the  life  of  Christ. 
Were  there  nothing  else  to  confound 
the  false  Christian,  the  example  of 
Christ  might  effectually  and  abund- 
antly do  it.  When  we  consider  that 
Christ  our  Lord  passed  his  life  in  grief 
and  pain,  we  ought  to  be  ashamed  to 
spend  our  lives  in  ease  and  pleasures. 
If  the  soldier  forgets  his  own  ease  and 
comfort  when  he  beholds  his  captain 
fighting  unto  death,  shalt  thou  pursue 
after  worldly  pleasures  and  honors, 
when  thy  Prince  was  so  ignominiously 
treated,  and,  for  thy  sake,  nailed  to 


the  cross?  Is  it  not  a  sign  that  then 
thou  dost  not,  in  fact,  fight  urlder  his 
banner? 

9.  It  is  true  that,  in  our  day,  every 
one  desires  to  be  considered  a  Chris- 
tian ;  but  how  few  are  they  who  imi- 
tate the  life  and  deportment  of  Chri.st! 
Had  it  been  the  character  of  a  fol- 
lower of  Christ,  to  aim  at  the  acqui- 
sition of  honors  and  possessions,  our 
Lord  would  never  have  taught  that 
these  are  not  worthy  to  be  compared 
with  heavenly  treasures.  Contemplate 
the  life  and  doctrine  of  the  blessed 
Jesus,  and  thou  shalt  own  that  no- 
thing can  be  more  opposed  than  he 
and  the  world.  Behold  that  manger 
and  that  stahlel  do  they  not  forci- 
bly evidence  a  contempt  of  worldly 
things?  And  will  the  example  of 
Christ  lead  thee  to  err  from  the  right 
way?  No!  he  is  the  way,  and  he  is 
the  truth;  and  his  life,  compared  with 
his  doctrine,  is  the  only  means  to  pre- 
serve thee  from  mistake,  and  to  guard 
thee  from  the  delusions  and  errors  of 
the  world.  Since  then  the  Lord  hath 
chosen  to  enter  into  his  glory  by  the 
way  of  suffering  and  reproach,  why 
shouldst  thou  labor  to  make  thy  way 
to  hell,  through  the  pomps  and  vani- 
ties of  the  world?  Eeturn,  then,  O 
deluded  soul!  escape  from  the  broad 
way  that  leadeth  unto  death,  and  in 
which  thy  only  enjoyment  is  "  the 
pleasures  of  sin  for  a  season"  (Ileb. 
11  :  25);  enter  into  this  safe  Way,  in 
which  the  wayfaring  man  shall  not 
stray:  cordially  embrace  that  Truth 
w^iich  never  can  deceive  :  and  live  in 
Him  who  is  Life  itself.  This  way  is 
the  truth,  and  this  truth  is  the  way. 
Awful  blindness!  a  worm  of  the  earth 
would  make  himself  great  in  the 
world,  when  the  Lord  of  glory  abased 
himself  to  the  very  dust.  O  faithful 
soul!  when  thy  bridegroom  moves  to 


44 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  I. 


meet  thee,  clothed  with  humility-,  come 
down  from  the  elevation  of  thy  pride 
and  ambition,  and  descend  into  the 
vale  of  humiliation  to  meet  him,  and 
ho  will  embrace  and  receive  thee  with 

joy. 

10.  As  Abraham  quitted  his  father's 
house,  to  go  into  a  land  which  the 
Lord  was  to  show  him  (Gen.  12  :  1), 
so  quit  thou,  as  a  true  child  of  Abra- 
ham, the  pleasure-house  of  self-will 
and  self-love,  that  thou  mayest  obtain 
the  divine  blessinc;.  Self-love  biases 
the  judgment,  blinds  the  understand- 
ing, disturbs  the  reason,  seduces  the 
will,  corrupts  the  conscience,  closes 
the  gates  of  life,  and  acknowledges 
neither  God  nor  neighbor.  It  ban- 
ishes virtue ;  seeks  after  honors, 
riches,  and  pleasures;  and,  in  a  word, 
prefers  earth  to  heaven.  He,  there- 
fore, who  thus  "loveth  his  life,  shall 
lose  it;  but  ho  that  hateth  his  life" 
(that  is,  resists  this  principle  of  self- 
love),  "shall  keep  it  unto  life  eternal." 
John  12  :  25.  Self-love  is  the  root  of 
impenitence,  and  the  cause  of  damna- 
tion. They  who  are  controlled  by 
self-love  and  self-honor  are  destitute 
of  humility  and  a  knowledge  of  sin; 
consequently,  they  never  can  obtain 
the  remission  of  sin,  though  they  seek 
it  with  tears;  their  tears  not  being 
shed  because  they  have  offended  God, 
but  merely  on  account  of  the  personal 
loss  which  they  have  sustained. 

11.  The  kingdom  of  heaven  is  com- 
pared in  Scripture  to  "  a  pearl  of  great 
pri(.e;"  in  order  to  obtain  which,  a 
man  sold  all  t)iat  he  had.  Matt.  13  :  45, 
46.  This  pearl  is  God  himself,  and  that 
eternal  life  which  he  has  promised, 
and  for  the  attainment  of  which  every 
other  object  must  be  forsaken.  We 
have  an  example  of  this  in  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  who  descended  from 
heaven  not  for  his  own  sake,  but  for 


thy  sake ;  not  for  his  own  profit  and 
advantage,  but  for  thine.  Luke  19  : 10. 
And  wilt  thou  yet  delay  to  love  him 
who  gave  himself  up  unto  death  for 
thee  ? 

12.  It  doubtless  is  the  part  of  a 
faithful  spouse,  to  please  her  husband 
alone  :  and  art  thou  desirous  of  pleas- 
ing the  world,  wdien  thou  may  est  be 
espoused  unto  Christ,  the  great  lover 
of  souls?  Forsake  therefore  and  sin- 
cerely despise  all  that  is  in  the  world, 
in  order  that  thou  mayest  become 
worthy  of  the  eminent  dignity  of  this 
spiritual  marriage :  for  if  thy  love 
cleave  not  solely  to  Christ,  it  is  a  cor- 
rupt and  adulterous  love,  and  not  that 
which  a  Christian  should  bear  to  the 
Redeemer.  For  the  Christian's  love 
to  the  Redeemer  must  possess  virgin 
purity. 

13.  The  law  of  Moses  required  that 
the  priest  should  marry  a  virgin 
(Levit.  21 :  13,  14) ;  and  Christ,  our 
High  Priest,  will  espouse  only  a  vir- 
gin-soxd ;  one  that  is  attached  to  no- 
thing that  the  world  can  offer,  but 
solely  to  himself;  nay,  one  that  loves 
not  even  herself,  in  comparison  with 
Christ.  "  If  any  man  come  to  me," 
he  says,  "  and  hate  not  his  own  life,  he 
cannot  be  my  disciple."  Luke  14  :  26. 

14.  In  order  to  understand  what  is 
meant  by  hating  ourselves,  we  are  to 
remember  that  we  carry  about  with 
us  the  old  man,"  and  are  indeed  the 
old  man  himself;  whose  nature  is  to 
hasten  from  one  sin  to  another,  to 
love  himself,  to  pursue  his  own  profit 
and  honor,  and  to  indulge  his  own 
will  and  carnal  appetite.  For  the 
flesh  is  at  all  times  the  same ;  always 
considering  itself,  easily  grieved,  envi- 
ous, bitter,  covetous,  and  revengeful. 
This,  O  Man  !  is  what  thou  doest : 
these  sinful  motions  proceed  from  thy 
heart ;  this  is  thy  very  life,  even  the 


Chap.  XV.] 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


45 


life  of  the  old  man  in  ihee  :  and  there- 
fore thou  must  of  neccsaity  hate  thy- 
self, and  thine  own  natural  life,  if  ever 
thou  dcsirest  to  be  a  disciple  of  Christ. 
Whoever  loves  himself,  must  love  his 
own  pride  and  avarice,  his  own  wrath 
and  hatred,  envy  and  Ij'ing,  perfidi- 
ousness  and  unrighteousness;  and,  in 


short,  he  must  love  all  the  progeny 
of  uiiholy  desires,  and  a  corrupt  heart. 
But  if  thou  desirest  to  be  a  Christian 
indeed,  thou  must  not  love,  nor  ex- 
cuse, nor  palliate  thy  sins,  but  thou 
must  hate  them,  forsake  them,  and 
subdue  them. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

snowTNG  now  the  "old  man"  daily  dies,  and  the  "new  man"  is  daily 

RENEWED,  in  A  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  ;  ALSO,  WHEREIN  SELF-DENIAL  CONSISTS,  AND 
WHAT  IS  MEANT  BY  THE  CHRISTIAN'S  CROSS. 


If  any  man  will  come  ojter  me,,  let  him  devy  himself,  and  take  up  his  C7'0ss  daily j 
and  follow  me. — Luke  9  :  23. 


T  is  the  charge  of  the  apostle  Paul, 
"  Put  oif  the  old  man,  which  is 
corrupt  according  to  the  deceitful 
lusts  ;  and  be  renewed  in  the  spirit  of 
your  mind  ;  and  put  on  the  new  man, 
which  after  God  is  created  in  right- 
eousness and  true  holiness."  Eph.  4  : 
22-24.  And  in  another  of  his  Epistles, 
he  gives  us  a  reason  for  doing  so  : 
"Ye  are  not  your  own;  for  ye  are 
bought  with  a  price  ;  therefore,  glorify 
God  in  your  body  and  in  your  spirit, 
which  are  God's."  1  Cor.  G :  19,  20. 

2.  We  have  already  noticed  what  is 
meant  by  ihe  old  man;  namel}^,  pride, 
covetousness,  lasciviousness,  unright- 
eousness, wrath,  enmity,  hatred,  etc.; 
all  of  wiiich  must  die  in  the  Christian, 
if  ever  the  new  man  arise  in  him  again, 
and  is  da^^  by  day  renewed. 

3.  In  proportion  as  the  old  man 
dies,  the  new  man  is  quickened.  As 
pride  loses  its  influence,  humility,  by 
the  grace  of  God  the  Holy  Spirit,  suc- 
ceeds; as  wrath  yields,  meekness  ad- 
vances; as  covetousness  is  done  away, 


trust  in  God  is  increased ;  and  as  the 
love  of  the  w^orld  is  removed,  the  love 
of  God  takes  its  j)lace  in  the  soul,  and 
becomes  more  and  more  vigorous  and 
ardent.  In  this  consists  the  renova- 
tion of  the  new  man.  This  is  the 
fruit  of  the  Spirit;  this  is  practical 
and  living  faith  (Gal.  5:22);  this  is 
Christ  in  us;  this  is  the  new  command 
of  Christ  and  new  obedience;  this  is 
the  result  of  the  new  birth  in  us,  in 
which  thou  must  live  if  thou  desirest 
to  be  a  child  of  God;  for  those  only 
who  so  live  have  a  right  to  be  so 
called. 

4.  This  is  the  reason  why  a  man 
ought  now  to  deny  himself;  to  re- 
nounce his  own  honor  and  will,  his 
own  love  and  pleasure,  and  all  his 
profit  and  interest  in  the  world;  and 
why  he  ought  freely  to  give  up  his 
own  right  and  life,  and  consider  him- 
self unworthy  of  everj'thing  that  Prov- 
idence bestows  upon  him.  A  real  Chris- 
tian, who  is  endued  with  the  humility 
of  Christ,  readily  owns  that  no  man 


46 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  I, 


can  lay  claim  to  even  the  least  of  those 
benefits  that  descend  from  above,  be- 
cause they  are  all  gifts,  and  freel}'  pro- 
ceed from  tlie  goodness  of  God.  On 
this  account  he  uses  all  as  being  really 
the  propert^^  of  God,  with  fear  and 
trembling:  not  to  promote  his  own 
pleasure  and  satisfaction,  his  own 
profit  and  praise,  but  from  necessity 
alone,  and  because  he  cannot  other- 
wise subsist. 

6.  Let  a,  true  Christian  who  denies 
himself,  and  a  false  Christian  who  is 
filled  with  inordinate  self-love,  be  com- 
pared together.  If  an  affront  be  of- 
fered to  the  latter,  you  may  soon  be- 
hold his  anger  rising,  and  visible  marks 
of  passion  and  discontent;  and  these 
are,  not  unfrequently,  followed  up  by 
reproachful  language  and  actions,  by 
a  spirit  of  revenge,  and  sometimes  by 
imprecations  and  curses.  All  this  pro- 
c  eds  from  the  old  man,  whose  proper 
character  it  is  to  be  angry  and  bitter, 
and  to  exhibit  rancor  and  asperity. 
On  the  contrar}^,  he  that  is  a  Chris- 
tian indeed,  and  has  sincerely  begun 
to  practice  self-denial,  is  gentle,  pa- 
tient, and  ready  to  forgive ;  free  from 
a  revengeful  spirit;  full  of  compassion 
and  tenderness;  and  esteems  himself 
worthy  of  all  the  sufferings  which 
Providence  may  be  pleased  to  allot  to 
him.  These  qualities  are  all  included 
in  self-denial. 

6.  In  the  exercise  of  this  patience, 
meekness,  and  lowliness  of  mind,  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  has  set  us  an  ex- 
ample by  willingly  denying  himself. 
"The  Son  of  man,"  he  says,  "came 
not  to  be  ministered  unto,  but  to  min- 
ister" (Matt.  20:28);  and  again,  "I 
am  among  you  as  he  that  serveth" 
(Luke  22:27);  and  in  another  place, 
"The  Son  of  man  hath  not  where  to 
lay  his  head."  Luke  9  :  58.  David, 
when  reviled  by  Shimei,  practised  the 


duty  of  self-denial,  for  his  words  were: 
"The  Lord  hath  said  unto  him,  Curse 
David."  2  Sam.  16 :  10.  As  if  he  had 
said:  "I  am  a  worm  in  the  sight  of 
God,  and  deserve  to  suffer  far  worse 
things."  And  thus  have  all  the  saints 
and  prophets  of  God  freel}^  denied 
their  own  will,  and  esteemed  them- 
selves unworthy  of  every  blessing. 
They  bore  the  burden  of  their  day 
with  patience  (Acts  5:40,  41);  they 
cursed  not  when  they  were  cursed; 
they  blessed  their  persecutors,  and 
prayed  for  them  by  whom  they  were 
slaughtered  (Acts  7  :  GO) ;  and  thus, 
"  through  much  tribulation,  entered 
into  the  kingdom  of  God."  Acts  14:22. 

7.  This  was  true  when  they  acknowl- 
edged themselves  unworthy  of  any 
favor,  but  worthy  of  all  the  evils  that 
could  befall  them. 

8.  Kow,  this  self-denial  is  the  cross 
of  Christ,  which  he  has  encouraged  us 
to  bear,  saying:  "If  any  man  will 
come  after  me,  let  him  deny  himself 
and  take  up  his  cross  daily,  and  follow 
me."  Luke  9:23.  This  self-denying 
life  is  a  severe  cross  to  the  flesh;  the 
natural  man  desires  a  life  free  from 
restraint  and  contradiction,  and  would 
follow  the  inclination  of  his  own  will, 
and  seek  after  his  own  ease  and  pleas- 
ure, rather  than  the  humilit}^,  patience, 
and  meekness  of  Christ,  w^ith  the  other 
graces  of  his  life  and  example. 

9.  But  whatever  opposition  the  old 
man  may  raise  for  a  time,  he  has  re- 
ceived the  sentence  of  death,  and  if 
thy  soul  be  ever  saved,  he  must  surel}^ 
die.  For  never  canst  thou  be  clothed 
with  the  humility  of  Christ  unless  thy 
natural  pride  be  first  subdued;  nor 
canst  thou  feel  a  love  of  his  poverty 
unless  thy  avarice  and  thy  love  of 
the  world  be  first  overcome.  Thou 
wilt  not  be  able  to  follow  Christ  in 
the  contempt  of  vainglory,  nor  to  en- 


Chap.  XV.] 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


47 


dure  the  reproach  of  his  cross,  until 
thine  ambition  be  rooted  out;  nor  wilt 
thou  ever  express  in  thy  life  the  meek- 
ness and  patience  of  Jesus  until  thy  re- 
vengeful spirit  be  inwardly  mortified. 

10.  These  are  the  spiritual  exercises 
which  the  Scriptures  mean  when  they 
epeak  of  denying  ourselves^  of  hearing  the 
cross  of  Christ,  and  of  following  him, — 
exercises  that  are  submitted  to,  not 
with  any  expectation  of  profit,  merit, 
reward,  interest,  or  praise,  but  from 
pure  love  to  the  Saviour,  and  because 
Christ  hath  passed  through  all  this 
befoi-e  us,  and  "hath  left  us  an  exam- 
ple that  we  should  follow  his  steps." 
Since  the  image  of  God  is  the  greatest 
dignit}"  of  man,  we  ought  the  more 
earnestly  to  practise  the  duty  of  self- 
denial,  by  which  that  image,  effaced 
b}"  sin,  is  revived  within  us.  And  as 
this  is  the  hio'hest  honor  of  which  our 

o 

nature  is  susceptible,  so  is  it  the  strong- 
est inducement  that  can  possibly  be 
suggested  to  endear  to  us  the  practice 
of  self-denial. 

11.  Why,  then,  should  man  so  eagerly 
desire  the  fading  honors  of  this  world, 
which,  however  they  may  raise  him  in 
the  estimation  of  his  fellow-mortals, 
render  him  in  no  degree  more  accept- 
able in  the  sight  of  God.  The  great 
and  the  wise  have  bodies  composed  of 
flesh  and  blood  as  the  meanest  and  the 
most  despised ;  so  that,  in  this  respect, 
no  man  has  the  slightest  superiority 
over  another.  One  is  born  even  as  the 
other,  and  dies  even  as  the  other;  for 
the  beginning  and  end  of  all  men,  as 
to  this  world,  is  alike.  What  folly 
then  is  it  to  covet  worldly  honors  and 
the  praise  of  men !  Such  desires  spring 
from  the  root  of  self-love,  that  bane 
of  the  soul,  that  seed  of  all  spiritual 
diseases,  by  which  the  heart  of  man  is 


turned  from  God  to  the  world,  and 
from  Christ  to  self  IIow  incapable 
and  how  backward  is  the  lover  of 
himself  to  obey  the  words  of  the 
blessed  Redeemer,  and  to  lose  his  life 
for  His  sake  that  he  may  save  it.  This 
is  a  paradox  hostile  to  the  inclinations 
of  the  ''old  nature,"  and  therefore  but 
little  considered  by  the  bulk  of  man- 
kind. 

12.  Alas!  how  small  is  the  number 
of  those  who  have  a  thorough  knowl- 
edge of  the  depraved  life  of  the  old 
Adam,  or  who  heartily  strive  against 
it!  And  3'et,  if  ever  we  would  rescue 
our  souls  from  perdition,  we  must  die 
to  it  and  to  all  its  restless  workino-s. 
Whatever  corruptions  have  been  en- 
tailed on  us  by  Adam,  must  be  re- 
moved in  Christ.  In  his  humility,  our 
pride  and  ambition  must  expire;  in 
beholding  his  poverty,  our  thirst  after 
earthly  things  must  die  away.  The 
contemplation  of  his  bitter  sufferings 
should  subdue  our  sensual  lusts;  the 
reproaches  which  he  endured,  and  the 
entire  resignation  with  which  he  sub- 
mitted to  the  contempt  of  the  world, 
should  restrain  us  from  the  pursuit  of 
worldly  honors,  and  from  the  indulg- 
ence of  anger  and  passion. 

13.  He  w^ho  is  thus  dead  to  himself, 
will  also  readily  die  to  the  world,  its 
pomps,  and  wealth,  and  honors,  and 
pleasures,  solacing  himself  with  those 
higher  riches,  dignities,  and  enjoy- 
ments, to  wdiich  he  is  admitted  by 
faith  in  Christ.  He  becomes,  indeed, 
"  a  stranger  upon  the  earth "  (Ps. 
39  :  12),  but  he  is  the  friend  of  Christ, 
and  Christ  will  comfort  his  heart  with 
the  light  of  his  countenance  here,  and 
with  joy  everlasting  and  unutterable 
in  the  world  to  come. 


48 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  I. 


CHAPTER  XV  1. 


A  CONFLICT  IS  CONSTANTLY  MAINTAINED  IN  THE  CHRISTIAN  BETWEEN  THE  SPIRIT 

AND  THE  FLESH. 


I  see  another  law  in  my  members,  warring  against  the  law  of  my  mind. — EoM.  7  :  23. 


THE  two  opposite  principles  in  the 
heart  of  the  real  Christian,  are 
spoken  of  by  the  apostle  under  differ- 
ent names,  viz.:  the  inward  and  out- 
ward man  (2  Cor.  4  :  16),  the  law  of 
the  mind  and  the  law  of  the  members 
(Rom.  7  :  23),  and  the  flesh  and  spirit. 
"The  flesh,"  says  he,  ^'lusteth  against 
the  Spirit,  and  the  Spirit  against  the 
flesh."  Gal.  5:  17. 

2.  When  the  Spirit  conquers  the 
flesh,  then  man  lives  in  the  new  na- 
ture, and  is  in  God  and  in  Christ:  but 
when  the  flesh  vanquishes  the  Spirit, 
and  thus  gains  the  ascendency,  then 
man  lives  in  the  devil  and  in  the  old 
nature;  he  is  under  the  dominion  of 
the  world,  and  without  the  kingdom 
of  God,  and,  consequently,  is  called 
carnal.  And  "  to  be  carnally  minded 
is  death."  Rom.  8  :  6. 

3.  It  is  according  to  the  predomi- 
nance of  either  of  these  principles 
(the  flesh  and  the  Spirit),  that  a  man 
obtains  his  name  in  Scripture,  and  is 
called  carnal  or  spiritual.  When  the 
flesh  and  its  sensual  lusts  are  subdued, 
it  is  an  indication  of  the  strength  of 
the  spirit,  and  of  a  man's  proficiency 
in  the  inward  life ;  but  if  a  man  be 
vanquished  by  the  flesh,  it  betrays 
the  weakness  both  of  his  faith  and 
spirit. 

4.  Solomon  says,  "He  that  ruleth 
his  spirit  (his  mind),  is  better  than  he 
that  taketh  a  citj'."  Prov.  16  :  32.  If, 
then,  thou  desirest  to  be  a  valiant  con- 
queror, and  to  gain  an  immortal  vic- 


tory, conquer  thyself;  subdue  thy  pas- 
sions, mortify  thy  pride,  quell  thine 
ambition,  and  destroy  every  inordi- 
nate lust  with  which  thou  art  assailed; 
and  thus sh alt  thou  overthrow  the  kino-- 

o 

dom  of  Satan,  who,  by  means  of  such 
sins,  ruleth  in  the  world.  Many  have 
signalized  themselves  by  the  capture 
of  towns  and  cities;  but,  alas!  how 
few  are  they  who,  in  a  higher  sense, 
may  be  denominated  conquerors  of  the 
world  ! 

5.  If  thou  yieldest  too  far  to  the 
flesh,  thou  destro^'cst  thy  soul.  It  is 
surely  better  that  the  soul  overcome, 
and  that  the  body  also  be  preserved, 
than  that,  the  body  overcoming,  both 
body  and  soul  should  be  destroyed 
together. 

6.  This  contest,  though  attended 
with  various  trials  and  difficulties,  will, 
however,  issue  in  a  glorious  victory 
and  a  heavenly  crown  :  "Be  thou  faith- 
ful unto  death,"  saith  the  Captain  of 
our  salvation,  "  and  I  will  give  thee  a 
crown  of  life."  Rev.  2  :  10.  And  the 
disciple  that  lay  in  his  bosom  tells  us, 
"This  is  the  victory  that  overcometh 
the  world,  even  our  faith."  1  John  5 : 4. 
Thou  wilt  say.  What  is  it  to  overcome 
the  world  ?  We  answer.  It  is  the  world 
within  us,  which  is  here  principally 
meant.  Overcome  thy  self,  and  then 
the  victory  over  the  world  is  thine. 

7.  Some  may,  perhaps,  be  here  ready 
to  inquire,  "  What,  if  sin  sometimes 
closely  beset  me,  and  bear  me  away 
against  my  will;  must  I  be  excluded 


Chap.  XVI.] 


TEUE  CIIPJSTIANITY. 


49 


from  the  number  of  God's  children, 
according  to  that  saying  of  St.  John, 
'lie  that  committeth  sin  is  of  the 
devil'?"  lJohn3:8.  To  this  it  must 
be  replied:  If  thou  feelest  the  con- 
flict of  the  Spirit  against  the  flesh, 
and  art  grieved  that  thou  sometimes 
docst  things  which  thou  wouldst  not, 
it  is  an  evidence  that,  amidst  the  in- 
firmities which  encomj^ass  thee,  thy 
faith  and  thy  spirit  struggle  against 
the  flesh,  and  are  opposed  to  it.  St. 
Paul  himself  teaches  us  that  this  war- 
fare has  place  even  in  godly  and  be- 
lieving souls,  when  he  says,  "  I  see  an- 
other law  in  my  members  warring 
against  the  law  of  my  mind  (that  is, 
against  the  new,  inward  man),  and 
bringing  me  into  captivity  to  the  law^ 
of  sin  which  is  in  my  members"  (Eom. 
7  :  23);  thus  causing  him  sometimes  to 
do  the  things  which  he  would  not.  To 
will,  was  present  w^th  him;  but  to 
perform  the  good  which  he  would,  he 
was  not  always  able;  inasmuch  as  he 
could  not  do  of  himself  the  good  which 
he  w^ould,  while  to  do  the  evil  which 
he  would  not,  was  always  easy  to  him. 
Ilence  he  exclaims,  "  O  wretched  man 
that  I  am  !  who  shall  deliver  mo  from 
the  body  of  this  death  ?  "  Eom.  7  :  24. 
And  to  this  agrees  what  Christ  him- 
self says:  "The  spirit  indeed  is  willing, 
but  the  flesh  is  weak."  Matt.  26 : 41 ;, 
Mark  14  : 38. 

8.  As  long,  therefore,  as  this  conflict 
is  felt  in  man,  sin  cannot  be  said  to 
rule  in  him;  for  he  who  is  continually 
fighting  against  sin,  resists  its  strug- 
gles for  dominion  ;  and  sin  cannot  de- 
stroy the  man  who  o]3poses  the  at- 
tempts which  it  makes  upon  the  soul. 

9.  It  is  the  experience  of  all  the 
saints,  that  they  alike  have  sin,  ac- 
cording to  the  word  of  St.  John  :  "  If 
we  say  that  we  have  no  sin,  we  deceive 
ourselves."  1  John  1:8.  It  is  not,  how- 


ever, the  indwelling  sin  that  condemns 
a  man,  but  the  reigning  sin.  The  sin 
with  which  we  contend,  and  to  the 
commission  of  which  we  do  not  con- 
sent, is  not  imputed  to  us;  as  St.  Paul 
says :  "  There  is  therefore  now  no 
condemnation  to  them  which  are  in 
Christ  Jesus,  w^ho  walk  not  after  the 
flesh,  but  after  the  Spirit"  (Eom.  8: 
1);  that  is,  who  do  not  permit  the 
flesh  to  rule.  But  as  for  those  who 
are  altogether  strangers  to  this  spirit- 
ual strife,  this  combat  of  the  flesh  and 
Spirit,  they  are  not  born  again,  but 
are  under  the  reigning  influence  of  siit; 
they  remain  the  servants  of  sin  and 
Satan,  and  are,  consequently,  damned; 
for  "  the  law  of  the  Spirit  of  life  "  hath 
not  made  them  "free  from  the  law  of 
sin  and  death"  (Eom.  8 :  2),  so  long 
as  they  thus  suffer  sia  to  rule  over 
them,  and  to  "reign  in  their  mortal 
body." 

10.  All  this  is  ilhistrated  in  Josh. 
16  :  10.  The  remnant  of  the  Canaan- 
ites  were  permitted  to  dwell  amongst 
the  children,  of  Israel,  but  not  to  have 
dominion  over  them;  and  thus  the  Is- 
rael of  God  feel  their  remaining  im- 
perfections, but  do  not  allow  them  to 
gaia  the  pre-eminence.  To  preserve 
this  pre-eminence  is  the  duty  of  the 
new  man  in  Christ,  whose  name  is 
Israel  (that  is,  a  prince  of  God)  (Gen. 
32  :  28);  and  who,  as  a  prince^  hath 
power  with  God,  and  shall  at  last  pre- 
vail. 

11.  This  daily  strife  with  the  old 
man,  is  an  encouraging  evidence  of 
the  existence  of  the  new  man;  for  it 
plainly  indicates  that  there  are  two 
contending  principles  in  him  who  is 
the  subject  of  it.  The  strength  of  the 
spirit  and  the  victory  succeeding  it, 
demonstrate  the  true  Israelite;  and 
the  w^arfare  of  the  spirit  indicates  the 
real  Christian.    The  land  of  Canaan 


50 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  I. 


cannot  indeed  be  gained  without  war: 
but  when  the  flesh,  like  the  Caiiaanite 
of  old,  in>vadcfl  the  territories  of  the 
spirit,  it  then  becomes  the  part  of  the 
spiritual  and  true  Israel  not  to  submit 
to  such  a  master  ;  but,  after  true  re- 
pentance and  remission  of  sin,  to  col- 
lect new  strength  in  Christ,  and  by 
the  grace  of  God  to  rise  again  from 
his  fall,  iind  earnestly  implore  Jesus, 
our  true  .Joshua,  to  vanquish  for  him 
and  in  him,  the  spiritual  Canaanite^ 
the  enemy  of  his  soul.  When  this  is 
accomplishx^d,  the  sinner  is  not  only 
forgiven  and  restored  to  favor,  but  he 
is  likewise  refreshed  and  strengthened 
in  Christ,  his  great  Captain  in  this 
spiritual  combat.  With  regard,  there- 
fore, to  such  as  continue  to  feel  many 
infirmities  in  the  flesh,  and  who  can- 
'not  do  the  things  which  they  would,. 


I  exhort  them  to  cleave  to  Jesus  as 
sincere  penitents,  and  to  cover  their 
blemishes  with  his  perfect  obedience. 
It  is  in  this  order,  and  in  this  order 
alone,  that  the  imputation  of  Christ's 
merits  becomes  salutary  and  effect- 
ual; that  is,  when  a  man  forsakes  his 
sin,  and  by  daily  repentance  strives 
against  it;  repairs  his  former  losses, 
and  guards  against  future  tempta- 
tions. But  while  the  sinner  remains 
a  stranger  to  brokenness  of  heart  on 
account  of  transgression;  while  ho 
continues  to  gratify  the  unholy  pro- 
pensities of  the  flesh,  nothing  can  be 
more  absurd  than  for  him  to  suppose 
that  the  merits  of  Christ  are  imputed 
to  him;  for  how  can  the  blood  of 
Christ  benefit  him  who  treads  it  under 
foot?  Heb.  10:29. 


CHAPTER  XYII. 


THE  INHERITANCE  AND  POSSESSIONS  OF  CHRISTIANS  ARE  NOT  OP  THIS  WORLD; 
THEY  SHOULD,  THEREFORE,  REGARD  THEMSELVES  AS  STRANGERS  IN  IT,  WHILE 
THEY  MAKE  USE  OF  EARTHLY  THINGS. 

Weibrought  nothing  into  this  ioorld^  and  it  is  certain  we  can  carry  nothing  out.    And  having 
food  and  raiment,  let  us  be  tJ^erewith  content. — 1  Tim,  6  :  7,  8. 


THE  design  of  the  blessed  God  in 
creating  temporal  things,  was 
that  ithey  might  supply  man's  bodily 
wants  ;  and  it  is  right  that  they  should 
be  .used  for  such  a  purpose,  and  be 
received  at  the  hands  of  God  with 
gratitude,  attended  with  fear  and 
trembling.  In  re«^ard  to  those  thinors 
which  are  not  absolutely  necessary, 
whether  gold  and  silver,  food  and 
raiment,  etc.,  they  are  left  to  man  in 
order  to  prove  'him;  so  that  from  the 
manner  in  which  he  employs  these 


objects,  it  may  be  discovered  how  he 
stands  affected  towards  God,  while 
possessed  of  the  goods  of  this  world  : 
whether,  on  the  one  hand,  he  will 
still  cleave  to  God,  and  in  the  midst 
of  earthJy  possessions,  keep  his  eye 
constantly  fixed  on  those  which  are 
to  come;  or  whether,  withdrawing 
his  love  from  God,  he  will  attach  him- 
self to  this  fleeting  world,  and  prefer 
a  fading  earthly  paradise,  to  that 
which  is  permanent  and  heavenly. 
2.  Man  is  therefore  left  to  his  own 


Chap.  XYII.] 


TRUE  CHRISTIAMTY. 


51 


liberty  and  choice,  in  order  that  he 
may  be  judged  hereafter  according  to 
that  which  he  has  chosen  here,  and 
thus  be  without  excuse  in  that  da}^ 
Agreeably  to  this  principle,  it  was  the 
solemn  declaration  of  Moses  to  the 
people  of  Israel  :  I  call  heaven  and 
earth  to  record  this  day  against  you, 
that  I  have  set  before  you  life  and 
death,  blessing  and  cursing  :  therefore 
choose  life,  that  both  thou  and  thy 
seed  may  live."  Deut.  30  :  19. 

3.  The  things  of  this  world  are  then 
designed,  not  to  fill  us  with  earthly 
delight  and  pleasures,  but  to  be  tests 
and  trials  of  our  fidelity.  In  these 
trials  the  fall  is  very  eas}',  when  once 
we  begin  to  withdraw  from  God. 
The  pleasures  of  this  world  are  the 
fruits  of  a  forbidden  tree;  of  which  we 
are  warned  by  God  not  to  eat,  lest 
our  minds  going  out  after  them  should 
eventually  take  delight  in  them,  after 
the  manner  of  those  who  know  no 
other  pleasures,  but  such  as  are  de- 
rived from  earthly  objects.  These 
persons,  by  indulging  the  flesh,  con- 
vert meat,  drink,  and  apparel  into 
snares  by  which  they  are  turned  away 
from  God. 

4.  It  certainly  is  the  duty  of  every 
true  Christian,  to  esteem  himself  a 
stranger  and  pilgrim  in  this  world; 
and  as  bound  to  use  earthly  blessings, 
not  as  means  of  satiating  lust  or  grati- 
fying wantonness,  but  of  supplying 
his  absolute  wants  and  necessities. 
We  ought  not  to  set  our  affections  on 
these  inferior  objects,  but  on  Him 
alone  who  is  able  to  satisfy  them. 
To  do  otherwise,  is  to  expose  our- 
selves to  dangerous  temptations,  and 
with  Eve,  to  eat  daily  of  the  forbid- 
den tree.  The  real  Christian  is  not 
intent  upon  worldly  concerns,  or  de- 
licious fare;  for  his  interior  eye  is  di- 
rected to  that  bread  which  endureth 


unto  eternal  life.  Nor  is  he  solicit- 
ous about  fine  and  fashior.aljle  ap- 
parel; aspiring  rather  after  robes  of 
divine  light,  and  the  raiment  of  glori- 
fied bodies.  In  short,  all  thinjrs  that 
please  the  natural  man  in  this  world, 
are,  to  a  true  Christian,  only  so  many 
crosses  and  temptations,  allurements 
of  sin  and  snares  of  death,  that  con- 
tinually exercise  his  virtue.  What- 
ever man  uses  without  the  fear  of 
God,  whatever  he  applies  to  the  mere 
gratifying  of  his  flesh,  cannot  fail  to 
operate  as  a  poison  to  the  soul,  how- 
ever pleasant  and  salutary  it  may  ap- 
pear to  be  to  the  body.  Yet,  so  far 
from  laboring  to  know  the  forbidden 
tree  of  worldly  pleasures  and  its  vari- 
ous fruits,  man  gives  himself  up  to  a 
careless  and  thoughtless  state  of  life, 
and  yields  to  the  lust  of  the  flesh,  not 
considering  that  this  lust  is  really  the 
forbidden  tree. 

5.  The  Christian,  on  the  other  hand, 
uses  all  things  in  the  fear  of  God,  and 
as  a  stranger  and  pilgrim  on  the  earth  ; 
avoiding  every  kind  of  excess  in  meat, 
drink,  apparel,  houses,  and  the  other 
things  of  this  life,  lest,  by  an  impro- 
per use  of  them,  he  should  offend  both 
his  Father  in  heaven,  and  his  fellow- 
Christians  upon  earth.  He  will  not  so 
much  as  gaze  on  the  forbidden  tree^  in 
order  that  he  may  not  be  ensnared ; 
but  Avith  the  eye  of  faith,  he  stead- 
fastly beholds  the  future  felicity  of 
the  soul,  and  for  the  sake  of  this 
felicity,  refuses  to  yield  to  the  crav- 
ings of  corrupt  nature.  What  does 
it  profit  the  body  that  in  this  world 
it  swims  in  lusts  and  pleasures,  w^hen, 
after  a  short  period,  it  must  be  de- 
voured by  w^orms,  and  stripped  of  all 
its  enjoyments  !  "  Xaked,"  says  Job, 
"  came  I  out  of  my  mother's  womb, 
and  naked  shall  I  return  thither." 
Job  1 :  21.    W^e  bring  into  the  world 


52 


TPtUE  CIIRISTiA^^ITY. 


[Book  T 


a  naked  and  infirm,  a  poor  and  indi- 
gent body;  and  even  this  is  the  spoil 
of  death  ;  for  when  we  pass  out  of  this 
world  we  leave  it  behind  us  forever. 

C.  Whatever  w^e  enjo}"  from  the  time 
of  our  birth  to  the  period  of  our  dis- 
solution, is  all  the  bread  of  mercy  and 
affliction,  and  designed  to  supply  the 
bare  w^ants  of  this  mortal  life.  At  the 
approach  of  death  all  is  taken  from  us 
again,  and  we  depart  out  of  the  world 
poorer  than  when  we  entered  it. 
When  man  enters  the  world,  he  brings 
with  him  life  and  a  body,  and  finds  the 
necessary  shelter,  meat,  and  drink  pro- 
vided for  him;  but,  after  existing  a 
short  time,  he  is,  in  a  moment,  bereft 
of  all,  and  leaves  behind  him  even  his 
body  and  his  life.  Consider  then,  O 
man  !  whether  there  can  be  an^^thing 
more  wretched  and  poor,  more  naked 
and  miserable,  than  man  when  he  dies, 
if  he  be  not  clothed  with  Christ's  right- 
eousness, and  enriched  in  his  God. 

7.  As,  therefore,  we  are  confessedly 
strangers  and  pilgrims  here,  and  at 
the  hour  of  dissolution  must  leave  be- 
hind us  every  earthly  enjoyment,  let 
us,  at  least,  cease  to  encumber  our 
souls  with  things  which  we  cannot 
carry  out  of  this  w^orld,  and  the  use 
of  which  is  resti'icted  to  this  life  only. 
Is  it  not  a  species  of  madness  to  heap 
up  riches  for  a  frail  body,  for  a  body 
which  we  must  leave  behind  us,  and 
which  cannot  possibly  enjoy  wealth 
hereafter?  Luke  12:20,21.  Are  w^e 
ignorant  that  ther^  is  another  and  a 
better  w'orld,  another  body  and  an- 
other life,  and  that,  whatever  we  may 
appear  in  the  sight  of  men,  we  are  in 
the  eye  of  God  only  strangers  and  so- 
journers on  the  earth?  Ps.  39  :  12 ; 
Lev.  25  :  23.  "Ye  are,"  saith  the  Lord, 
"  strangers  and  sojourners  with  me," 
that  is,  before  my  eyes,  although  ye 
may  not  remember  it.'' 


8.  If,  then,  we  are  strangers  and  so- 
journers, it  follows  that  our  country 
and  our  home  must  be  elsewhere.  This 
will  be  most  evident  to  us,  if  we  com- 
pare time  with  eternit^r,  the  visible 
wnth  the  invisible  world,  the  earthly 
tabernacle  with  the  heavenl}^,  and 
things  that  are  frail  and  perishing, 
with  those  that  are  lasting  and  eter- 
nal. Such  a  comparison  will  afford  us 
a  due  insight  into  time  and  eternity, 
and  lead  us  to  behold  with  the  eye  of 
faith,  such  things  as  remain  altogether 
unknown  to  the  unthinking  multitude. 
It  is  from  the  want  of  this  considera- 
tion, that  so  many  become  lax  and 
disorderly  in  their  manners,  wallow 
in  the  mire  of  earthly  pleasures,  and 
drown   themselves   in   avarice  and 
worldly  cares.    It  is  from  the  want 
of  this  reflection,  that  the  major  part 
of  mankind,  however  keen  and  shrewd 
in  the  pursuits  of  this  world,  are  blind 
and  insensible  to  the  concerns  of  the 
immortal  soul.    They  addict  them- 
selves so  much  to  this  life,  as  to  esteem 
it  to  be  the  most  delightful,  the  best 
and  noblest  of  all;  while  the  true 
Christian,  on  the  contrary,  accounts 
it  an  exile,  a  vale  of  tears,  a  place  of 
misery,  a  deep  and  dark  prison. 

9.  Hence  it  is  that  those  who  love 
this  world,  and  seek  their  happiness 
in  it,  do  not  excel  even  the  brute  cre- 
ation in  wisdom  or  understanding; 
and  as  they  live,  so  they  die  like 
beasts.  Ps.  49  :  12,  20.  They  are  to- 
tally blind  as  it  respects  the  inward 
man;  they  do  not  even  think  of 
heavenly  and  eternal  things ;  they 
never  rejoice  in  God,  but  only  in  the 
low  and  sordid  pleasures  afforded  by 
this  world.  It  is  in  earthly  things  that 
they  seek  their  rest  and  their  enjoy- 
ment; and  having  obtained  their  ob- 
ject after  much  labor  and  toil,  they  sit 
quietly  down  and  congratulate  them- 


Chap.  XYII.] 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


53 


selves  on  their  possessions.  Wretched, 
miserable  meti !  blind  and  insensible 
to  the  tremendous  concerns  of  their 
eternal  salvation  !  here,  they  lie  con- 
tentedly in  the  darkness  of  ignorance, 
soon  to  remove  hence  to  that  of  death 
and  damnation.  Luke  1  :  79. 

10.  In  order  to  our  better  acquaint- 
ance with  the  nature  of  our  pilgrim- 
age here,  we  should  unceasingly  con- 
sider the  example  left  us  by  the 
Redeemer,  and  earnestly  follow  him 
both  in  his  life  and  doctrine.  lie  hath 
set  us  an  unerring  pattern  of  universal 
holiness.  He  is  our  captain  and  our 
guide;  and  to  his  life  and  manners, 
our  lives  and  our  manners  should  be 
conformed.  Go  thou,  therefore,  and 
look  unto  him;  unto  him  who,  when 
the  greatest  of  all  men,  voluntarily 
chose  that  life  in  which  nothing  of 
greatness  appeared;  a  life  of  mean- 
ness, poverty,  and  conten)pt  of  honor, 
wealth,  and  pleasure,  the  threefold 
deity  of  this  world.  All  these  things, 
to  which  the  world  offers  sacrifice,  the 
Lord  contemned  ;  for  he  himself  said, 
"He  had  not  where  to  lay  his  head." 
Matt.  8  :  20. 

11.  Such,  likewise,  was  the  char- 
acter of  David ;  who,  before  his  ex- 
altation to  the  throne,  was  poor  and 
despised;  and  w^ho,  when  created 
king,  accounted  all  his  regal  splendor 
as  nothing  compared  with  eternal  life, 
and  the  kingdom  of  God,  to  which  he 
w^as  called.    "How  amiable,"  says  he, 

are  thy  tabernacles,  O  Lord  of  hosts! 
My  soul  longeth,  yea,  even  fainteth  for 
the  courts  of  the  Lord;  my  heart  and 
my  flesh  crieth  out  for  the  living  God." 
— "  A  day  in  thy  courts  is  better  than  a 
thousand."  Ps.  84.  As  if  he  had  said, 
I  possess  indeed  a  kingdom,  and  have 
people  subject  to  my  svvaj^;  I  possess 
kingly  palaces,  and  the  strong  hold  of 
Zion;  but  what  are  all  these  in  com- 


parison of  thy  tabernacle,  O  Lord  of 
hosts?  So,  too.  Job  found  comfort  in 
his  Redeemer.  Job.  19  :  25. 

12.  Neither  Peter,  nor  Paul,  nor  any 
of  the  apostles,  sought  the  riches  of 
this  life,  but  directed  their  attention 
to  those  which  were  laid  up  in  another 
and  better  world.  Hence  they  freely 
espoused  the  despised  life  of  Christ, 
walking  in  his  charity,  lowliness,  and 
patience;  contemning  the  earth,  and 
triumphing  over  the  world,  its  snares, 
and  its  allurements.  They  2:)rayed  for 
those  who  cursed  them;  they  thanked 
those  who  reproached  them;  they 
blessed  those  who  reviled  them.  1 
Cor.  4:12;  Acts  5:41.  When  they 
were  persecuted,  they  glorified  God; 
when  scourged,  they  were  immovably 
patient,  professing  that"  through  much 
tribulation  they  must  enter  into  the 
kingdom  of  God"  (Acts  14:22);  and 
when  slaughtered,  thej^  praj^ed  (with 
Christ  their  Head),  "Father,  forgive 
them"  (Luke  23:34);  "lay  not  this 
sin  to  their  charge."  Acts  7  :  60.  Thus 
were  they,  on  the  one  hand,  dead  to 
all  wrath  and  revenge;  to  bitterness, 
ambition,  and  pride;  to  the  love  of 
the  world,  and  of  their  own  life  also; 
while,  on  the  other,  they  lived  in 
Christ  and  in  his  love,  in  his  meek- 
ness and  humility,  his  patience  and 
his  resignation.  They  are,  indeed, 
made  alive  in  Christ  by  faith,  who 
thus  live. 

13.  To  a  lover  of  the  world,  this 
excellent  way  of  life  is  unknown;  for 
with  regard  to  those  who  do  not  live 
in  Christ,  nor  know  that  the  truth  is 
in  him,  these  are  still  dead  in  their 
sins;  dead  in  wrath  and  hatred,  in 
envy  and  avarice,  in  pride  and  re- 
venge ;  and  as  long  as  they  so  con- 
tinue, they  are  in  a  state  of  impeni- 
tence, and  have  not  been  quickened 
by  faith  in  Jesus,  be  their  boasting 


54 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  I. 


what  it  may.  But  the  genuine  dis- 
ciples of  Christ  know  it  to  be  a  duty 
to  follow  the  steps  of  their  divine 
Master  (1  Pet.  2:21),  and  to  be  con- 
formed to  his  life,  as  the  supreme  and 
original  pattern  of  all  virtue  and  good- 
ness. In  a  word,  the  life  of  Christ  is 
their  exemplar;  he  himself  is  their 
hool:,  whence  they  derive  all  solid  and 
substantial  learning,  as  it  respects  both 
life  and  doctrine.  Such  persons  declare 
with  the  apostle,  "We  look  not  at  the 
things  which  are  seen,  but  at  the  things 
which  are  not  seen;  for  the  things 
which  are  seen  are  temporal,  but  the 
things  which  are  not  seen  are  eternal." 
2  Cor.  4  :  8.  And  with  holy  men  of  old 
they  unite  in  saying,  "Here  have  we 
no  continuing  city,  but  we  seek  one  to 
come."  Ileb.  13  : 14. 

14.  If,  then,  from  a  review  of  all 


these  considerations,  it  evidently  ap- 
pear, as  it  surely  does,  that  in  this 
world  we  are  strangers  and  have  no 
abiding  place,  it  follows  that  we  were 
not  created  for  the  sake  of  earthly 
things  as  the  ultimate  end  of  our 
being;  but  that  there  remain  for  us 
another  country  and  other  dwellings, 
to  gain  which  we  ought  not  to  hesitate 
to  sacrifice  a  hundred  worlds,  or  even 
life  itself.  These  are  subjects  upon 
which  the  true  Christian  continually 
meditates  with  pleasure;  and  it  is  his 
joy  that  here  he  has  no  continuing 
city,  but  is  created  for  life  eternal. 
But  how  sad  is  the  state  of  those  who, 
occupied  wholly  in  rjursuing  the  things 
of  this  life,  lade  their  souls  with  a 
crushing  weight  of  worldly  vanities, 
and  thereby  expose  them  to  endless 
perdition 


C  PI  AFTER  XVIII. 

SHOWING  HOW  GREATLY  GOD  IS  OFFENDED,  WHEN  iMAN  PREFERS  THINGS  THAT  ARE 
TEMPORAL  TO  THOSE  THAT  ARE  ETERNAL;  AND  HOW  GREAT  THE  EVIL  IS,  WHEN 
OUR  AFFECTIONS  CLEAVE  TO  THE  CREATURE  AND  NOT  TO  THE  CREATOR. 

And  the  anger  of  the  Lord  v)as  kindled ;  and  the  fire  of  the  Lord  burnt  among  them^ 
and  consumed  them^  etc. — Numb.  11:1. 


MANY  there  are,  in  our  day,  who, 
under  cover  of  religion,  seek 
after  earthly  and  carnal  things;  who 
use  moi'e  diligence  to  become  great 
and  aflQucnt  by  the  gospel,  than  to  be 
good  and  happy.  They  love  "  the 
praise  of  men,  more  than  the  praise 
of  God."  John  12  :  43.  They  choose 
rather  to  gratify  the  flesh  in  its  sinful 
propensities,  than  to  bring  it  down 
into  true  repentance  and  broken ness 
of  spirit.    But  the  character  of  the 


true  Christian  is  of  an  opposite  kind. 
He  is  more  concerned  about  eternal 
than  temporal  things;  he  seeks  the 
glory  that  endureth,  more  than  that 
which  passeth  away;  he  thirsts  after 
heavenly  and  invisible  riches,  and  not 
after  those  that  are  earthly  and  visible. 
In  short,  he  mortifies  and  crucifies  the 
flesh,  in  order  that  the  spirit  may  live.j 
2.  The  sum  of  Christianity  is  to  fol- 
low Christ.  Hence,  it  should  be  our 
chief  care    to   imitate  the  example 


Chap.  XVIII.] 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


55 


which  he  has  left  us.  Our  thoughts 
and  actions,  our  desires  and  labors, 
sliould  all  terminate  in  the  attain- 
ment of  this  one  thing  needful^  how  we 
may  come  to  Christ ;  how  be  saved  by, 
and  united  with  him  to  all  eternit}^ 

3.  Never  should  we  cease  to  consider 
that  endless  felicity  to  which  we  are 
called;  but  cheerfully  await  the  dis- 
solution of  our  earthly  bodies^  and  a 
translation  to  that  inheritance  wiiich 
is  reserved  in  heaven  for  us. 

4.  By  these  means,  which  habituate 
the  soul  more  and  more  to  the  pres- 
ence of  God,  there  is  begotten  in  man 
a  holy  thirst  after  eternal  things ; 
while  a  desire  after  earthly  objects, 
which  is  insatiable  in  its  nature,  is  at 
the  same  time  powerfully  restrained. 
This  is  taught  by  St.  Paul  in  that 
precious  saying:  "  Whatsoever  ye  do 
in  word  or  deed,  do  all  in  the  name  of 
the  Lord  Jesus,  giving  thanks  to  God 
and  the  Father  by  him."  Col.  3  : 17. 

5.  The  name  of  God,  in  which  all 
things  are  to  be  done,  is  the  honor, 
praise,  and  glory  of  God.  Ps.  48  :  10. 
To  this  great  end  of  human  life,  all 
our  works  should  tend;  for  then  it  is 
that  they  are  wrought  in  God  (John 
3  :  21),  and  will  follow  us  into  a 
blessed  eternity.  Rev.  14  :  13. 

6.  In  a  w^ord.  Almighty  God,  our 
chief  and  sovereign  Good  should  be 
the  principle  and  end  of  all  our  designs, 
if  we  would  not  fail  of  eternal  salva- 
tion. Hence  St.  Paul  says,  "  But  thou, 
O  man  of  God,  flee  these  things"  (1 
Tim.  6:11);  namely,  covetousness  and 
the  love  of  the  world.  He  calls  the 
Christian,  "  a  man  of  God,"  because 
he  is  born  of  God,  and  lives  in  God, 
and  therefore  is  the  son  and  heir  of 
God;  as,  on  the  other  hand,  a  man  of 
the  world,  is  one  who  lives  in  con- 
formity to  the  w^orld,  wdio  "has  his 
portion  in  this  life,  and  whose  belly 


is  filled  with  the  hid  treasure"  of 
the  earth.  Psal.  17:14.  From  these 
snares  the  Christian  is  required  care- 
fully to  flee,  and  to  follow  after  right- 
eousness, godliness,  faith,  love,  pa- 
tience, meekness  ;  and  to  lay  hold  on 
eternal  life,  whereunto  he  is  called. 

7.  When  a  man  refuses  to  be  guided 
by  these  salutary  maxims,  he  falls  of 
necessity  into  every  kind  of  enormous 
and  presumptuous  sin,. and  will  at  last 
be  punished  with  eternal  fire.  See,  for 
an  illustration,  Numb..  11:1. 

8.  Inundations  and  w^ar,  famine, 
pestilence,  and  conflagrations,  are,  it 
should  be  remembered,  punishments 
inflicted  by  God,  on  account  of  our 
preferring  things  temporal  to  things 
eternal;  and  because  we  are  more  care- 
ful of  a  weak  and  perishing  body,  than 
we  are  of  an  imperishable,  immortal 
soul.  All  this  betra3's  the  highest  in- 
gratitude, and  an  open  contempt  of 
the  blessed  God,  deserving  to  be  visited 
with  punishments,  both  here  and  here- 
after. For,  does  not  man  by  such  con- 
duct set  aside  an  almighty,  eternal 
Being,  from  whom  he  derives  both  his 
body  and  his  soul;  and  convert  an  im- 
potent creature  into  an  idol,  to  which 
he  surrenders  his  love  and  affection  ? 
He  w^ho  loves  the  creature  more  than 
the  Creator,  and  things  transitory 
more  than  those  wdjich  are  eternal, 
offers  surely  the  highest  possible  af- 
front to  his  Maker,  and  opposes  the 
great  design  of  the  Christian  religion. 

9.  It  is  no  doubt  true,  that  all  the 
creatures  of  God  are  good  in  them- 
selves; but  when  men  begin  to  set 
their  affections  on  then),  and  by  their 
irregular  love  to  convert  them,  as  it 
were,  into  idols,  they  then  become  an 
abomination  in  the  sight  of  God,  and 
are  justly  ranked  among  the  most 
odious  imaijres  of  gold  and  silver. 

10.  What  else  can  result  from  a 


56 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  1. 


carnal  love  of  the  world  but  hell 
and  djinmiition !  Consider  the  case 
of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah  (Gen.  19 :  2A), 
and  the  one  in  Numb.  11:  1,  already 
nkcntioned.  These  are  illustrations  of 
the  eternal  fire  and  damnation  which 
must  follow  a  rejection  of  God. 

11.  The  love  and  joy,  the  wealth 
and  honors  of  the  true  Christian,  are 
circumscribed  only  by  eternity  itself; 
for,  "where  his  ^/vrtswrc  is,  there  will  his 
heart  be  also."  Luke  12  :  34.  From  the 
lust  and  love  of  the  world,  on  the  con- 
trary, nothing  can  result  but  eternal 
damnation.  "  The  world  passeth  away 
and  the  lust  thereof;  but  he  thatdoeth 
the  will  of  God  abideth  forever"  (1 
John  2:  17) :  and  hence,  St.  John  calls 
upon  the  faithful  entirel}^  to  withdraw 
their  affections  from  the  world ;  say- 
ing, "Love  not  the  world,  neither  the 
•things  that  are  in  the  world."  1  John 
2:15.  These  and  similar  considera- 
tions powerfully  convince  us,  that  God 
will  not  permit  us  to  fix  our  affections 
on  any  creature  whatsoever. 

12.  But  this  will  more  fully  appear 
from  the  following  reflections: 

I.  Love  is  the  very  heart  of  a  man, 
and  the  noblest  of  all  his  affections; 
hence,  it  is  due  to  God  only,  as  the 
supreme  object,  and  sovereign  Good. 

II.  It  is  absolute  folly  to  love  tem- 
poral things,  which  cannot  love  us; 
whereas  the  infinitel}^  blessed  God  de- 
serves to  be  loved  alone,  since  from  a 
pure  principle  of  love,  he  created  us 
unto  eternal  life,  and  hath,  to  the  same 
purpose,  redeemed  and  sanctified  us. 

III.  Like  things  are  naturally  loved 
by  their  li/ie.  Hence,  God  made  us 
after  his  own  image,  in  order  that  we 
might  love  Ilim;  and  that,  next  to 
himself,  we  might  love  our  neighbor, 
created  after  the  same  image. 

lY.  The  human  soul  resembles  a 


mirror,  representing  eveiy  object  in- 
differently that  is  placed  before  it, 
whether  it  be  of  heaven  or  of  earth. 
Therefore  turn  thy  soul  wholly  and 
onl}'-  to  God,  that  this  image  may  be 
fully  expressed  in  it. 

Y.  The  patriarch  Jacob,  when  dwell- 
ing in  Mesopotamia,  far  removed  from 
his  native  soil,  never  abandoned  his 
purpose  to  return,  and,  at  length,  after 
twenty  j'cars'  service,  demanded  his 
wives  and  wages;  and,  cheered  by  the 
recollection  of  the  place  of  his  na- 
tivity, returned  thither.  So  should 
thy  soul,  amidst  the  various  engage- 
ments of  this  life,  and  the  hurry  of 
outward  emploj'ments,  long  without 
ceasing  after  thy  heavenly  fatherland. 

YI.  Man  is  made  either  better  or 
worse  by  that  which  he  loves.  He 
that  loves  God,  partakes  freely  of  the 
divine  virtue  and  goodness  that  re- 
side in  Him  ;  but  he  that  loves  the 
world,  is  defiled  with  all  those  sins 
and  evils  which  attend  it. 

Yll.  AVhen  King  Nebuchadnezzar 
(Dan.  4  :  33)  was  too  much  controlled 
by  the  love  of  the  world,  he  lost,  the 
very  form  of  a  man,  and  degenerated 
into  that  of  a  beast.  So  all  men,  blot- 
ting from  their  hearts  the  image  and 
love  of  God,  are  transformed,  as  it  re- 
spects their  inward  man,  into  the  na- 
ture of  brutes.  For  surely  those  who 
wholly  surrender  themselves  to  the 
love  of  this  world,  are  no  better. 

YIII.  Lastly,  that  which  a  man  has 
loved  here,  and  carried  about  in  his 
heart,  shall  be  manifested  in  him  here- 
after; and  with  this  he  shall  associate 
himself  forever,  whether  it  be  God  or 
the  world.  If  the  world  have  been  the 
object  of  his  love  in  this  life,  it  will 
never  leave  him  hereafter,  but  will 
prove  his  death  and  his  tormentor  to 
all  eternity. 


Chap.  XIX.] 


TRUE  CnEISTIANITY. 


57 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

HE  WHO  IS  MOST  OF  ALL  CONSCIOUS  OF  HIS  MISERY,  IS  MOST  OF  ALL  ACCEPTA- 
BLE TO  god;  and  his  christian  KNOWLEDGE  OF  HIS  MISERY,  URGES  HIM 
TO  SEEK  THE  GRACE  OF  GOD. 

To  this  man  will  I  look,  even  to  him  that  is  poor  and  of  a  contrite  spirit,  and  trembletk  at  my 

xcord. — IsAiAU  GO  :  2. 


THESE  comfortable  words,  our  gra- 
cious and  mercital  God  hath 
spoken  by  the  prophet,  in  order  to 
cheer  our  hearts,  when  they  are  most 
oppressed  with  misery  and  sorrow. 
Be  not  thou  therefore  ashamed  to  be 
bruised  in  spirit,  and  abased  in  thine 
own  eyes.  Humble  thyself  in  the 
dust,  and  deem  thyself  unworthy  of 
all  irrace  and  favor:  so  shalt  thou  be 
raised  out  of  thine  own  vileness,  and 
obtain,  in  Christ,  acceptance  w^ith  Al- 
might}^  God. 

2.  He  who  is  still  something  in  his 
own  estimation,  is  not  duly  humbled 
and  depi-essed  in  his  heart;  nor  can 
he  expect  to  be  regarded  by  that  Be- 
ing who  looks  upon  the  poor  and  con- 
trite ones  only.  ''If,"  says  the  apostle, 
"a  man  think  himself  to  be  something, 
when  he  is  nothing,  he  deceiveth  him- 
self" (Gal.  6:3):  and  the  reason  of 
this  is,  that  God  is  all  in  all,  alone; 
and  the  creature  must  consequently 
become  a  bare  and  empty  nothing.  So 
great  and  so  practical  is  this  truth, 
that  man  is  not  only  to  believe  it  in 
his  heart,  but  to  express  it  in  his  life 
and  conduct. 

3.  If  ever  thou  designest,  then,  to 
give  all  glory  and  all  honor  to  God, 
that  He  may  be  all,  alone,  thou  must 
surely  thyself  become  nothing  in  thine 
own  eyes;  and  entertain  a  very  low 
opinion  of  thyself,  and  of  thy  profiting 
iu  spiritual  things.   For  how  is  it  pos- 


sible that  God  should  be  all  in  all, 
whilst  thou  thyself  continuest  to  be 
something?  'By  this  self  exaltation  thou 
invadest  the  sovereignty  of  God,  and 
appropriatest  that  to  thj'self,  which  is 
his  proper  due  and  prerogative.  "It 
was  before  the  Lord,''  said  David  to 
Michal,  who  had  reproached  him,  "and 
I  will  yet  be  more  vile  than  tlius,  and 
will  be  base  in  mine  own  sight."  2 
Sam.  6:21,  22. 

4.  A  man  that  will  be  something,  is 
the  matter  out  of  which  God  is  wont 
to  make  nothing ;  but  he,  on  the  con- 
trary, who  loves  to  be  reputed  as  noth- 
ing, and  who,  in  his  own  judgment,  is 
so,  is  the  matter  out  of  which  the  Al- 
mighty maketh  something.  He  that 
w^ill  be  wise  in  his  own  opinion,  is  the 
matter  out  of  which  God  maketh  a 
fool;  and  he  who  is  truly  sensible  of 
his  own  folly  and  nothingness,  is  that 
of  w^hich  God  forms  a  wise  and  great 
man.  He  who,  before  the  Lord,  sin- 
cerely confesses  himself  to  be  the 
greatest  and  most  miserable  of  sin- 
ners, is,  in  the  sight  of  God,  the  first 
and  greatest  of  all  men.  He  who  be- 
lieves himself  to  be  the  chief  sinners^ 
shall  be  honored  by  the  Lord  as  the 
chief  of  sa/nfs.  Matt.  23: 12;  Luke  1:52. 

5.  This  is  that  humility  which  God 
exalts ;  that  misery  which  he  regards ; 
that  nothing  from  which  he  createth 
something.  And  as,  at  the  creation,  the 
glorious  frame  of  heaven  and  earth  was 


68 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  I. 


brought  foi-tli  out  of  nothing,  so  must 
man  bo  reduced  to  a  deep  sense  of  his 
vileness  and  nothingness,  if  ever  he  be 
exulted  to  glory  and  to  dignity. 

6.  Reflect  upon  the  example  of 
David,  whose  misery  God  beheld,  and 
to  whom  he  granted  the  richest  gifts 
of  his  grace.  Consider,  again,  the  ex- 
ample of  Jacob,  who  confessed,  "I  atn 
not  worthy  of  the  least  of  all  thy  mer- 
cies." Gen.  32:  10. 

7.  But  above  all,  lay  to  heart  the  ex- 
ample of  Christ,  the  grand  and  blame- 
less pattern  of  a  Christian,  lie  was 
abased  below  the  meanest  of  men  ;  Avas 
made  a  worm  and  a  curse  for  our  sake 
(Ps.  22:6),  despised  and  rejected  of 
men.  Isaiah  53:3.  But  the  lower  he 
sunk,  the  higher  did  he  afterwards 
rise,  w^hen  he  received  a  name  which 
is  above  every  name. 

8.  But  w^ho  is  that  blessed  and  lowly 
one  who  is  nothing  in  his  own  ej'es? 
It  is  he  who  inwardly  and  in  his  heart 
esteems  himself  worthy  of  no  divine 
benefit,  wdiether  bodily  or  spiritual. 
For  he  that  arrogates  anj'thing  to 
himself,  esteems  himself  to  be  some- 
thing;  and  is,  therefore,  the  farthest 
removed  from  divine  grace  and  from 
this  new  creation.  So  destructive  is 
the  spirit  of  self,  that  it  renders  even 
grace  of  no  effect,  and  shuts  out  that 
which  contains  all  things  in  it.  For 
if  a  man  judge  himself  worthy  of  any- 
thing, he  then  does  not  take  all  things 
as  a  free  gift  from  the  hands  of  God. 
Whatever  we  are,  however,  is  of  grace 
and  not  merit;  nor  can  Ave  call  any- 
thing our  own,  except  our  sins,  our 
helplessness,  and  our  misery.  All  else 
belongs  to  God. 

9.  A  man  considered  in  himself,  that 
is,  independently  of  God,  by  w^iom  he 
subsists,  is  no  more  than  a  shadow. 
And  as  the  shadow  of  a  tree  con- 
stantly conforms  to  the  tree  on  which 


it  depends,  so  should  man  conform 
to  the  will  of  God  from  w^jom  he 
has  his  very  life  and  being;  as  the 
apostle  says:  "In  him  we  live,  and 
move,  and  have  our  being."  Acts  17: 
28.  It  is  true,  the  fruit  will  some- 
times appear  in  the  shadow  of  the 
tree;  yet  it  does  not  therefore  belong 
to  the  shadow,  but  to  the  tree  :  so  all 
the  good  fruits  that  may  appear  in 
thy  life  and  conduct,  are  not  the  pro-  j 
duce  of  thy  OAvn  self  and  thy  ability, 
but  of  God  alone,  who  is  the  original 
source  whence  all  good  fruits  proceed. 
And  as  the  apple  grows  not  from  that 
gross  substance  the  wood,  which  is 
seen  by  the  eye,  but  from  the  seminal 
virtue  Avhich  the  tree  contains,  and  j 
w^hich  is  made  active  from  above ;  so 
the  new  man,  and  the  fruit  he  bears, 
spring  not  up  from  an3'thing  that  is 
gross  and  visible  to  the  eye,  but  from 
a  supernatural  and  invisible  seed. 

10.  Now,  man  is  by  nature  a  dry 
tree;  but  God  is  his  strength,  whereby 
life  is  renewed  in  him,  and  he  himself 
is  made  fat  and  green  in  the  house  of 
God.  God  is  the  "strength  of  our 
life"  (Psal.  27:  1),  says  the  Psalmist: 
and  hence  we  "shall  bring  forth  much 
fruit  whilst  we  abide  in  Christ."  John 
15:5. 

11.  When  a  man  is  thus  wretched 
and  poor  in  his  own  e^^es,  and  has 
nothing  in  the  world  in  which  to 
trust  but  the  pure  grace  of  God,  mani- 
fested in  Christ  Jesus,  then  God  gra- 
ciously "looks  upon  him."  This  di- 
vine regard  inust  be  understood  in  a 
divine  sense.  The  look  or  counte- 
nance of  God,  is  not  as  the  counte- 
nance of  men,  destitute  of  life  and 
virtue:  but  it  is  accompanied  w^ith  a 
living  power  and  influence  that  sup- 
ports and  revives  the  faint  and  peni- 
tent sinner.  And  as  none  but  the 
humble  and  contrite  are  capable  of 


CuAP.  XIX.] 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


69 


this  heavenly  regard ;  so  the  more 
fully  they  receive  the  consolation 
which  God  grants,  the  less  do  ihcy 
think  themselves  worthy  of  it.  Such 
a  one  deems  himself  unworthy  of  all 
blessings  divine  and  temporal.  lie 
says  Avith  Jacob,  "I  am  not  worthy 
of  the  least  of  all  the  mercies,  and  of 
all  the  truth  which  thou  hast  shewed 
unto  thy  servant:"  for  behold,  since 
thou  gavest  me  thy  Son  Jesus  Christ, 
I  come  with  two  bands,  with  the 
blessings  of  grace  and  of  glory.  Gen. 
32  :  10.  And  truly,  if  a  man  should 
weep  a  sea  of  tears,  it  were  by  no 
means  sufficient  to  purchase  or  de- 
serve the  least  part  of  heavenly  com- 
fort :  the  grace  of  God  cannot  be 
merited  by  men,  who  deserve  nothing 
but  wrath  and  eternal  damnation. 

12.  AVhoever  thus  acquaints  himself 
in  faith  with  his  own  miser}',  is  truly 
one  of  those  poor  and  contrite  men, 
to  whom  the  Lord  graciously  looks. 
Without  this  previous  brokenness  of 
heart,  man  cannot  expect  to  enjoy 
this  blessed  aspect  of  God,  nor  indeed 
that  grace  and  kindness  which  is 
promised  to  the  poor  in  spirit  only. 
In  this  weakness  and  poverty  the 
apostle  glories,  when  he  says :  "  If  I 
must  needs  glory,  1  will  glory  of  the 
thinfjs  which  concern  mine  infirmities" 
(2  Cor.  11 :30) :  and  he  adds  the  reason  : 
"that  the  power  of  Christ  may  rest 
upon  me."  2  Cor.  12  :  9.  For  so  great 
indeed  is  the  mercy  of  God,  that  he 
will  not  see  the  work  of  his  hands  de- 
stroyed :  but  the  weaker  the  creature 
is  in  itself,  the  more  is  it  sustained  by 
the  power  of  an  Almighty  Being. 
For  in  the  weakness  of  the  creature, 
the  power  of  God  is  exalted,  as  the 
Lord  declared  unto  Paul :  "  My  grace 
is  sufficient  for  thee ;  for  my  strength 

made  perfect  in  weakness." 

13.  The  more  vile  and  miserable 


therefore  a  Christian  is  in  his  own 
opinion,  the  more  freely  God  looks 
upon  him,  to  the  greater  manifesta- 
tion of  the  riches  of  his  glory.  And 
in  bestowing  this  heavenly  consola- 
tion, he  does  not  look  at  all  on  man's 
merit,  but  barely  on  his  want  and 
poverty.  And  this  comfort  can  in  no 
degree  be  compared  with  any  human 
comfort,  all  which  it  infinitely  ex- 
ceeds. In  such  a  sense,  then,  God 
looks  to  the  contrite  man  and  com- 
forts his  spirit. 

14.  By  "the  poor  and  contrite 
man,"  is  not  to  be  understood,  a  man 
that  is  poor  in  the  outw^ard  sense  of 
the  word,  or  who  is  altogether  desti- 
tute of  human  help  and  relief;  but  he 
is  the  poor  man,  who  labors  under  the 
load  of  his  sins,  and  is  grieved  for 
them.  If  sin  were  not  in  the  world, 
there  could  be  no  misery:  but  now  so 
much  misery  cannot  befall  a  man,  but 
that  he  is  still  w^orthy  of  much  more. 
Ps.  103  :  10.  Far  be  it  therefore  from  us 
to  grieve,  because  we  have  not  many 
temporal  benefits  conferred  upon  us; 
since  w^e  are  not  worthy  even  of  the 
least  of  them,  no,  not  of  life  itself. 
Our  flesh  and  blood  may  think  this  a 
hard  sajang;  yet  every  penitent  sin- 
ner ought  to  be  a  severe  judge  in  his 
own  case,  and  ought  not  to  make  the 
least  allowance  to  his  carnal  propensi- 
ties. This  is  the  order  in  which  we 
are  to  obtain  God's  favor  and  mercy. 

15.  And  what  has  man  now  left  to 
boast  of,  or  what  lan<>;ua^j:e  shall  he 
employ  when  he  opens  his  mouth? 
The  best  course  he  can  take  will  be  to 
say  simply,  "Lord,  I  have  sinned; 
have  thou  mercy  upon  me!"  And, 
truly,  God  himself  requires  no  more 
from  a  man  than  that  he  humbly  de- 

I  plore  his  sin,  and  in  the  unfeigned 
language  of  repentance  pray  for  par- 
don.   Whoever  neglects  this,  may  be 


60 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  I 


said  to  have  slighted  the  best  and 
most  needful  part  of  his  being,  Weep 
not  therefore,  O  Man!  on  account  of 
thy  boihj^  that  it  is  naked  and  sick, 
pinched  with  hunger  and  cold,  in- 
sulted and  persecuted;  or  because  it 
is  confined  by  bonds  and  a  prison: 
but  humbfe  thyself  before  the  Lord, 
and  bewail  the  woful  condition  of 
thy  soul,  which  is  constrained  to 
dwell  in  so  wretched  a  house  as  thy 
body  is,  a  house  of  sin  and  death. 
"O  wretched  man,"  says  the  apostle, 
"  who  shall  deliver  me  from  the  body 
of  this  death?"  Rom.  7:24.  This 
free  and  Christian  acknowledgment 
of  thine  own  inward  misery,  this 
godly  sorrow,  this  thirst  after  divine 
grace,  this  faith  leaning  on  Christ 
alone,  open,  in  Christ,  the  door  of 
grace,  by  which  God  enters  into  thy 
soul.  "  Be  zealous,  therefore,  and  re- 
pent. Behold,  I  stand,"  saith  the 
Lord,  ''at  the  door  and  knock;  if  any 
man  hear  my  voice,  and  open  the 
door,  I  will  come  in  to  him,  and  sup 
with  him,  and  he  with  me "  (Rev. 
8  :  20)  :  which  supper  is  nothing  else 
than  the  remission  of  sin,  attended 
with  heavenly  comfort,  with  life  and 
blessedness.  This  is  the  door  of  faith 
(Acts  14  :  27),  through  which  the 
Lord,  at  the  right  time,  enters  into 
the  soul ;  and  after  the  day  of  toil  and 
sorrow  is  over,  refreshes  her  with  the 


light  of  his  countenance.    Then  it  is 
that   "  mercy  and   truth   meet  to 
gether;  righteousness  and  peace  kiss 
each  other;  that  truth  springs  out  ol 
the  earth,  and  righteousness  looks 
down  from  heaven."  Ps.  85  :  10,  11 
Then  it  is  that  the  woman,  that  pooil 
sinner,  but  now  a  penitent,  anointf 
the  feet  of  her  Lord,  w^ashes  then 
with  tears,  and  wipes  them  with  th( 
hairs  of  her  head,  expressing  thereb} 
all  the  marks  of  an  unfeigned  anc 
deep  humility.  Luke  7:37.    Then  ii 
is,  that  the  spiritual  priest  (Rev.  1 :  6) 
in  the  holy  ornaments  of  faith,  offen 
up  the  true  sacrifice,  even  a  broker 
and  lowly  spirit,  wnth  the  incense  of  ; 
true  contrition  and  prayer.  Ps.  51  :  19,; 
Then  it  is  that  the  true  sanctified^ 
water  of  purifying  (Numb.  8:7)  isji 
applied, — the  tears  which  grief  for  sir' 
caused  to  flow;  and  now,  through 
faith  and  by  the  power  of  the  blood 
of  Christ,  the  spiritual  Israelite  i^ 
washed  and  cleansed. 

16.  And  thus,  O  Christian !  is  seen 
how  by  the  sense  of  thy  own  misery, 
and  by  faith  in  Christ  attending  it.j, 
thou  mayest  attain  the  grace  and! 
favor  of  God.  To  conclude,  the  more 
wretched  and  miserable  any  one  is  in 
his  own  judgment,  the  more  dearly  he 
is  beloved  of  God,  and  the  more  gra-j 
cious  is  the  regard  which  the  Lord 
will  bestow  upon  him. 


;hap.  XX.]  TEUfi  CIIBISTIANITY.  CI 


CHAPTER  XX. 

L  TRULY  CHRISTIAN  SORROW  FOR  SIN  PROMOTES  THE  DAILY  AMENDMENT  OF 
THE  LIFE  OF  MAN,  MAKES  IIIM  MEET  FOR  THE  KINGDOM  OF  GOD,  AND  FITS 
HIM,  IN  AN  INCREASING  DEGREE,  FOR  ETERNAL  LIFE. 

Jodly  sorrow  worketh  repentance  to  salvation  not  to  he  repented  of :  hut  the  sorrow  of  the  world 
I  worketh  death. — 2  CoR.  7  :  10. 


rRUE  Christianity  consists  solely 
in  pure  faith,  love,  and  a  holy  life, 
'his  holiness  of  life  springs  from  true 
cpentance,  sorrow,  and  self-knowl- 
dge;  so  that  a  man  not  only  more 
ind  more  feels  his  failings  and  imper- 
)ctions,  but  amends  them  also,  and, 
h  this  order,  partakes  of  the  right- 
'ousness  and  holiness  of  Christ  by 
lith.  1  Cor.  1  :  30. 

2.  But  in  order  to  regulate  the 
rand  work  of  salvation  with  the  bet- 
3r  order  and  care,  thou  oughtest  now 

0  walk  in  a  submissive  and  filial  fear 
f  God,  guarding  against  all  that  would 
^ratify  the  flesh.  "All  things  are  law- 
il,"  says  the  apostle,  "but  all  things 
re  not  expedient"  (1  Cor.  6:12); 
iat  is,  "  all  things  edify  not."  1  Cor. 
J :  23.  As  a  dutiful  child,  confined  to 
le  father's  house,  does  not  so  much 
s  attempt  to  follow  his  own  humor 

1  everything;  but,  unwilling  to  of- 
;nd  his  parent,  observes  his  will  and 
ieasure:  so  a  true  Christian  and  child 
r  God  will  behave  himself  in  his 

'  ather's  house,  in  so  careful  a  man- 
3r,  as  not  to  allow  his  senses  any  un- 
wful  liberty.  He  will  neither  do  nor 
)eak  anything  without  consulting 
ist  his  Father  in  heaven,  under 
hose  eye  he  constantly  lives,  know- 
g  that  He  is  everywhere  present, 
o.  Most  men  live  without  any  fear 
God,  freely  indulging  themselves 
I  worldly  pleasures  and  satisfaction. 


They  will  not  consider  that  it  is  far 
better  to  have  a  constant  fear  of  God 
fixed  in  the  heart,  than  a  constant  joy 
of  the  world.  For  as  the  fear  of  God 
is  the  beginning  of  wisdom,  and  begets 
a  serious  frame  of  mind;  so  the  joy 
of  this  world  extinguishes  all  good  im- 
pressions, and  banishes  true  wisdom 
out  of  the  heart,  together  with  all 
godly  fear  and  devotion. 

4.  By  daily  repentance  and  mortifi- 
cation of  the  flesh,  man  is  daily  re- 
newed in  God's  image;  for  "though 
our  outward  man  perish,  yet  the  in- 
ward man  is  renewed  day  b}"  day"  (2 
Cor.  4  :  16) ;  and  often,  in  the  midst  of 
his  sorrows,  is  he  visited  with  a  taste 
of  heavenly  joy  and  sweetness.  Where- 
as, the  pleasure  and  joy  of  the  world 
are  always  attended  with  heaviness 
of  heart,  and  an  inward  sting  of  a 
wounded  conscience.  If  the  people 
were  but  more  sensible  of  the  melan- 
choly effects  resulting  from  Avorldly 
pleasure,  and  particularly  of  that 
damp  which  it  puts  ujoon  heavenly 
comfort,  they  would  certainly  dread 
all  loose  and  worldly  enjoyments: 
since  thereby  the  grace  of  devotion  is 
quenched,  and  the  soul  diverted  from 
those  purer  pleasures  which  the  Gos- 
pel of  Christ  affords. 

5.  There  are  two  things  which  pre- 
vent those  who  seriously  consider 
them  from  being  influenced  either  by 
worldly  pleasures  or  outward  calani- 


62 


TEUE  CHRISTIAmTY. 


[Book  I 


ities.  The  one  is,  the  eternal  pain  of 
the  damned;  whoever  earnestly  pon- 
ders it,  will  almost  find  it  impossible 
to  be  thoroughly  merry  after  the  way 
of  the  world.  The  other  is,  the  eternal 
joy  of  the  blessed  in  heaven.  Whoever 
has  a  sound  apprehension  of  so  happy 
a  state,  will  never  bo  greatly  moved 
with  the  calamities  of  the  present  life; 
and  this  arises  from  the  consideration 
of  the  eternity  of  those  divine  enjoy- 
ments. But  60  great  is  the  levity  of 
our  hearts,  that  it  hinders  us  from  an}^ 
serious  reflection  on  so  important  a 
subject.  And  hence  it  is  no  wonder 
that  we  are  both  without  this  Avliole- 
somc  contrition  and  sorrow,  and  igno- 
rant of  all  celestial  joys  and  comforts. 

6.  It  is  the  p:*erogative  of  a  true 
Christian  to  be,  on  the  one  hand,  but 
sparingly,  if  at  all,  moved  with  earthly 
things,  or  temporal  advantages;  and, 
on  the  other,  to  be  the  more  deeply  im- 
pressed with  the  joys  of  God,  and  of 
life  eternal.  Keither  is  he  immoder- 
ately dejected  in  the  present  advei'S- 
ities  that  may  befall  him;  but  the  loss 
of  the  soul  grieves  him  to  his  vcvy 
heart,  and  he  counts  it  worthy  of  long 
lamentation.  As  for  the  perishing 
comfort  of  this  life,  he  knows  it  can- 
not be  called  a  loss,  since  he  shall  re- 
ceive a  thousand-fold  for  it  in  the  world 
to  come.  But  when  a  soul  is  once  cast 
away,  it  can  never  be  restored. 

7.  Blessed  is  the  man  who  is  affected 
Avilh  godly  sorrow,  and  tastes  that  ce- 
lestial consolation  w^iich  succeeds  it. 
But,  alas!  how  much  of  our  time  do 
we  spend  in  worldly  joy  and  merri- 
ment, when  we  have  greater  reason 
to  bewail  our  own  misery  and  that 
of  others!  There  is  no  true  liberty, 
no  solid  delight,  no  substantial  satis- 
faction, but  in  the  fear  of  God,  and  in 
a  quiet,  serene  conscience.  But  this 
blessing  can  never  exist  without  faith, 


and  without  a  ho]y  life  and  conversa- 
tion. This  faith,  attended  with  godly 
sorrow,  daily  proceeds  more  and  more 
to  correct  our  faults  and  imperfections. 
Whoever  neglects  this  daily  reform  of 
his  life  and  manners,  wastes  the  most 
precious  part  of  his  time,  which  he 
should  employ  to  secure  the  interest 
of  his  immortal  soul.  He  is  an  adver- 
sary to  the  new  life;  he  hinders  the 
kingdom  of  God  in  himself;  and  he 
can  never  be  cured  of  the  blindness 
and  hardness  of  his  heart,  so  lona:  as 
he  remains  in  that  state. 

8.  It  follows,  therefore,  that  he  only 
deserves  the  name  of  a  prudent  and 
wise  man,  who  carefully  avoids  what- 
ever he  understands  to  be  an  obstacle 
to  the  refoi'mingof  his  life,  and  to  the 
improving  of  himself  in  heavenly  gifts 
and  graces.  Happy  is  he  who  not 
only  avoids  such  things  as  are  detri- 
mental to  his  body  and  estate,  but 
also  detests  those  wdiich  hinder  the 
soul  in  her  spiritual  progress. 

9.  Be  therefore  courageous,  O  Man, 
and  endure  hardness  as  a  good  soldier 
of  Christ !  2  Tim.  2  :  3.  An  evil  habit 
of  mind  must  be  overcome  with  a 
good  one.  It  is  the  apostle's  exhor- 
tation :  "  Be  not  overcome  of  evil,  but 
overcome  evil  with  good."  Bom.  12  : 
21.  The  cure  of  thy  soul  is  not  im- 
possible. View,  in  the  first  place,  thy 
own  corruptions,  and  judge  them  se- 
verely, before  thou  presumest  to  cen- 
sure the  faults  of  thy  neighbor.  Be 
not  too  forward  in  admonishing;  and 
correcting  others;  but  endeavor  to 
heal  first  tliy  evils  at  home,  before 
thou  enterest  upon  the  reforming  of 
those  that  are  abroad. 

10.  Go  on,  therefore,  O  Christian, 
and  learn  the  lesson  of  daily  repent- 
ance, sorrow,  and  contrition  of  heart. 
If  the  world  de!!;pise  thee  upon  that 
account,  and  decry  this  wholesome 


Chap.  XX.] 


TRUE  CHPJSTIANITY. 


63 


exercise  as  error  and  as  melancholy, 
be  not  concerned  at  such  poor  and 
empty  reflections.    Grieve  rather  that 

i  thou  art  called  indeed  a  Christian, 
but  that  thou  hast  not  yet  arrived  at 

I  that  strictness  of  life  and  purity  of 
manners,  which  the  Gospel  requires. 
Bear  the  contempt  of  the  world  with 
Christian  constancy,  and  consider  the 
singular  benefit  w4iich  thence  accrues 
to  the  whole  practice  of  true  religion. 
For,  if  thou  be  scorned  by  the  world, 

'  then  God  is  ready  to  support  thee  by 
fresh  supplies  of  life  and  comfort,  ac- 
cording to  his  own  declaration:  "I 
dwell  in  the  high  and  holy  place; 

:  with  him  also  that  is  of  a  contrite  and 

i  humble  spirit,  to  revive  the  spirit  of 

•  the  humble,  and  to  revive  the  heart 
of  the  contrite  ones."  Isa.  57  :  15. 

11.  It  is  impossible  that  divine  and 
worldly  joy  should,  at  one  and  the 
same  time,  reside  in  the  heart  of  man  ; 
so  very  contrary  are  the}^  to  each 
other,  and  so  inconsistent  in  their  na- 
tures, causes,  and  effects.  The  joy  of 
the  world  is  begotten  in  prosperity; 
but  that  w^hich  is  from  heaven,  springs 
up  in  the  midst  of  crosses  and  adver- 
i  sities. 

I    12.  It  is  true  that  it  is  against  the 
'bent  of  nature  to  rejoice  in  the  time 
of  adversity,  as  the  apostle  himself 
seems  to  intimate :   "  As  sorrowful, 
yet  always  rejoicing ;  as  poor,  yet 
;  making  many  rich;  as  having  noth- 
:  ing,  and  yet  possessing  all  things." 
;  2  Cor.  G  :  10.    But  then  it  is  no  less 
true,  that  the  grace  of  God  cleanses 

•  our  nature,  and  qualifies  it  for  such 
spiritual  exercises.  And  it  was  after 
this  change  that  the  apostles  rejoiced, 

^because  the}"  were  "  counted  worthy 

ito  suffer  shame  for  the  name  of  Christ." 

iActs  5:41. 

I  13.  A  Christian  is  become  by  the 
igrace  of  God,  a  new  creature,  and 


hence  the  tribulations  of  this  life  are 
made  easy  to  him.  The  apostle  de- 
clared, that  he  even  "gloried  in  trib- 
ulations." Rom.  5  :  3.  As  affliction  is 
a  grievous  burden  to  the  old  man,  so 
it  gives  ease  and  joy  to  the  new  man 
in  Christ.  Again,  that  joy  which  is 
from  above,  infinitely  surpasses  that 
which  is  from  below.  Nay,  the  very 
reproach  and  contempt  w^hich  a  Chris- 
tian undergoes  for  the  sake  of  Christ, 
is  attended  with  a  secret  satisfaction  : 
and  the  reason  we  are  so  little  af- 
fected with  these  heavenly  visitations, 
is  on  account  of  the  joy  of  the  world,  to 
which  we  are  still  too  much  addicted. 

14.  A  truly  humble  man  thinks 
himself  worthy  of  all  manner  of  suffer- 
ings, and  unworthy  of  an}^  divine  com- 
fort :  but  the  more  unworthy  he  thinks 
himself  in  true  broken n ess  of  spirit, 
the  more  is  he  visited  with  the  good- 
ness of  God.  And  the  more  he  weeps 
over  his  sin,  the  more  is  he  weaned 
from  worldly  enjoyments;  for  the 
whole  world  gradually  becomes  to 
him  a  burden  and  a  bitter  affliction. 

15.  A  man  that  seriously  views  him- 
self and  his  inward  condition,  finds 
more  reason  to  mourn  than  to  rejoice. 
And  when  he  takes  a  survey  of  the 
lives  of  others,  he  will  undoubtedly 
meet  with  abundance  of  objects  wor- 
thy of  pity  or  of  compassion,  rather 
than  of  hatred  and  envy.  Why  did 
Christ  weep  over  Jerusalem,  even 
over  that  Jerusalem  which  persecuted 
and  slew  him?  Luke  19:41.  Truly 
their  sin  and  blindness  was  the  evi- 
dent cause  of  it.  And  in  this  he  has 
also  left  us  a  pattern,  and  with  deep 
feeling  taught  us,  that  nothing  in  the 
world  should  more  powerfully  melt 
us  into  tears  and  compassion,  than 
our  own  sins,  and  the  impenitence 
and  carnal  security  which  everywhere 
abound. 


64 


TEUE  CIIEISTIANITY. 


[Book  I. 


1().  Did  a  man  as  often  revolve  in 
his  mind,  that  he  must  certainly  die, 
and  appear  before  the  judgment-seat 
of  God,  as  he  thinks  on  the  concerns 
of  this  life,  and  how  to  provide  for 
them,  surely  he  would  be  abundantly 
more  serious  in  his  conversation, 
more  diligent  in  the  reformation  of 
his  life,  and  more  fervent  in  all  the 
duties  of  repentance.  Did  he  more- 
over call  to  mind  the  unspeakable 
and  eternal  torments  of  hell,  succeed- 
ingj  as  they  do,  a  short  enjoyment  of 
sin;  this  consideration  would  embitter 
to  him  the  sweets  of  this  world,  and 
in  comparison,  render  all  the  afflic- 
tions of  this  life,  pleasant  and  easy  to 
him.  But  alas  !  the  enticements  of  the 
flesh  are  so  strong  and  prevalent,  and 
our  compliances  in  their  favor,  so  for- 
ward, that  we  seldom  yield  to  such 
serious  reflections  as  these. 

17.  Upon  the  whole,  this  should  be 
a  Christian's  daily  consideration  :  if 
his  body  be  pampered  in  lust  and 
luxury ;  if  the  flesh  be  humored  and 
gratified  in  its  inordinate  cravings; 
then  the  life  of  the  spirit  loses  its 
vigor,  and  if  not  seasonably  supported, 
will  pine  away  into  death  and  de- 
struction. Whereas,  if  the  flesh  be 
crucified  with  its  lusts  and  desires, 
the  spirit  lives  and  gathers  strength. 
One  is  the  death  of  the  other.  If, 
therefore,  the  spirit  shall  live  in  thee, 
then  thy  body  must  be  certainly  made 
a  spiritual  sacrifice  (Eom.  12  :  1),  and 
must  spiritually  die  to  the  world,  and 
to  all  conformity  with  it. 

18.  This  has  been  the  constant  prac- 
tice of  all  the  saints,  from  the  begin- 
ning of  the  world  until  now.  They 
have  with  thanksgiving  eaten  and 
drunk  the  bread  and  cup  of  tears,  ac- 
cording to  that  declaration  of  David: 
"Thou  feedest  us  with  the  bi-ead  of 
tears,  and   thou  givest  us  tears  to 


drink  in  great  measure."  Ps.  80:5. 
And  in  another  Psalm:  "My  tears 
have  been  my  meat  day  and  night." 
Ps.  42  : 3.  Again,  "I  have  eaten  ashes 
like  bread,  and  mingled  my  drink  with 
weeping."  Ps.  102  :  9. 

19.  This  has  been  the  "daily  bread" 
of  all  the  saints  to  this  day;  yet  it  has, 
however,  been  sweetened  to  them, 
faith  being  mixed  with  it.  This  is 
that  godly  "  sorrow  which  worketh 
repentance  to  salvation,  not  to  be  re- 
pented of"  2  Cor.  7  :  10. 

20.  But  as  this  godly  sorrow  is  at- 
tended with  life  and  happiness,  so  the 
"sorrow  of  the  world  worketh  death" 
itself  2  Cor.  7  :  10.  This  kind  of  sor- 
row arises  from  the  loss  of  honor,  of 
temporal  goods  and  estates,  and  other 
things  of  that  nature.  This  sorrow 
has  proved  so  fatal  to  many,  that 
they  have  laid  violent  hands  on  them- 
selves, and  procured  their  own  ruin 
and  death  by  various  contrivances. 
Of  this  there  are  not  wanting  many 
examples  in  the  history  both  of  Pa- 
gans and  Christians:  though,  indeed, 
the  latter  ought  better  to  understand 
the  maxims  and  doctrines  of  Christ, 
who  has  abundantly  taught  us,  not  to 
set  our  hearts  on  objects  so  frail  and 
perishing.  For  what  is  the  loss  of  a 
handful  of  fading  things,  to  the  life  of 
a  man,  with  which  all  the  goods  of 
this  world  cannot  be  compared? 

21.  Be  not,  therefore,  cast  down  by 
the  loss  of  temporal  goods,  which,  by 
the  very  laws  of  nature,  we  can  enjoy 
but  a  little  while:  but  lay  the  more  to 
heart  those  incorruptible  riches,  that 
are  laid  up  in  the  world  to  come;  and 
do  whatever  thou  canst  to  i)revent  the 
loss  of  them.  Death  will  strip  thee  at 
last  of  all  w^orldly  possessions.  Here 
shall  be  an  end  of  pomp  and  great- 
ness. This  law  of  death  is  equally 
given  to  all,  and  the  penalty  of  it  at- 


Chap.  XX.] 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


65 


tachcs  to  all  alike.  The  greatest  king 
is  seized  on  the  throne,  and  the  mean- 
est beggar  on  the  dunghill  (1  Sain. 
2  :  8;  Ps.  113  :  7);  for  as  the  body  of 
the  one  is,  so  is  also  the  bod}^  of  the 
other:  both  putrefy  and  turn  alike  to 
corruption.  Nevertheless,  the  Lord 
will  remove  at  length  the  veil  of  the 
shadow  of  death,  wdiich  is  spread  over 
all  nations,  and  will  "  swallow  up 
death  in  victory"  (Isa.  25:8),  and 
"wipe  away  all  tears  from  our  eyes." 
Rev.  7:  17;  Isa.  25  :  8. 

22.  Let  these  and  the  like  consider- 
ations, induce  thee  patiently  to  bear 
the  loss  of  earthly  things;  remember- 
ing that  the  whole  w^orld  does  not 
come  up  to  the  price  of  one  soul,  for 
which  Christ  vouchsafed  to  die.  The 
more   thou    withdrawest   thy  heart 
from  temporal  goods  and  estates,  the 
less  will  it  atfect  thee,  w^hen  thou  shalt 
be  obliged  one  way  or  other  to  leave 
them.    Thy  grief  w411  undoubtedly  be 
the  greater,  the  more  thy  love  has 
been  wrapped  up  with  them.  Thus 
[does  the  "labor  of  the  foolish  weary 
ievery  one  of  them"  (Eccl.  10:  15); 
[as  the  wise  man  expresseth  it. 
j    23.  This  is  the  unhappy  state  into 
(which  the  children  of  this  world  plunge 
themselves.    They  hoard  and  amass 
their  goods  with  assiduous  pain  and 
labor;  they  possess  them  with  fear 
;and  anxiety  of  mind;  and  quit  them 
(at  last  with  grief  and  groans,  when 
jthcy  can  no  longer  enjoy  them.  This 
iis  the  "sorrow  of  this  world,"  which 
begets  no  less  an  evil  than  death  itself 
24.  We  read,  that  such  as  adored 
the  beast  "  had  no  rest"  (Eev.  14  : 11) : 
so  they  that  adore  the  great  and  toil- 
■»ome  beast  of  sordid  and  earthly  Mam- 
^lon,  may  be  said  to  have  no  rest,  day 
lor  night.    This  description  of  men, 
nost  w^retched  and  most  unquiet  as 
hey  are,  may  be  fitly  compared  to 


camels,  or  mules.  These  animals,  trav- 
ersing rocks  and  hills,  and  carrying 
gold  and  silver,  silken  garments  and 
pearls,  spices  and  whines,  draw  many 
attendants  with  them  for  their  better 
security:  but  at  night,  when  they  aro 
stabled,  all  their  precious  ornaments, 
their  embroidered  garments  and  vest- 
ments, are  taken  from  them,  and  they, 
being  wearj^  and  stripped,  appear  to 
be  w^hat  indeed  they  are,  poor  and 
miserable  beasts  of  burden.  Nothing 
is  now  seen  upon  them  but  the  prints 
of  their  stripes,  and  the  marks  of  the 
blows  w^hich  they  received  upon  the 
road.  So,  in  like  manner,  that  man 
who  in  this  world  shone  in  gold  and 
silks,  in  "purple  and  fine  linen"  (Luke 
16  : 19),  when  the  day  of  his  death  is 
come,  has  nothing  left  but  the  prints 
and  scars  of  a  w^ounded  conscience, 
contracted  by  the  abuse  of  such  riches 
as  w^ere  committed  to  his  trust. 

25.  Therefore,  O  man  !  learn  to  re- 
linquish this  world,  before  it  relin- 
quishes thee.  If  thou  break  not  with 
the  world,  the  w^orld  wnll  break  with 
thee,  and  leave  horror  and  anguish 
behind  it.  lie  who  withdraws  his 
soul  from  the  world,  before  he  quits 
the  w^orld  w^ith  his  body,  can  joyfully 
die:  since  he  is  loosed  from  the  ties 
w4iich  bound  him  to  these  inferior  ob- 
jects. As  the  Israelites,  when  they 
were  about  to  leave  the  land  of  Egypt, 
w^ere  daily  afflicted  with  greater  bur- 
dens by  Pharaoh,  who  designed  to  de- 
stroy them,  and,  if  possible,  utterly  to 
extirpate  their  progeny  (Exod.  5:9); 
so  the  infernal  Pharaoh,  who  desires 
to  hinder  our  eternal  salvation,  when 
w^e  are  now  upon  the  very  borders  of 
life  everlasting,  still  attempts  to  load 
us  with  more  of  the  concerns  of  this 
life,  and  thereby  to  obstruct  our  pas- 
sage into  a  better  world. 

26.  It  is  certain  that  we  cannot 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[EOOK  I. 


carry  with  us  the  least  dust  of  all  our 
earthly  possessions  into  the  kingdom 
of  heaven.  Na}',  our  very  body  must 
be  left  behind  us  until  the  day  of  res- 
urrection. If  we  know  anything,  we 
know  that  the  way  leading  to  life  is 
i^o  very  strait,  as  to  strip  the  soul  en- 
tirely of  anything  that  will  hinder  her 
passage.  "Narrow  is  the  way  which 
leadeLh  to  life,  and  few  there  be  that 
find  it."  Matt.  7 :  14.  As  the  hus- 
bandman separates  the  wheat  from 


the  chaff,  so  death  fi*ees  the  soul  from 
all  the  chaff  and  dross  of  this  world, 
from  all  riches,  and  greatness,  and 
w^orldly  attire,  which  now,  like  the 
chaff,  are  driven  away. 

27.  Go  therefore,  O  man,  and  seri- 
ously^ ponder  in  thy  mind  what  the 
apostle  declares :  "  Godly  sorrow 
worketh  repentance  to  salvation,  not 
to  be  repented  of :  but  the  sorrow 
of  the  world  worketh  death."  2  Cor. 
7 : 10. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

OF  THE  TRUE  WORSHIP  OF  GOD. 

T/te  sons  of  Aaro7i  offered  strange  fire  before  the  Lord^  and  there  went  out  fire  from  the  Lord  and 

devoured  them. — Lev.  10:  1,  2. 


THIS  fi^c  is  called  strange,  because 
it  was  different  from  that  which 
continually  burned  upon  the  altar,  and 
M  ith  which,  according  to  the  command 
of  God,  the  burnt-offerings  were  con- 
sumed. It  is,  therefore,  a  type  of  false 
worship;  and  the  sons  of  Aaron  were 
destroyed  with  avenging  flames,  be- 
cause they  violated  the  divine  precept. 

2.  This  marked  displeasure  of  the 
jealous  and  righteous  God,  is  in  like 
manner  provoked  by  those  who,  from 
the  motion  of  their  own  unregenerate 
mind,  and  from  a  singular  presumption 
of  devotion  or  religious  sanctity,  in- 
troduce a  new  and  peculiar  worship 
of  God;  which,  not  being  enjoined 
by  himself,  provokes  his  indignation, 
anger,  and  vengeance;  because  "God 
is  a  consuming  fire."  Deut.  4  :  24;  Heb. 
12  :29. 

3.  In  order  that  we  may  not  incur  | 


the  wrath  of  the  divine  majesty,  let  us 
consider  wherein  the  true  worship  of  i 
God  consists;  for  the  punishment  of 
temporal  fire,  inflicted  on  false  wor- 
ship under  the  Old  Testament,  is  to  us  : 
a  proof,  that  the  Lord  will  also,  under 
the  New  dispensation,  take  the  severest 
vengeance  on  all  strange  worship,  not 
only  with  everlasting,  but  also  with 
temporal  fire,  wars,  desolations,  and 
effusion  of  blood. 

4.  Now,  w^e  can  learn  wherein  the  true 
w^orship  of  God  consists,  when  we  com- 
pare the  Old  Testament  with  the  New. 
The  ceremonies  which  the  former  pre- 
scribed, referred  typically  to  the  Mes- 
siah. Devout  Jews  saw,  as  it  were, 
the  Messiah  from  afar,  believed  on  f 
him,  and,  according  to  the  promise, 
obtained  deliverance  from  sin  and 
death  through  him.  But  our  worship, 
according  to  thei\^ez^  Testament,  does 


Chap.  XXT.] 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


67 


not  consist  in  external  ceremonies;  we 
arc  taught  to  worship  God  in  spirit 
and  in  truth,  that  is,  to  believe  in 
Christ,  who  fulfilled  the  Law.  Thus 
he  redeeined  us  from  the  curse  of  the 
law  (Gal.  3:13),  and  made  us  free  from 
all  Jewish  ceremonies  (Gal.  5:1);  so 
that  now,  by  the  indwelling  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  we  serve  God  with  a  will- 
ing heart  and  mind  (Jerem.  31:33; 
Eom.  8  : 14),  and  our  conscience  and 
faith  are  not  bound  by  human  ordi- 
nances. 

5.  To  true,  spiritual,  internal  Chris- 
tian worship,  three  things  belong.  1. 
The  true  knowledge  of  God.  2.  The 
knoidedge  of  si?i,  accompanied  with 
unfeigned  repentance.  And  3.  The 
knowledge  of  grace,  attended  with  re- 
mission of  sin. 

6.  The  knowledge  of  God  consists  in 
faith,  which  apprehends  Christ,  and 
in  him,  and  through  him,  knows  God, 
his  omnipotence,  love,  merc}^,  right- 
eousness, truth,  wisdom  ;  all  which  are 
God  himself.  ForwhatisGod?  Surely 
no  other  than  pure  omnipotence,  pure 
love  and  mercy,  pure  justice,  truth, 
and  wisdom.  And  the  same  is  to  be 
said  of  Christ,  and  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 

7.  But  whatever  God  is,  he  is  not 
to  himself  only,  but  also  to  me,  by  his 
gracious  will,  made  manifest  in  Christ 
Jesus.  Thus  to  me  is  God  omnipotent ; 
to  'me  he  is  merciful;  to  me  eternal 
righteousness,  through  faith  and  re- 
mission of  sins.  To  me,  also,  he  is 
everlasting  truth  and  wisdom.  Thus 

[  it  is,  also,  with  Christ.  He  is  made  to 
me  eternal  omnipotence,  the  almighty 
Head,  and  Prince  of  my  life,  my  most 
merciful  Saviour,  everlasting  love,  un- 
changeable righteousness,  truth,  and 
wisdom;  according  to  the  w^ords  of  the 
apostle:  "Christ  is  of  God  made  unto 
us,  wisdom,  and  righteousness,  and 
sanctification,  and  redemption."  1  Cor. 


1 : 30.  All  of  which  is  also  true  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  who  is  my  eternal  love, 
righteousness,  truth,  and  wisdom. 

8.  This  is  the  true  knowledge  of 
God,  which  consists  in  faith.  It  is 
not  some  empty  and  speculative  sci- 
ence, as  people  imagine;  but  a  cheer- 
ful, livelj',  and  effectual  reliance  on 
God,  in  which  I  feel  the  ra3'S  aitd  in- 
fluences of  the  divine  Omnipotence 
really  descending  upon  me,  so  that  I 
perceive  how  I  am  upheld  and  pre- 
served by  him;  how  "in  him  I  live, 
and  move,  and  have  my  being."  Acts 
17:28.  I  must  also  taste  the  riches 
of  his  goodness  and  mercy.  Is  not 
that  which  the  Father,  Christ,  and 
the  Holy  Spirit,  have  done  for  thee, 
for  me,  and  for  us  all,  the  effect  of 
pure  love  ?  AYhat  more  perfect  and 
complete  righteousness  can  there  be 
than  that,  b}^  which  he  rescues  us 
from  sin,  hell,  death,  and  the  devil? 
And  do  not  his  truth  and  wisdom 
most  conspicuously  appear  in  all  that 
he  has  accomplished  for  us? 

9.  This,  therefore,  is  the  true  and 
substantial  faith,  which  consists  in  a 
living  and  effectual  reliance  on  God, 
and  not  in  empty  words.  In  this 
knowledge  of  God,  or  faith,  we  must, 
as  becomes  the  children  of  God,  make 
daily  advances,  and  abound  more  and 
more.  1  Thess.  4  :  1.  Hence  the  apos- 
tle pours  out  most  fervent  prayers, 
'•that  we  may  know  the  love  of 
Christ,  which  passeth  knowledge." 
Eph.  3:19.  As  if  he  had  said, "  Though 
it  were  the  sole  care  of  our  lives  to 
learn  the  depth  of  the  love  of  Christ, 
yet  would  there  still  remain  continual 
and  never-failing  matter  for  further 
inquiry."  Neither  is  it  to  be  supposed, 
that  this  knowledge  consists  in  a  bar- 
ren acquaintance  with  the  universal 
love  of  Christ,  extending  itself  over 
the  whole  world ;  but  we  must  also 


G8 


TEUE  CIIRISTIAXITY. 


[Book  I. 


taste  it  in  our  own  hearts;  we  must 
experience  the  sweetness  and  delight, 
the  power  and  vital  influx  of  this  im- 
mense kindness  displa3'ed  in  the  Word, 
and  embraced  by  Aiith.  Can  he  say 
that  he  knows  the  love  of  Christ,  who 
never  tasted  its  sweetness?  Hence  it 
is  said  of  some  that  were  endued  with 
this  experimental  sense,  that  they  had 
''tasted  of  the  heavenly  gift,  and  the 
good  word  of  God,  and  the  powers  of 
the  world  to  come."  Ileb.  6  :  4.  All 
this  is  effected  by  fiiith  through  the 
"Word.  The  same  expei-ience  of  the 
divine  love  is  also  intimated  by  the 
''shedding  abroad  of  the  love  of  God 
in  our  hearts  by  the  Holy  Ghost." 
Rom.  5:5.  In  this  consist  the  fruit 
and  efficacy  of  the  Word  of  God.  And 
this  only  is  the  true  knowledge  of 
God,  proceeding  from  experience,  and 
founded  on  a  living  faith.  For  this 
reason  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews 
calls  our  faith  a  substance^  and  a  cer- 
tain and  well-grounded  evidence.  Heb. 
11 : 1.  And  this  knowledge  of  God, 
that  arises  from  a  living  faith,  is  one 
part  of  the  inward  and  spiritual  wor- 
ship of  God.  In  a  word,  faith  is  a 
spiritual,  living,  and  heavenly  gift; 
yea,  the  very  light  and  power  of  God. 

10.  When,  therefore,  this  true  knowl- 
edge of  God  is  attained,  by  which  God 
offers  himself,  as  it  were,  to  be  touched 
and  tasted  by  the  soul,  according  to 
that  Psalm,  "O  taste  and  see  that  the 
Lord  is  good"  (Ps.  34:8);  it  is  im- 
possible that  a  sincere  repentance 
should  not  immediately  ensue;  that 
is,  a  real  renovation  of  the  mind,  and 
reformation  of  the  life.  For,  from  a 
sense  and  knowledge  of  the  divine 
Omnipotence,  proceeds  humility ;  since 
he  must  necessarily  submit  himself 
unto  the  mighty  hand  of  God,  who 
has  perceived  its  iri-esistible  power 
ar.d  energy.    From  the  experience  of 


the  divine  mercy  arises  charity  to  our 
neighbor;  for  no  man  can  be  unchari- 
table who  has  ever  been  affected  by  a 
sense  of  the  divine  compassion.  Who 
can  refuse  to  lend  to  his  neighbor, 
that  considers  that  God,  from  pure 
mercy,  has  bestowed  himself  upon  us? 
From  the  long-suffering  of  God,  pro- 
ceeds Qui  patience  towards  our  neigh- 
bor; so  that  were  it  possible  that  a 
true  Christian  could  be  killed  seven 
times  a  day,  and  as  many  times  be  re- 
stored to  life  again,  yet  would  he  al- 
wa}' s  freely  forgive  his  murderer,  and 
this  on  account  of  the  boundless  mercy 
of  God  conferred  upon  himself.  From 
the  divine  justice  flows  the  knowledge 
of  sin,  as  the  prophet  teaches  us: 
"  Eighteousness  belongeth  unto  thee, 
O  Lord,  but  unto  us  confusion  of 
faces."  Dan.  9:7.  "  Enter  not  into 
judgment  with  thy  servant,  for  in  thy 
sight  shall  no  man  living  be  justified." 
Ps.  143 :  2.  "  If  thou.  Lord,  shouldest 
mark  iniquities,  O  Lord,  who  shall 
stand?"  Ps.  130  :  3.  From  the  knowl- 
edge of  the  truth  of  God,  flow  fidelity 
and  candor  towards  our  neighbor;  and 
all  fraud,  deceit,  lying,  and  other  such 
sinister  practices,  are,  in  consequence, 
freely  abandoned.  The  sincere  Chris- 
tian reasons  thus  with  himself :  "God 
forbid  that  I  should  deal  deceitfully 
with  my  neighbor;  for  then  I  should 
offend  the  truth  of  God,  which  is  God 
himself;  since  he  has  dealt  so  faith- 
fully with  me,  it  would  be  the  blackest 
impiety  were  I  to  act  otherwise  by  my 
neiirhbor."  The  consideration  of  the 
eternal  divine  wisdom  produces  the 
fear  of  God.  For  whoever  knows  God 
to  be  the  Searcher  of  hearts,  viewing 
the  most  secret  recesses,  must  neces- 
sarily dread  the  eyes  of  the  divine 
majesty.  "  He  that  planted  the  ear, 
shall  he  not  h.ear?  He  that  formed 
the  eye,  shall  he  not  see?"  Ps.  94:9. 


Chap.  XXI  ] 


TRUE  CIIPJSTIANITY. 


69 


Therefore,  "  Woe  unto  them  that  seek 
deep  to  hide  their  counsel  from  the 
Lord,  and  their  works  are  in  the  dark, 
and  they  Bay,  Who  eeeth  us?  arid  who 
knoweth  us?  Surely  your  turning  of 
things  upside  down  shall  be  esteemed 
as  the  potter's  clay :  for  shall  the 
work  say  of  him  that  made  it,  He 
made  me  not?  Or  shall  the  thing 
framed,  say  of  him  that  framed  it,  He 
had  no  understanding?"  Isa.  29:15, 
16 ;  see  also  Jer.  23  :  24,  and  32  :  19. 

11.  From  the  true  laiowledge  of  God, 
arise  the  knowledge  of  sin,  and  conse- 
quent repentance.  This  repentance 
brings  renovation  of  mind,  and  reno- 
vation of  mind  is  accompanied  with 
amendment  of  life.  And  this  knowl- 
edge, together  with  those  things  that 
attend  it,  makes  up  the  other  part  of 
the  inward  worship  of  God ;  and  it  is 
that  sacred  fire  which,  by  the  appoint- 
ment of  God,  is  to  be  used  with  the 
sacrifices,  lest  his  wrath  should  be 
kindled  against  us,  and  we  be  con- 
sumed by  the  fire  of  his  vengeance. 

12.  The  injunction  of  God  to  the 
priests,  not  to  drink  wine  or  strong 
drink  when  they  were  about  to  enter 
the  tabernacle  (Lev.  10  :  9),  is  an  il- 
lustration of  this  repentance;  and  in 
a  spiritual  sense,  it  extends  itself  to 
all  Christians.  For  if  we  would  enter 
into  the  tabernacle  of  God,  even  into 
life  everlasting,  it  is  necessary  that 
we  should  abstain  from  the  lusts  of 
the  Tv^orld  and  of  the  flesh,  and  from 
all  that  tends  to  bring  the  spirit  in 
bondage  to  the  body.  For  the  love  of 
the  world,  the  love  of  pleasure,  pride, 
and  other  vices,  are  like  palatable 
wine,  by  which  the  power  of  the  soul 
and  spirit  is  clouded,  and  at  last 
brought  under  subjection  to  the  flesh. 
Man,  so  subjected,  is  restrained  from 
entering  into  the  tabernacle  of  God  ; 
that  is,  he  cannot  arrive  at  the  knowl- 


edge and  the  sanctuary  of  Gofl ;  con- 
sequently he  is  deprived  of  that  dis- 
cerning faculty,  which  distinguishes 
between  things  sacred  and  pi'ofane, 
clean  and  unclean;  so  that  he  under- 
stands nothing  of  divine  and  heavenly 
operations,  and  therefore  is  unfit  to 
instruct  those  in  sound  doctrine  who 
are  committed  to  bis  care.  His  under- 
standing and  thoughts  are  not  en- 
lightened from  above;  but  being  over- 
come with  the  wine  of  worldly  lust, 
are  eventually  involved  in  gross  dark- 
ness. This  repentance,  contrition,  and 
grief  for  sin,  and  this  true  faith  in 
Christ,  are  followed  by  the  knowledge 
of  grace  and  remission  of  sin;  which, 
as  it  proceeds  from  the  merit  of  Christ 
onl}^  so  the  benefit  of  this  merit  can 
be  claimed  by  no  man  without  rei^ent- 
ance.  Repentance  w^as  therefore  nec- 
essary, even  to  the  thief  upon  the 
cross,  that  his  sin  being  first  remitted, 
he  might  accompany  Christ  into  para- 
dise. And  that  his  repentance  pro- 
ceeded from  a  heart  affected  with  a 
holy  contrition,  appears  from  the  re- 
proof which  he  gave  his  companion: 
"Dost  not  thou  fear  God?  We  receive 
the  due  reward  of  our  deeds;  but  this 
man  hath  done  nothing  amiss"  (Luke 
23:40),  and  from  the  request  he  ad- 
dressed to  Christ:  "Lord,  remember 
me  when  thou  comest  into  thy  king- 
dom." Verse  24.  These  are  most 
undeniable  proofs  of  a  contrite  heart, 
embracing  Christ  and  his  merits  by 
faith. 

13.  This  gracious  absolution  from 
sin,  which  is  apprehended  in  faith  by 
a  penitent  heart,  supplies  all  those  de- 
fects under  which  we  labor:  but  it  is 
entirely  the  effect  of  the  death  and 
blood  of  Christ.  All  our  offences  are 
as  completely  annulled  by  his  abund- 
ant satisfaction,  as  if  they  had  never 
been  committed.    The  merit  of  Christ 


70 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  I. 


is  of  that  extent  and  ])0\ver,  that 
David  cxelainiH :  "Purge  me  with 
hyssoj),  and  I  shall  be  clean :  wash 
me,  and  I  shall  be  (not  only  as  white, 
but  even)  whiter  than  snow."  Psal. 
51:7. 

14.  Hence  also  it  is,  that  God  is 
said  to  mention  the  sin  no  more  when 
the  sinner  returns  to  his  duty.  Ezek. 
18  :  22;  33  :  IG.  For  whatever  is  fully 
and  completely  paid  for,  yea,  blotted 
out  too,  must  of  necessity  be  buried  in 
eternal  oblivion.  Isa.  43 :  25.  But 
conversion  must  go  before  remission, 
according  to  the  order  proposed  by 
the  prophet  himself:  "Wash  ye, 
make  you.  clean,  put  away  the  evil  of 
your  doings  from  before  niine  eyes; 
cease  to  do  evil.  Come  now  and  let 
us  reason  together:  Though  your  sins 
be  as  scarlet,  they  shall  be  as  white 
as  snow."  Isa.  1 :  16.  As  if  he  had 
said  :  "  Ye  who  require  your  sins  to  be 
forgiven,  according  to  my  covenant 
and  promise,  come  forward  and  call 
me  to  an  account.  I  do  not  indeed 
deny,  that  I  promised  you  remission 
of  sins;  but  it  was  on  no  other  terms 
than  that  you  should  first  repent. 
Where  is  your  repentance?  wdiere  is 
your  true  and  living  faith?  If  you 
have  these,  all  is  well!  It  shall  not 
be  my  fault,  if  your  sins  (though  as 
crimson  in  grain,  though  so  deeply 
dyed,  that  neither  heaven  nor  earth 
can  blot  them  out),  be  not  wholly  par- 
doned and  made  whiter  than  snow." 
Repentance,  therefore,  is  the  true  con- 
fession of  sin  ;  and  if  3'ou  have  this  in 
yourself,  namely,  sorrow  for  sin  mixed 
with  faith,  be  assured,  that  Christ,  by 
virtue  of  his  death  and  blood,  will  en- 
tirely forgive  you  your  sins.  This 
blood,  as  it  is  shed  for  us,  so  it  cries  to 
God  in  heaven,  and  procures  a  full  re- 
mission of  sin. 

15.  When  a  man  is  thoroughly  af- 


fected with  this  sense  of  sin,  he  has- 
tens  in  spirit  to  those  cities  of  refuge, 
of  which  three,  Bezer,  Ranioth,  and 
Golan,  were  set  apart  on  this  side  Jor- 
dan, by  Moses,  being  appointed  by  him, 
in  order  that  he  who  had  inadver- 
tently killed  his  neighbor,  might  flee 
unto  them  and  be  preserved.  Deut. 
4:41-43. 

16.  And,  alas!  O  Lord,  how  often 
have  we  inadvertently  slain  our  neigh- 
bor with  thoughts,  words,  hatred, 
envy,  anger,  revenge,  and  un merciful- 
ness! Let  us,  therefore,  fly  upon  the 
wings  of  faith  and  repentance,  to  the 
sanctuary  of  the  grace  of  God,  and  to 
the  merit  and  cross  of  Christ.  No 
sooner  do  we  arrive  there,  but  we  are 
safe;  nor  will  the  avenger  measure  to 
us  again  with  that  measure  with  which 
we  served  our  neighbor.  For  by  those 
cities  of  refuge,  Christ  Jesus  is  signi- 
fied and  represented.  He  is  the  true 
Bezer,  that  is,  a  fenced  tower,  according 
to  that  saying  of  Solomon:  "The 
name  of  the  Lord  is  a  stron<r  tower: 
the  righteous  runneth  into  it,  and  is 
safe."  Prov.  18  :  10.  He  also  is  the 
true  Ramoth,  which  signifies  exalted: 
for  Christ  is  the  Most  High  (Isa.  52: 
13;  57 : 15),  "And  at  the  name  of  Jesus, 
every  knee  shall  bow,  of  things  in 
heaven,  and  things  in  earth,  and  things 
under  the  earth."  Phil.  2  : 10.  Nor 
have  we  any  other  Golan  besides  him; 
which,  as  the  word  imports,  is  a  heap 
or  multitude,  a  storehouse  of  all  man- 
ner of  celestial  gifts.  Hence,  we  read 
in  the  Psalms:  "With  the  Lord  there 
is  mercy;  and  with  him  is  plenteous 
redemption."  PsaL  130  :  7.  And  in  the 
epistle  to  the  Romans:  "The  Lord  is 
rich  unto  all  that  call  upon  him." 
Rom.  10  :  12. 

17.  And  this  is  the  third  part  of  in- 
ward, spiritual,  and  true  worship,  aris- 
ing from  the  knowledge  of  God.  This 


Chap.  XXI.] 


TRUE  CimLSTIA:N^lTY. 


71 


knowledge  is  also  the  source  of  re- 
pentance, as  repentance  is  of  remission 
of  sins,  and  each  rests  on  an  experi- 
mental knowledge  of  God,  as  on  a 
proper  foundation  to  sustain  it. 

18.  Thus  is  the  letter  of  the  law  of 
Moses  changed  into  spirit,  or  into  an 
inward,  holy,  and  new  life;  and  its 
sacrifices  are  converted  into  unfeigned 
repentance.  Hereby  Ave  offer  up  unto 
God  our  body  and  soul,  together  with 
the  sacrifices  of  praise  and  thanks- 
giving. Hereby  w^e  ascribe  unto  him 
alone,  our  knowledge,  conversion,  jus- 
tification and  remission  of  sin,  that 
God  alone  may  be  all  in  all,  and  his 
grace  be  worthily  acknowledged,  and 
celebrated  with  thankful  hearts  and 
tongues  unto  all  eternity.  This,  then, 
as  hath  been  already  mentioned,  is 
the  true  worship  of  God,  of  whicli  the 
prophet  says:  "  He  hath  shew^ed  thee, 
0  man,  what  is  good;  and  what  doth 
the  Lord  require  of  thee,  but  to  do 
justly,  and  to  love  mercy,  and  to 
walk  humbly  with  thy  God?"  Mic. 
6:8.  O  w4ien,  therefore,  shall  we 
wretched  mortals  become  truly  peni- 
tent, that  w^e  may  obtain  this  gracious 
pardon  of  sin  ?  For  without  penitence 
it  is  impossible  we  should  secure  unto 
ourselves  so  incomparable  a  mercy. 
For  how  can  sin  be  remitted,  w^hen 
there  is  no  sense  of  sin,  no  sorrow  af- 
fecting the  mind,  no  hunger  after  di- 
vine grace  ?  And  how  can  he  grieve 
for  sins,  who  utterly  refuses  to  aban- 
don them,  and  to  change  his  life  for  a 
better?  May  God,  for  Christ's  sake, 
turn  us,  that  so  we  may  be  truly 
turned !  Lam.  5  :  2L 

19,  From  these  considerations  it 
abundantl}-  appears,  that  the  true 
worship  of  God  is  seated  in  tho  heart, 
and  consists  in  the  knowledge  of  God, 
and  in  true  repentance,  which  morti- 
fies the  flesh ;   and,  through  grace, 


renews  man  after  the  divine  image. 
In  this  order,  man  is  made  the  holy 
temple  of  the  Lord,  where,  through 
the  good  Spirit  of  God,  internal  wor- 
ship is  performed,  in  the  exercise  of 
faith,  charity ,  hope,  humility,  patience, 
prayer,  thanksgiving,  and  the  praise 
of  God. 

20.  But  though  this  worshij)  has 
regard  to  God  himself,  and  is  offered 
to  him  alone;  yet  far  be  it  from  us  to 
believe,  that  God  has  any  need  of 
our  adoration  or  service,  or  that  he 
receives  any  advantage  from  it,  or 
any  addition  to  his  perfection.  Let 
us  rather  think,  that  such  is  the 
mercy  of  God  to  miserable  men,  that 
he  is  willing  to  impart  himself  wholly 
to  us  with  all  his  benefits,  to  live,  to 
operate,  and  to  dwell  in  us,  provided 
we  be  but  read}^,  by  true  knowledge, 
by  faith  and  repentance,  to  entertain 
him  in  the  heart,  that  as  in  the  school 
of  th^  Spirit,  he  may  teach  us  true 
wisdom,  and  carry  on  the  work  \vhich 
he  has  so  happily  begun. 

21.  For  there  is  no  work  approved 
and  accepted  of  God,  but  that  of  wiiich 
he  himself  is  the  author.  Therefore 
has  he  commanded  us  to  repent  and 
to  believe,  to  pray  and  to  fast ;  not 
that  the  benefit  in  any  way  might 
return  to  him,  but  belong  to  us  alone. 
For  to  God  no  man  can  give,  and  from 
him  no  man  can  take  away;  him  none 
can  profit,  and  none  can  injure.  If 
w^e  be  found  devout  and  sincere  in 
his  sight,  w-e  shall  reap  the  advantage 
of  it  ourselves  ;  but  if  we  be  found 
false  and  corrupt,  the  evil  will  return 
upon  our  own  heads.  But  wliat  harm, 
O  man,  canst  thou  do  to  God,  if  even 
thou  shouldst  wilfully  persist  in  im- 
piety and  a  dissolute  course  of  life  ? 

22.  God,  therefore,  commands  that 
he  should  be  served  on  thy  account, 
not  on  his  own.    He  bcin<^  Love  it- 


72 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  L 


Belf,  it  pleases  liini  that  many  be  found 
in  his  service,  to  vvliom  he  ma}^  freel}^ 
impart  the  streams  of  his  love,  yea, 
even  himself  too.  For  as  a  mother 
cannot  but  love  the  infant  that  re- 


poses on  her  breast,  so  God  takes  a 
singular  pleasure  in  a  free  and  uncon- 
fined  communication  of  his  love  and 
kindness. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 


A  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  IS  KiNOWN  PRIMARILY  BY  LOVE,  AND  BY  A  DAILY 
AMENDMENT  OF  LIFE. 

The  righiexais  sholl flourish  like  the  palm  tree;  he  shall  grow  like  a  cedar  in  Lebanon.  Those 
that  he  -planted  in  the  house  of  the  Lord  shall  flourish  in  the  courts  of  our  God.  They  shall 
still  bring  forth  fruit  in  old  age ;  tJiey  shall  be  fat  and  flourishing ;  to  shew  that  the  Lord  is 
upright ;  he  is  my  rock,  and  there  is  no  unrighteousness  in  him. — Ps.  92  :  12-15. 


"VTOT  a  Christian  name,  but  a  Chris- 
xS  tian  life,  evidences  a  true  Chris- 
tian :  let  this  therefore  bo  the  care  of 
the  Christian,  that  in  him  Christ  may 
be  seen:  and  visibly  appear  unto  others, 
in  love,  humility,  and  kindness  !  for  he 
in  whom  Christ  does  not  live,  cannot 
be  a  Christian.  And  this  holy  life, 
having  its  roots  within,  in  the  spirit 
and  heart  of  a  man,  must  of  necessity 
proceed  from  this  inward  principle — 
just  as  the  fruit  proceeds  Irom  the 
inherent  virtue  of  the  tree.  For  it  is 
necessary  that  our  life  should  be  in- 
fluenced by  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  and 
fashioned  after  his  example  ;  accord- 
ing to  that  saying  of  the  apostle : 
"  As  many  as  are  led  by  the  Spirit  of 
God,  they  are  the  sons  of  God."  Rom. 
8  :  14.  ''Now  if  any  man  have  not  the 
Spirit  of  Christ,  he  is  none  of  his" 
(Rom.  8:9):  for  all  life  proceeds  from 
spirit;  and  as  is  the  spirit  which  in- 
wardly acts,  moves,  and  governs  in  a 
man,  so  will  the  man  outwardly  ap- 
pear. Whence  it  is  evident,  how  nec- 
essary the  Spirit  of  God  is  to  a  truly 
Christian  life;  and,  therefore,  Christ 


has  not  only  commanded  us  to  pray 
for  the  Spirit,  but  has  also  promised 
unto  us  this  gift.  Luke  11  :  13.  This 
Spirit  is  the  Spirit  of  regeneration 
(Tit.  3  :  5),  by  which  we  are  quickened 
in  Christ,  into  a  new,  spiritual,  and 
heavenly  life,  and  from  the  life  and 
never-dying  power  of  this  Spirit  of 
God,  every  Christian  virtue  must  be 
derived.  It  is  then  that  the  right- 
eous man  flourisheth  as  the  palm  tree, 
and  groweth  like  a  cedar  in  Lebanon." 
Ps.  92  :  12. 

2.  Hence  it  follows,  that  a  man  must 
be  first  internally  renew^cd  in  the  spirit 
of  his  mind  after  the  image  of  God; 
and  that  his  inward  desires  and  affec- 
tions must  first  be  conformed  to  Christ 
(which  the  Apostle  terms  "the  new 
man  created  after  the  image  of  God") 
(Eph.  4 :  24),  before  a  suitable  life  can 
proceed  from  the  heart.  But  as  soon 
as  the  heart  is  inwardly  renewed,  the 
outward  life  proceeding  fi-om  it  is  but 
a  constant  expression  of  that  vital 
principle  which  prevails  within  the 
mind.  Yea,  since  "  God  trieth  the 
heart  and  the  reins"  (Ps.  7  :  9),  it  is 


Ceiap.  XXII.] 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


73 


reasonable  that  a  man  sliould  possess, 
in  the  more  secret  recesses  ol'his  heart, 
even  niiicb  more  than  outwardly  ap- 
pears in  his  life. 

o.  Though,  in  our  inward  part,  wo 
attain  not  unto  the  purity  of  angels, 
it  is  but  just  that  we  should  fervently 
sigh  after  it.  And,  indeed,  God  ap- 
proves the  desires  of  our  spirit  when 
it  thirsts  after  a  further  purification : 

The  Spirit  also  helpeth  our  infirm- 
ities, and  makcth  intercession  for  us 
with  groanings  which  cannot  be  ut- 
tered." Eom.  8  :  26.  Yea,  the  blood 
of  Christ  purifies  us  by  faith  (Acts 
15  :  9),  so  that  we  are  without  sjiot 
or  wrinkle"  (Eph.  5  :  27);  and  in  this 
respect  we  possess,  not  the  purity, 
holiness,  and  righteousness  of  any 
angel,  but  that  of  Christ;  yea,  and 
Christ  himself.  1  Cor.  1 :  30. 

4.  This  undeserved  righteousness, 
Ircely  applied  to  us,  must  renew  our 
body,  soul,  and  spirit,  and  produce  a 
true  holiness  of  life  and  manners.  And 
this  life,  though  it  is  at  first  like  a 
tender  palm  tree,  must  daily  become 
more  and  more  vigorous  in  us,  and 
gather  strength  in  Christ  Jesus.  And 
our  gi'owth  in  Christ  will  be  in  pro- 
portion as  wc  advance  in  faith,  in 
virtue,  and  the  practice  of  a  Christian 
hfe  and  holiness.  This  is  to  ''flourish 
like  a  palm  tree." 

5.  As  the  palm  tree,  when  depressed, 
mounts  the  higher,  so  ought  a  Chris- 
tian to  bo  renewed  continually  in  his 
spiritual  desires  and  exercises.  Eph. 
4 : 23 ;  Col.  3  :  10.  He  is  to  strengthen 
himself  every  day  with  fresh  purposes 
to  walk  suitably  to  his  new  name,  and 
with  unwearied  endeavors  to  avoid  the 
danger  of  being  a  false  Christian.  He 
is  to  proceed  with  vigor  and  earnest- 
ness, as  if  he  had  but  this  day  been 
initiated  into  the  principles  of  true  re- 
ligion.  For  as  one  that  enters  upon  a 


new  office  should  have  nothing  more 
at  heart  than  worti)ily  to  acquit  him- 
self in  his  post;  so  also  should  we  act, 
who  are  called  unto  Christ,  "with  a 
holy  calling."  2  Tim.  1  :  9.  If  this  lioly 
purpose  be  not  firmly  rooted  within, 
no  amendment  of  life  will  ensue,  no 
vigor  in  piety,  rio  increase  in  Christ; 
yea,  the  very  quickening  Spirit  of 
Christ  must  be  w^anting.  For  such  a 
resolution  and  hoiy  firmness  of  doing 
<?ood  is  the  work  of  the  Spirit  of 
God,  and  of  that  preventing  or  antici- 
pating grace  which  allures,  invites,  and 
moves  all  men.  Happy  is  the  man, 
who  with  his  cars  and  heart  proves 
obedient  to  it,  and  hearkens  to  that 
heavenly  wisdom  which  "utters  her 
voice  in  the  streets."  Prov.  1  :  20.  In 
a  w^ord,  whatevej-  a  man  views  with 
his  eyes,  is  a  inanifestation  of  the  Crea- 
tor, by  which  he  calls  upon  man,  and 
endeavors  to  draw  him  to  the  love  of 
himself 

6.  Whenever,  therefore,  we  feel  this 
heavenly  call  or  impulse  upon  our 
minds,  we  should  immediately  set  our 
hand  to  Avork,  and  take  care  that  a 
moment  so  invaluable  do  not  slip  away 
in  a  light  and  careless  manner.  This 
is  an  hour  free  from  such  obstacles  as 
at  other  times  closely  beset  us.  If  this 
be  slothfully  neglected,  other  days  and 
times  may  possibly  succeed,  in  which 
Ave  cannot  think,  hear,  speak,  or  do 
any  good.  This  being  foreseen  by  eter- 
nal Wisdom,  she  everywhere  lifts  up 
her  voice,  and  calls  upon  us,  lest  avo 
should  neglect  the  opportunity  Avhich 
is  so  freel}^  otTered. 

T.  As  a  tree  planted  in  the  open  air 
readily  admits  the  light  of  the  sun,  and 
the  benign  inflences  of  heaA^en;  so  the 
grace  of  God,  Avith  other  celestial  in- 
fluences, shines  upon  thee,  O  man,  and 
Avould  revive  and  nourish  thee  by  its 
presence,  if  the  afi'airs  of  this  Avorld 


74 


TRUE  CIIPvISTIAXITY. 


[BcoK  I. 


did  not  liinder  thee  from  receiving  the 
benefit. 

8.  Call  to  mind  the  shortness  of  the 
time  appointed  for  life!  Seriouslj^  con- 
sider how  man}"  opportunities  of  doing 
good,  and  of  i-ediicing  the  Christian 
virtues  into  practice,  thou  hast  already 
neglected.  One  half  of  thy  life  has 
possibly  been  consumed  in  sleeping, 
and  the  other  in  rating  and  drinking, 
and  in  other  natural  actions;  so  that 
Avhcn  thou  now  coniest  to  the  grave, 
thou  hast  but  just  begun  to  enter  upon 
a  better  life. 

9.  If  thou  art  afraid  to  die  in  wick- 
edness, O  lead  a  holy  life  whilst  thou 
art  in  good  health!  If  thou  desirest 
to  leave  the  world  as  a  Christian,  en- 
deavor to  be  a  good  Christian  whilst 
thou  art  in  it.  Now,  he  only  lives  as  a 
Christian,  who  demeans  himself  as  if 


he  were  every  day  to  die ;  well  know- 
ing that  a  good  servant  will  at  all 
times  be  ready  at  the  call  of  his 
master.  And  God,  by  death,  as  by  his 
messenger,  summons  us  all  before  his 
tribunal. 

10.  "Blessed,"  therefore,  "is  that 
servant,  whom  the  Lord,  when  he  Com- 
eth, shall  find  watching.  Of  a  truth, 
I  say  unto  thee,  that  he  will  make 
him  ruler  over  all  that  he  hath."  Luke 
]  2  :  37, 44.  And  who  is  it  that  watche-, 
but  he  who  does  not  suffer  himself  to 
be  carried  away  by  the  world,  or  its 
unhappy  votaries  ?  Let  us,  therefore, 
j  flee  from  both;  knowing  that  the  man- 
I  ners  of  this  corrupt  age  are  like  bane- 
ful excrescences,  which  consume  the 
vital  sap  of  a  tree,  and,  in  a  short  time, 
cause  it  to  wither. 


CHAPTEE   XXII 1. 

HE  WHO,  IN  CHRIST,  DESIRES  TO  GRO^V  IN  GRACE,  IS  OFTEN  COMPELLED  TO 
WITHDRAW  FROM  ^VORLDLY  SOCIETY. 

How  amiable  are  thy  tabernacles.,  O  Lord  of  hosts! — My  heart  and  my  Jlesh  crieth  out  for  the 

living  God.—l^s.  84:  1,  2. 


THOU  actest  wisely,  if  thou  avoid- 
est  too  frequent  an  intercourse 
with  worldly  men.  For  as  it  is  never 
better  for  our  bodies  than  when  they 
are  at  home;  so  it  is  ever  best  with 
the  soul,  when  it  is  at  rest  in  its  own 
habitation,  which  is  God  himself;  from 
whom  it  derives  life  and  being.  To 
him,  therefore,  the  soul  must  return 
again,  if  ever  she  is  to  enjoy  rest,  and 
find  safet}'. 

2.  It  is  observed  of  all  creatures, 
that  they  nowhere  thrive  so  well,  as 


where  they  drew  their  first  life  and 
origin.  Thus  the  sea  to  the  fishes, 
the  air  to  the  birds,  the  earth  to  the 
plants,  and  God  to  the  soul,  is  the 
place  of  rest,  according  to  the  Psalm- 
ist, "  The  sparrow  hath  found  a  house, 
and  the  swallow  a  nest  for  herself, 
where  she  may  lay  her  j'oung."  Ps. 
84  :  2.  As  that  man  will  bring  trouble 
upon  himself,  who  gives  young  people 
too  much  liberty  to  go  abroad;  so 
shall  he  suffer  much,  who  yields  up 
the  reins  of  his  tongue  and  thoughts, 


Chap.  XXIII.] 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


75 


allowing  tliom  to  wander  through  tlio 
affairs  of  the  world,  as  so  many  cir- 
cles of  vanity.  Be  assured,  that  you 
will  escape  many  faults,  if  you  study 
to  confine  3-our  thoughts  within  the 
limits  of  your  heart. 

3.  '-Those  that  are  planted  in  the 
house  of  the  Lord  sliall  flourish  in  the 
courts  of  our  God."  Ps.  92  : 13.  What 
arc  these  courts?  They  are  the  in- 
ternal and  spiritual  sabbaths  of  the 
heart;  w^iich,  as  Lebanon  in  the  des- 
ert, flourish  best  in  a  retirement  of 
mind,  and  abstraction  of  spirit.  La- 
bor to  attain  this  solitude  of  soul,  and 
thou  fehalt  become  fit  to  search  thine 
own  heart,  and  to  contemplate  that 
variety  of  wonders  and  mercies  which 
God  has  bestowed  u])on  us. 

4.  Isov  are  we  to  imitate  those 
who  admire  subtle  disputes  and  in- 
ventions, who  take  pleasure  in  read- 
ing fine,  j^leasant,  and  witty  produc- 
tions; wliich,  if  rightly  considered, 
deprave,  rather  than  improve  the 
mind  of  the  reader.  AYhatever  does 
not  promote  the  repose  of  the  heart, 
and  the  continual  renovation  of  the 
mind,  should  neither  be  heard,  spoken, 
read,   nor   even    be   entertained  in 

'  thought,  by  a  disciple  of  Jesus.  True 
Christians  are  like  the  trees  of  God, 
•  which  should  daily  grow  stronger, 
and  take  deeper  root  in  Christ.  St. 
Paul  testifies  of  himself,  that  besides 
I  "Christ  and  him  crucified,"  he  de- 
1  sired  to  know  nothing.   1  Cor.  2  :  2. 
i  And  this  has  been  the  practice  of  all 
I  the  saints  of  God,  who  have  endeav- 
j  ored,  to  the  utmost  of  their  power,  by 
I  carefully  cherishing  this  blessed  tran- 
quillity of  heart,  to  approach  nearer 
and  nearer  to  a  life  raised  above  the 
world,  and  to  emulate  those  elevated 
minds  that  entirelj^  rest  in  God,  as  the 
I  centre  of  all  their  happiness.    One  of 
jthem  once  said:  "As  often  as  I  con- 

t 


verse  w^ith  men,  I  return  less  a  man 
in  some  part  or  other."  For  since  the 
dignity  of  human  natui-o  princi))al!y  ^ 
consists  in  the  similitude  of  God,  and 
therefore  God  hatli  described  man  to 
be  the  image  and  likeness  of  himself 
(Gen.  1  :  26);  it  follows,  that  the  more 
unlike  any  man  is  to  God,  the  less  a 
man  he  is :  and  the  more  closely  he 
unites  himself  to  God,  the  more  con- 
formed to  IIiM  does  he  become.  None 
can,  however,  turn  himself  to  God, 
who  does  not  first  withdraw^  himself 
from  the  world.  It  is  the  nature  of 
every  seed,  to  bring  forth  a  plant  of 
its  own  kind;  so  if  the  seed  of  God, 
the  Holy  Spirit  and  Word,  be  in  thee, 
thou  shalt  become  a  "tree  of  right- 
eousness. The  phmting  of  the  Lord, 
that  he  may  be  glorified."  Isa.  61  :  3. 

5.  Nothing  is  more  common,  than 
that  some  word  or  other  is  dropped 
in  the  conversation  of  men,  w^iich 
being  idle  and  vain,  grievously  wounds 
and  pollutes  the  soul.  No  man,  there- 
fore, has  more  security  and  peace, 
than  he  who  keeps  at  home,  in  the 
house  of  his  heart,  and  restrains  his 
thoughts,  his  words,  and  his  senses, 
from  straying  beyond  their  bounds. 

6.  He  that  will  S2:)eak  well,  must 
first  learn  to  be  silent;  for  to  talk 
much  is  not  eloquence,  but  prating. 
He  who  desires  to  command  Avell, 
must  first  learn  to  obey;  since  it  is 
impossible  that  he  should  be  a  good 
ruler  over  others,  who  knows  not  how 
to  be  subject  and  obedient  to  God. 
He  that  desires  peace  and  serenity 
of  mind,  must  set  a  watch  over  his 
tongue,  and  maintain  a  good  con- 
science; for  an  evil  conscience  is  like 
the  troubled  sea  ;  yet  shall  it  find  rest 
if  it  return  unto  Christ  in  true  re- 
pentance. The  dove  which  Noah  sent 
out  of  the  ark,  not  finding  any  place 
of  rest,  returned  to  it.    Gen.    8 : 9. 


70 


TRUE  CIIPJSTIANITY. 


[Book  I. 


This  ai'k  is  Clirist  and  the  Church, 
having  only  one  door  or  window, 
■which  is  tiuit  of  repentance,  througli 
which  we  arc  to  come  to  Christ.  And 
as  tlie  dove  retired  into  the  ark  im- 
nicdiatel}^  when  she  found  no  rest  for 
her  foot ;  so  when  thou  art  floating  in 
a  sea  of  worldly  affairs,  and  art  in 
danger  of  suffering  shipwreck,  retire 
immediately  into  thy  heart  to  Christ; 
lest,  being  too  much  tossed  on  the 
floods  of  the  world,  thy  rest  be  broken, 
and  the  tranquillity  of  thy  mind  en- 
tirely destroyed. 

7.  While  thou  conversest  with  men, 
and  art  engaged  in  the  affairs  of  this 
world,  be  careful  to  manage  every- 
thing with  fear  and  humility.  Avoid 
all  self-confidence  and  rashness  in  act- 
ing. Ecmcmbcr  that  thou  art  as  a 
tender  shoot  tied  to  a  prop,  in  order 
that  it  may  grow  up  with  the  more 
safety:  so  do  thou  constantly  lean  on 
the  staff  of  humility,  and  the  fear  of 
God,  lest  a  sudderx  tempest  should 
arise,  and  lay  thee  level  with  the 
ground.  Alas!  how  many  a  man  is 
deceived  when  he,  too  unadvisedly, 
rushes  into  worldly  affairs.  Persuade 
thyself,  therefore,  that  it  is  as  unsafe 
to  trust  to  the  world,  as  to  the  sea. 
The  external  joy  of  the  world,  though 
for  a  time  it  soothe  a  man  in  his  car- 
nal  security,  and  promise  prosperous 
things,  yet  may  soon  be  disturbed  by 
an  unexpected  tempest,  leaving  noth- 
ing behind  but  the  sting  of  an  evil 
conscience. 

8.  If  a  man  would,  on  the  one  hand, 
seek  no  pleasure  in  what  is  frail  or 
perishing;  and  if,  on  the  other,  with 
a  mind  freed  from  secular  joys  and 
affairs,  he  would  give  himself  up  to 
those  more  heavenly  concerns  that  be- 
come a  true  Christian,  he  would  often 
be  visited  with  a  fervent  devotion,  a 
profound  peace,  a  sweet  tranquillity,  a 


serene  conscience,  and  other  divine  I 
comforts.    But,  alas!  we  will  not  be 
persuaded  of  these  things;  and  hence 
it  follows,  that  our  conversion,  amend-] 
ment,  and  devotion  are,  by  our  too 
free  conversation  with  men,  rather ' 
hindered  than  improved.     We  mayj 
find  within  us,  what  we  easily  lose  in  i 
an    inconsiderate  pursuit   of  things j 
without  us.    And  as  a  tree  nowhere 
prospers  better  than  in  its  natural 
soil;  so  the  inward  man  grows  no- 
where more  happily,  than  in  the  in- 
ward ground  of  the  soul,  where  Christ 
resides. 

9.  The  conscience  of  man  is  pos- 
sessed either  with  joy  or  sorrow.  If 
the  conscience  be  conversant  with  j 
things  internal  and  heavenly,  it  will 
refresh  us  with  inward  delight  and 
comfort ;  but  if  it  be  polluted  with  anj 
excessive  cleaving  to  worldly  con- 
cerns, it  will  be  of  necessity  attended 
with  inward  sorrow  and  perplexity. 
2  Cor.  7  :  10.  | 

10.  As  often  as  the  soul  is  affected 
with  hearty  remorse  for  sin,  she  be- 1 
wails   herself,   and   sends  up  secret  J 
groans  to  the  throne  of  mercy.  Thiaj 
penitential  exercise  is  a  w4iolesome] 
fountain  of  tears,  in  which  the  soul,  i 
night  after  night,  cleanses  and  washes 
herself  by  the  Spirit  and  by  faith,  ^ 
through  the  name  of  Jesus  (1  Cor.  j 
6  :  11),  that  so  she  may  be  duly  pre- 
pared to  enter  into  the  inward  sane-  i 
tuary,  and  holy  of  holies,  and  there] 
enjoy  a  secret  intercourse  with  the  ! 
Lord.  I 

11.  And  because  the  Lord  is  ''a  God  I 
that  hideth  himself"  (Isa.  45  :  15),  the  j 
soul  must  approach  him  in  a  way  re-jf 
mote  from  the  noise  of  the  world,  that , 
she  may  the  more  freely  partake  of  j| 
his  divine  communications.  Hence 
the  Psalmist  says:  "  I  will  hear  what 
God  the  Lord  will  speak."  Ps.  85:8.| 


Chap.  XXT7.] 


TEUE  CIIPJSTIANITY. 


77 


And  "  I  soiiglit  the  Lord,  and  ho 
heard  me,  and  delivered  me  from  all 
my  fears.  This  poor  man  cried,  and  the 
'  Lord  heard  him,  and  saved  him  out  of 
I  all  his  troubles."  Psalm  34  :  4,  6.  "  Un- 
'  to  thee  will  I  pray:  my  voice  shalt 
i  thou  hear  in  the  morning,  O  Lord;  in 
the  morning  will  I  direct  my  prayer 
unto  thee,  and  will  look  up."  Psalm 
5  :  2,  3.    Thus  the  farther  the  soul  re- 


tires from  the  world,  the  more  inti- 
mately she  converses  with  God;  just 
as  the  patriarch  Jacob  conversed  most 
familiarly  with  God  and  angels  when 
he  was  farthest  removed  from  friends 
and  children.  Gen.  32  : 24-29.  It  can- 
not, indeed,  be  expressed  in  words, 
how  much  a  soul  sequestered  from  the 
friendship  and  fellowshij)  of  the  world, 
is  loved  by  God  and  by  angels. 


CHAPTER  XXI y. 


OF  THE  LOVE  OP  GOD  AND  OUR  NEIGHBOR. 


Now  the  end  of  the  commandment  is  ch 
conscience,  and  of  faith 

IN  this  verse,  the  apostle  sets  before 
us  love,  the  highest  and  noblest 
virtue;  and  acquaints  us  at  the  same 
time,  with  four  particulars  concerning 
it.  First,  that  Love  is  the  summary 
of  all  the  commandments:  for  '-love," 
says  the  apostle,  "is  the  fulfilling  of 
the  law"  (Ptom.  13:10);  in  which  all 
the  precepts  are  comprehended,  and 
without  which,  all  gifts  and  virtues 
are  unprofitable  and  fruitless. 

2.  What  he  says  in  the  second  place, 
namely,  that  Charity  must  arise  from 
a  pure  heart,  relates  to  the  love  of 
God,  v\'hich  requires  a  heart  void  of 
worldly  love  and  affection,  according 
to  that  saying  of  St.  John  :  "  Love  not 
the  world,  neither  the  things  that  are 
i:i  the  world.  For  all  that  is  in  the 
world,  the  lust  of  the  flesh,  the  lust 
ol'  the  eyes,  and  the  pride  of  life,  is 
not  of  the  Father,  but  is  of  the  world. 
And  the  world  passeth  away,  and  the 
lust  thereof ;  bat  he  that  doetli  the 
will  of  God  abideth  forever."  1  John 
2  :  15-17.    Whosoever,  therefore,  has 


aritT/,  out  of  a  pure  heart,  and  of  a  good 
unfeigned. — 1  TiM.  1  :  5. 

a  heart  purified  from  all  love  to  the 
creature,  so  as  to  depend  or  acquiesce 
in  no  transient  good  whatsoever,  can 
cleave  most  intimately  to  God,  sa}'- 
ing  with  David,  "  Whom  have  I  in 
heaven  but  thee?  and  thei-e  is  none 
upon  earth  that  I  desire  besides  thee. 
My  flesh  and  my  heart  faileth  ;  but 
God  is  the  strength  of  my  heart,  and 
m}^  portion  for  ever."  Psal.  73  : 25,  2G. 
The  love  of  such  a  one,  proceeds  out 
of  a  ^'piire  heart.''  Of  the  same  char- 
acter also,  is  that  love  which  is  at- 
tended with  great  delight,  pleasure 
and  joy  in  God;  of  which  we  have  an 
illustration  in  David:  "I  will  love 
thee,  O  Lord,  my  strength.  T'le 
Lord  is  my  rock,  and  m^^  fortress,  and 
my  deliverer;  my  God,  my  strength, 
in  whom  I  will*  trust;  my  buckler, 
and  the  horn  of  my  salvation,  and  my 
high  tower."  Psal.  18:1,  2. 

3.  The  apostle,  in  the  third  place, 
teaches  us,  that  love  must  be  "  out  of 
a  good  conscience."  This  properly 
concerns  the  love  of  our  neighbor,  who 


78 


Tr.UE  CHEISTTAXITY. 


[Book  I. 


is  to  1)0  loved,  not  for  the  sake  of  in- 
terest or  worldl}'  advantage  (whieh 
would  be  a  false  love  out  of  a  bad  con- 
science) ;  but  for  the  sake  of  God  onl}^ 
and  of  his  commandments.  Nor  ought 
\vc  to  affiict  our  neighbor  cither  by 
word  or  deed,  either  secretlj"  or  open- 
ly ;  nor  on  any  account,  bear  env}^ 
wrath,  hatred,  malice  or  rancor  against 
him;  that  so  our  conscience  may  not 
accuse  us  when  we  address  ourselves 
in  prayer  to  God  Almighty. 

4.  The  fourth  requisite  of  Love  is,  a 
"  faith  unfeigned  ;"  so  that  nothing  be 
done  that  is  contrary  to  the  rule  of 
faith,  and  to  our  Christian  profession, 
and  that  God  be  not  denied  publiclj' or 
privateh',  in  prosperity  or  adversitj^ 
This  is  the  substance  of  what  is  con- 
tained in  that  sentence  of  the  apostle. 
We  shall  now  speak  more  particularly, 
with  respect  to  each  of  the  several 
parts. 

5.  In  the  first  place,  then.  Love,  ac- 
cording to  the  apostle,  "is  the  end  of 
the  commandment;"  for  tliat  love 
which  arises  from  a  pure  faith,  is  the 
noblest  among  the  fruits  and  effects 
of  faith  ]  than  which  a  man  can  do 
nothing  better  or  more  acceptable  to 
God.  For  God  does  not  require  at 
our  hands  great  and  difficult  enter- 
prises, no  high  performances  that  ex- 
ceed our  capacities;  but  he  has 
changed  the  3'oke  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment service,  and  its  many  command- 
ments and  ordinances  into  faith  and 
love,  and  has  given  us  for  this  end  the 
Holy  Ghost,  who,  '-shedding  abroad 
in  our  hearts  the  love  of  God"  (Eom. 
5:5),  renders  everytliing  sweet  and 
easy,  and  proves  the  original  spring  of 
this  heavenly  virtue. 

6.  IjOvc,  therefore,  is  not  a  hard 
work,  a  labor  attended  with  toil  and 
difficulty;  on  the  contrary,  it  makes 
every  thing  easy  to  a  good  man.  "  His 


commandments  are  not  grievous"  (1 
John  5  :  3),  that  is  to  say,  they  are  not 
so  to  an  enlightened  Christian;  for 
wherever  the  Spirit  of  God  comes,  he 
creates  a  free,  willing  and  ready  heart 
in  the  discharge  of  Christian  virtues. 
Nor  does  God  require  of  his  children 
great  skill  or  learning  :  it  is  only  love 
which  he  regards.  If  this  be  sincere 
and  fervent,  free  from  disguise  and 
dissimulation,  God  takes  more  pleas- 
ure and  delight  in  it,  than  in  all  the 
knowledge  and  wisdom,  in  all  the  art 
and  talent  that  any  man  upon  earth, 
in  his  best  works,  can  possibly  ex- 
hibit. Wherever  this  divine  love  is 
wanting,  there  all  wisdom  and  knowl- 
edge, all  works  and  gifts,  are  alto- 
gether unprofitable.  They  are  ac- 
counted vain  and  dead,  as  a  mere 
body  without  life.  1  Cor.  13  :  1,  2. 

7.  As  for  human  learning  and  great 
abilities,  they  are  common  to  heathens 
as  well  as  to  Christians ;  and  great 
actions  are  performed  as  well  by  infi- 
dels as  by  believers.  It  is  love  only 
wdiich  proves  the  sure  test  of  a  sound 
Christian,  distinguishing  between  the 
false  and  the  true.  For  wherever 
Charity  is  wanting,  there  can  be  no 
good  thing,  however  it  may  claim  the 
admiration  of  men  by  its  specious  ap- 
pearances. The  reason  is,  because  God 
is  not  there;  for  "God  is  love,  and  he 

I  that  dwelleth  in  love,  dwelleth  in  God, 
and  God  in  him."  1  John  4  :  16. 

8.  Love  is  also  pleasant,  not  only  to 
God  who  gives  it,  but  also  to  man,  who 
exercises  it:  whereas,  all  arts  and  sci- 
ences, all  the  knowledge  and  wisdom 
which  man  grasps,  are  not  attained 
but  with  great  labor  and  study,  with 
much  care  and  application,  and  even 
at  the  expense  of  bodily  health.  But 
this  heaven-born  love  cheers  both  the 
body  and  the  mind.  It  invigorates 
the  spirits,  confers  new  strength,  and 


CrrAP.  XXIV.] 


TRUE  CIIRTSTIANTTY. 


79 


,  wonderfully  improves  and  exalts  the 
;  mind.    Xor  is  it  attended  with  i\ny 
;  loss  whatever,  but  on  the  contrary, 
j  produces  many  good  and  noble  eifects 
i  in  the  soul.    Love  is  itself  the  reward 
of  the  lover,  and  virtue  always  carries 
its  own  recompense  with  it:  as,  on 
the  contrary,  the  vicious  man  is  pun- 
I  ishcd  by  his  own  excesses,  and  vice  is 
j  the  constant  tormentor  of  him  that 
■  commits  it. 

9.  Airain,  when  the  other  faculties 
of  the  body  and  mind  are  faint  and 
wearied,  love  faints   not.    Love  is 

I  never  weary,  never  ceases.  Prophecy 
1  may  pass  away,  tongues  may  cease, 
j  and  sciences  may  be  destroj'ed  ;  arts 
may  be  "lost,  the  knowledge  of  mys- 
teries may  vanish  ;  yea,  faith  itself  at 
1  last  ma}^  fail   also:    but  yet  "love 
never  faileth,"  nor  can  fail  :  for  when 
all  that  is  imperfect  is  happily  re- 
,  moved,  then  love  alone  abides  forever, 
j  and  attains  its  full  perfection.  1  Cor. 
'  13  :  8. 

10.  To  render  anything  pleasing  to 
Almighty  God,  it  is  necessary  that  it 
proceed  from  him  ;  since  he  approves 
of  nothing  but  what  he  himself  works 
in  us.  Now,  God  is  love;  it  therefore 
follows,  that  all  that  we  do,  ought  to 
proceed  from  a  divine  faith,  in  order 

!  that  it  may  be  pleasing  to  God ;  and 
i  from  pure  love,  that  it  may  prove 
j  profitable  to  men.    This  love  must  be 
i  pure,  without  any  regard  to  self-honor, 
,  self-interest,  and  those  mean  designs 
I  which  sometimes  intrude  into  a  Chris- 
i  tiau's  actions.    In  like  manner  our 
I  prayers  should  spring  from  a  principle 
of  love,  that  they  may  have  the  more 
ready  admittance  to  the  God  of  love. 
;  Consider,  therefore,  how  that  man's 
i  prayer  can  be  acceptable  to  God,  who 
is  full  of  wrath  and  rancor,  hatred 
and  malice  Y    Were  such  a  one  to  re- 
peat the  whole  Psalter  every  day,  it 


would  be  but  an  abomination  before 
the  Lord.  True  worship  consists  in 
spirit  (John  4:23,  24),  in  faith,  in 
love,  not  in  a  long  recital  of  words. 
Remember  the  example  of  Christ, 
who,  from  a  merciful  heart,  cried, 
"Father,  forgive  them."  Luke  33  :  34. 
A  man  that  does  not  love  God,  is  also 
unwilling  to  pour  out  his  heart  in 
prayer  and  supplication:  but  to  hira 
who  is  affected  with  a  sense  of  divine 
love,  the  duty  of  prayer  is  easy  and 
delightful.  A  man  that  has  a  cordial 
love  to  God,  readily  serves  him;  but 
he  that  is  void  of  this  love,  does  not 
serve  him  at  all,  though  he  may  sub- 
mit to  much  toil  and  drudgery,  and 
even  heap  one  mountain  upon  an- 
other. 

11.  Upon  the  whole,  then,  nothing 
is  more  agreeable  to  human  nature, 
nothing  better  and  more  profitable, 
than  this  divine  love,  which,  therefore, 
should  be  stirred  np  in  the  heart  of 
man,  and  when  once  raised  into  a  flame, 
should  be  carefully  preserved  from 
being  ever  quenched. 

12.  Faith  should  work  all  things  in 
a  Christian  through  love;  and  love 
should  be  the  agent  of  faith,  as  the 
body  is  the  agent  of  the  soul.  The 
soul  sees  and  hears,  speaks  and  acts, 
through  the  body,  to  which  she  is 
united;  so,  O  man!  should  the  love  of 
God,  springing  from  faith,  do  all  things 
in  and  through  thee.  Whether  thou 
eat  or  drink,  hear  or  speak,  commend 
or  reprove,  let  all  be  done  in  love,  after 
the  example  of  Christ,  in  whom  re- 
sided nothing  but  pure  love.  If  thou 
beholdest  thy  neighbor,  behold  him 
with  the  eyes  of  a  compassionate 
friend;  if  thou  hearest  him,  hear  him 
with  love  and  tenderness;  and  if  thou 
speakest  with  him,  let  thy  speech  be 
seasoned  with  love  and  Christian  af- 
fection. 


80 


TEUE  CHKISTIANITY. 


[Book  I. 


13.  Carefully  preserve  tlie  root  of 
Christian  love  by  faith,  in  order  that 
nothing  but  that  which  is  good  may 
grow  up  in  thy  heart,  and  issue  thence, 
as  from  its  genuine  centre.  1  Cor.  16  : 
14.  Thou  shalt  then  be  enabled  to 
fulfil  the  commandments  of  God;  since 
they  are  all  comprehended  in  love. 
Hence,  a  holy  man  has  expressed  him- 
self after  this  manner:  "O  love  of  God 
in  the  Holy  Ghost!  thou  art  the  high- 
est joy  of  souls,  and  the  only  divine 
life  of  men.  Whosoever  enjoys  not 
thee,  is  dead  even  while  he  lives;  and 
whosoever  possesses  thee,  never  dies 
in  the  sight  of  God.  Where  thou  art 
not,  there  the  life  of  men  is  a  continual 
death;  but  where  thou  art,  there  life 
is  made  a  foretaste  of  eternal  happi- 
ness." AYhence  it  appears  that  this 
divine  love  is  the  sum  and  fulfilling 
of  all  the  commandments  of  God. 

14.  We  consider  now,  in  the  second 
place,  that  our  love  to  God  ought  to 
proceed  out  of  a  pure  heart."  The 
heart  of  a  man  who  is  desirous  to  love 
God,  ought  first  to  be  cleansed  from 
all  worldly  love  and  attachment  to  the 
creature.  It  is  then  that  God  becomes 
the  chief  and  sovereign  Good  to  the 
soul.  She  can  then  say,  "  The  Lord 
is  the  portion  of  mine  inheritance,  and 
of  my  cup:  thou  maintainest  my  lot." 
Ps.  16:5.  "The  Lord  knoweth  the 
days  of  the  uj^right,"  that  is,  those  that 
love  him  out  of  a  disinterested  heart; 
"and  their  inheritance  shall  be  for- 
ever." Ps.  37:18.  "Delight  thyself 
in  the  Lord,  and  he  shall  give  thee 
the  desires  of  thine  heart."  Ps.  37  : 4. 
In  a  word,  God  is  the  only  fountain 
whence  all  our  joy  ought  constantly 
to  spring. 

15.  God,  therefore,  should  be  the 
most  beloved  object  of  our  souls,  and 
our  hearts  should  rest  in  him  alone, 
because  he  is  the  highest  good.   He  is 


nothing  else  than  mercy  and  goodnes>;, 
love  and  kindness,  clemency  and  pa- 
tience, truth,  comfort,  peace,  joy,  life, 
and  happiness.  All  this  he  has  laid 
up  in  Jesus  Christ.  Whoever,  there- 
fore, has  Christ,  is  thereby  put  into 
the  possession  of  all  these  heavenly- 
virtues.  And  whoever  loves  God,  must 
also  of  necessity  love  God's  truth  and 
mercy,  his  goodness  and  kindness,  and 
the  whole  train  of  divine  virtues. 

16.  For,  atrue  lover  of  God  has  alove 
to  all  that  God  loves,  and  an  aversion 
to  all  that  God  hates.  If  any  man 
loves  God,  he  must  love  truth,  mercy, 
and  righteousness,  because  God  is  all 
this  himself.  He  must  also  delight  in 
humility  and  meekness,  since'thereby 
he  is  rendered  conformable  to  that 
meekness  and  lowly-mi  ndedness  which 
resided  in  Jesus.  On  the  other  hand, 
a  true  lover  of  God  cannot  but  abhor 
all  ungodliness,  with  all  the  works  of 
iniquity;  because  all  manner  of  im- 
piety is  enmit}^  against  God,  and  is  the 
work  of  the  devil  himself.  A  lover 
of  God  hates  a  lie,  because  the  devil 
is  the  father  of  lies,  and  was  a  liar 
from  the  beginning.  And  this  is  the 
reason  that  every  one  who  loves  lies, 
injustice,  and  other  vicious  workings 
of  nature,  must  needs,  in  that  sense, 
be  the  offspring  of  the  devil  (see 
John  8 :  44) ;  and  again,  whoever  loves 
Christ,  his  Lord  and  Saviour,  loves  also 
the  example  of  his  pure  and  holy  life, 
his  humility  and  meekness,  his  pa- 
tience, and  the  other  heavenly  vir- 
tues that  appeared  in  his  conduct. 
And  such  a  one  must  of  necessity  be 
adopted  into  the  number  of  the  chil- 
dren of  God. 

17.  This  love,  proceeding  out  of  a 
"pure  heart,"  must  be  obtained  from 
God  by  prayer  and  supplication.  And 
truly,  God  is  willing  to  enkindle  in  us 
this  heavenly  flame  through  the  lovo 


Chap.  XXIY.] 


TEUE  CIIEISTIANITY. 


of  Christ,  if  he  bo  but  cnrnostly  so- 
licited, and  if  the  heart  be  everyday 
and  every  moment  laid  open  to  his 
divine  influence.    If  thy  love  should 
grow  cold   and  weak  at  any  time, 
arouse  th}'  heart,  faint  not,  but  stir 
up  the  grace  of  God  within  thee,  and 
be  not  too  much  discouraged  at  it.  In 
the  name  of  God  arise  again,  set  to 
work,  and  renew  the  acts  of  th}^  first 
love.     As  thou  art  sensible  of  th}^ 
coldness  in  love,  thou  mayost  be  as- 
sured from  that  circumstance,  that  the 
eternal  light  of  divine  love  is  not 
wholly  extinguished,  although  it  be 
eclipsed,  and  at  present  give  but  little 
heat.   Doubt  not  that  thy  Saviour  will 
;  enlighten  thee   again,  and  fire  thy 
I  heart  with  his  love;  so  that  thou  may- 
est  sit  once  more  under  his  shadow, 
land  rejoice  in  the  light  of  his  counte- 
! nance.    At  the  same  time  be  earnest 
lin  prayer  and  supplications,  lest  here- 
lafter  the  flame  of  this  heavenly  love 
should   be   again   deadened  in  thy 
heart.    Such  is  love  "  out  of  a  pure 
Iheart,"   unmixed   with  love  of  the 
'world. 

I    18.  Let  us  now  consider,  in  the  third 
place,  Love,  as  arising  from  a  "good 
;conscience,"  and  as  it  respects  our 
neigiibor.    The  love  of  God  and  the 
love  of  our  neighbor  are  so  closely 
united,  that  they  can  never  be  sepa- 
rated.   The  true  touchstone  of  our 
[love  to  God,  is  the  love  which  we 
:bear  to  our  neighbor.    "  If  a  man  say, 
|[  love  God,  and  hateth  his  brother,  he 
sa  liar:  for  he  that  loveth  not  his 
brother  whom  he  hath  seen,  how  can 
le  love  God  whom  he  hath  not  seen  ? 
\nd  this  commandment  have  we  from 
lim,  That  he  who  loveth  God,  love 
lis  brother  also."  1  John  4:20,  21. 
^or  the  love  of  God  cannot  dwell  in  a 
nun  who  is  filled  with  hatred  or  mal- 
ee,  or  divested  of  all  bowels  of  love 


and  compassion.  If  thou  hast  no  pity 
on  thy  brother,  who  stands  in  need  of 
thy  help,  how  canst  thou  love  God, 
who  needs  not  anything  that  is  thine, 
and  has  commanded  thee  to  express 
thy  love  towards  him,  by  bestowing 
marks  of  it  upon  thy  brother? 

19.  As  faith  unites  to  God,  so  love 
unites  to  our  neighbor;  and  as  a  man 
is  made  up  of  body  and  soul,  so  faith 
and  love  (that  is,  the  love  both  of  God 
and  of  our  neighbor)  make  up  a  true 
Christian.  Thus  he  that  '-dwelleth 
in  love,  dwelleth  in  God."  lJohn4:16. 
And  since  God  effectually  desires  the 
good  of  all  men,  it  follows,  that  he  who 
loves  in  like  manner  is  of  one  heart 
with  God;  and  that  he  who  is  other- 
wise aff'ected  is  against  God,  and  has 
not  the  mind  of  the  Lord,  but  is  the 
enemy  of  God  as  well  as  of  his  neigh- 
bor. He  is,  unquestionably,  an  adver- 
sary to  God  who  is  an  enemy  to 
men. 

20.  It  is  the  property  of  this  love  to 
bewail  and  compassionate  the  irifirm- 
ities  of  others.  Gah  6: 1.  Indeed,  the 
failings  and  weaknesses  of  our  fellow- 
creatures  represent  to  us,  as  in  a  mir- 
ror, our  own  imperfections,  and  re- 
mind us  of  the  various  defects  that  en- 
cumber our  nature.  Therefore,  when 
thou  seest  another  overtaken  in  a  fault, 
consider  that  thou  also  thyself  art  but  a 
man;  and  learn  from  thy  own  infirm- 
ities, to  bear  those  of  others  with  pa- 
tience, meekness,  and  humility.  Eom. 
15  :  7. 

21.  Such  especially  as  sin,  not  from 
malice  or  determined  wickedness,  but 
who  are  surprised  into  a  fault  by  weak- 
ness and  inadvertency;  and  who,  com- 
ing soon  to  themselves  again,  repent 
of  that  which  they  have  done,  and 
firmly  resolve  to  watch  the  more 
against  the  snares  of  Satan  for  the 
future;  such  souls  as  these  are  surely 


82 


TRUE  CIIPvISTIANITY. 


[Book  1. 


to  be  pitied  and  assisted.  He  that  does  \ 
otherwise,  shows  tluat  he  lias  nothing 
in  him  of  ll)e  merciful  and  forbearing 
Bpirit  of  Christ.  When  a  man  hastily  | 
condemns  the  faults  of  his  neighbor, 
without  feeling  any  love  or  compas- 
sion, it  is  an  evident  sign  that  he  is 
altogether  void  of  God,  and  of  his  mer- 
ciful s])irit.  On  the  contrary',  a  true 
Cliristian,  being  anointed  with  the 
spirit  of  Cnrist,  treats  all  men  as  one 
that  has  a  fellow-feeling  with  them, 
and  bears  with  them  in  a  sympathiz- 
ing Christian  love  and  tenderness,  ac- 
cording to  the  example  of  Christ,  which 
he  has  left  us  to  follow.  Therefore,  if 
any  man,  upon  serious  search  into  his 
inward  condition,  finds  that  he  has  not 
the  love  of  his  neighbor  abiding  in  him, 
let  him  know,  assuredly,  that  the  love 
of  God  remains  not  in  his  soul,  and 
that  he  himself  is  without  God.  This 
should  strike  him  with  horror  and  in- 
dignation against  himself;  it  should 
influence  him  the  more  speedily  (after 
repenting  of  his  sin  from  the  bottom 
of  his  heart)  to  reconcile  himself  to 
his  neighbor,  that,  in  this  order,  the 
love  of  God  may  also  return  to  him 
again.  Then  all  his  i\ctions,  while  he 
continues  in  this  love  and  faith,  are 
good,  holy,  and  divine;  and  this  love, 
dwelling  in  his  heart,  will  actuate  him 
freely  and  willingly  to  embrace  all 
men,  and  with  great  affection  and  joy 
to  do  them  all  manner  of  kindnesses; 
so  that  he  will  "rejoice  over  them  to 
do  them  good,"  even  as  God  himself. 
Jer.  32:41. 

22.  Without  this  love,  whatever  is 
in  man,  is  diabolical  and  altogether 
evil.  Nor  is  there,  indeed,  any  other 
cause  why  the  devil  can  do  no  good, 
but  because  he  is  utterly  destitute  of 
love  both  towards  God  and  man. 
Hence,  all  which  he  docs  is  radically 
evil,  and  deprived  of  all  intrinsic  good- 


ness. In  all  that  he  sets  about,  he 
designs  nothing  but  God's  dishonor, 
and  man's  destruction.  He  cunningly 
contrives  ways  to  vent  his  enmity  both 
upon  God  and  man;  and.  therefore,  he 
seeks  for  such  hearts  as  he  can  fill 
with  spite  and  envy,  and  then  dis- 
charges through  them  his  malice  and 
wrath.  "And  hereby  it  is  manifest 
who  are  the  children  of  God,  and  the 
children  of  the  devil."  i  John  3  : 10. 

23.  Lastly,  Love  must  be  "out  of 
faith  unfeigned,"  that  is,  we  must  love 
God  equally  in   prosperity  and  ad- 
versity. Whoever  loves  God  sincerely, 
accepts  with  joy  all  the  dispensations 
of  his  Providence,  after  the  example 
of  Christ;  who,  with  a  cheerful  and 
ready  mind,  took  up  the  cross,  which" 
he  knew  that  the  will  of  his  Father 
imposed  on  him.    "  I  have,"  says  he, 
"a  baptism  to  be  baptized  with;  and 
how  am  I  straitened  (and  in  pain)  till 
it  be  accomplished!"  Luke  12:50.  la  1 
the  same  manner  have  all  the  holy  , 
martyrs  carried  with  joy  their  crosa  ^ 
after  him. 

24.  To  those  that  unfeignedly  love  , 
God,  the  cross,  which  Christ  enjoins  | 
us  to  bear,  does  not  prove  grievous  or  i 
burdensome;  and  this  for  no  other  i 
reason,  than  because  it  is  the  yoke  of 
Christ.  Matt.  11  :  29.    If  the  magnet 
attracts  the  heavy  iron,  Avhy  should 
not  that  heavenly  loadstone,  the  love 
of  God,  attract  the  burden  of  our  ^ 
cross,  and  render  it  light  and  agreea-  i' 
ble;  especially  after  the  heart  is  af- 
fected  with  a  touch  of  the  divine  . 
love?  If  the  sugar  sweeten  such  herbs  j 
as  are  bitter  by  nature,  why  should  | 
not  the  sweetness  of  the  love  of  God  fi 
make  that  pleasant  and  easy,  which  ' 
to  the  flesh  is  nothing  but  a  cross  and 
affliction?    And  truly  it  was  from  the 
fulness  of  this  love,  that  the  blessed 
martyrs  bore  the  most  exquisite  pain  i 


CiiAi>.  XXV.] 


TEUE  CriEISTIANITY. 


83 


with  patience  and  joy;  being  trans- 
ported with  it  to  such  a  degree,  as  to 


be  almost  insensible  of  their  very  tor- 
ments. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

THE  LOVE  OF  OUR  NEIGHBOR,  MORE  PARTICULARLY  CONSIDERED. 

Of  whom  a  man  is  ovcrcomcy  of  the  same  is  he  brought  in  bondage. — 2  Peter  .2  :  19. 


THERE  is  no  bondage  more  hard 
and  grievous,  than  to  be  under 
the  yoke  of  the  passions :  but  of  all 
these,  none  is  so  cruel  as  hatred,  which 
so  weakens  and  depresses  all  the  pow- 
ers both  of  body  and  mind,  as  not  to 
leave  to  the  man  one  free  thought.  On 
the  contrary,  he  who  lives  in  love  \s 
free.  He  is  no  slave  to  anger,  envy, 
covetousness,  pride,  lying,  or  calumny ; 
and  being  delivered  from  these  by  love, 
he  suffers  not  himself  to  be  subdued 
by  evil  desires,  but  continues  Christ's 
freeman  (1  Cor.  7  :  22)  in  the  liberty 
of  the  Spirit:  for  "where  the  Spirit 
of  the  Lord  is,  there  is  liberty."  2 
Cor.  3  :  17.  Whosoever,  therefore, 
walks  in  the  love  of  Christ,  is  no 
iong-er  a  slave  to  sin,  or  a  servant  to 
carnal  affections;  for  the  Spirit  of 
God's  love  has  freed  and  purified  him 
from  carnal  concupiscence.  And  we 
see  that  the  love  of  God  extends  over 
all  men;  of  which  we  not  only  find 
sufficient  proofs  in  Scripture,  but  the 
footsteps  of  his  universal  benignity 
are  also  everywhere  displayed  in  na- 
ture. We  are  all  equally  covered  with 
the  heavens,  and  have  all  the  use  of 
the  sun,  the  air,  the  earth,  and  the 
water;  as  well  they  who  are  of  high 
degree,  as  they  who  are  of  the  mean- 
est condition.  And  the  very  same 
mind  that  is  in  God  towards  us,  ought 
also  to  be  in  us  towards  men;  God 


himself  having  set  us  a  pattern  of 
universal  kindness  for  our  imitation. 
He  regards  not  one  more  than  an- 
other, but  loves  all  with  an  equal  af- 
fection. With  him  there  is  no  respect 
of  persons,  of  dignity,  or  merit;  but 
he  beholds  all  alike  in  Christ.  This  is 
for  our  instruction.  Now,  as  God  acts 
towards  us,  so  ought  we  to  act  to- 
wards our  neighbor.  And  truly,  after 
the  same  manner  as  we  deal  with  man, 
so  God  will  deal  with  us  again.  We 
need  not  go  far  to  inquire  what  favor 
we  have  with  God  Almighty.  If  we 
but  enter  into  our  own  conscience,  it 
will  impartially  tell  us,  what  mind 
and  affection  we  bear  to  our  nciirh- 
bor;  and  as  we  have  done  to  him,  so 
w^ill  God  certainly  do  to  us  again,  and 
return  our  works  into  our  own  bosom. 
And  in  this  sense  it  is  said  of  God, 
that  "with  the  pure  he  shews  himself 
pure;  and  with  the  fro  ward,  shews 
himself  frovvard"  (Ps.  18:  26);  that 
is,  if  thou  bearest  an  evil  mind  to  thy 
neighbor,  God  will  be  thine  adversary 
also. 

2.  Since,  therefore,  God  has  no  need 
of  our  service,  he  has  substituted  our 
neighbor  in  his  place,  to  receive  our 
charity,  and  has  commanded  us  to  pay 
it  as  to  himself.  He  has  made  this 
love  of  our  neighbor  the  very  touch- 
stone by  which  we  are  to  examine  the 
sincerity  of  our  love  to  God. 


84 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  I. 


3.  And  it  is  for  tliis  reason  that  he 
has  enjoined  the  love  of  our  neighbor 
with  so  great  earnestness,  requiring 
us  to  show  constantly  the  same  love 
to  him  which  God  shows  to  us.  For 
unless  a  man  be  fully  reconciled  to, 
and  be  in  perfect  charity  with  his 
neighbor,  he  cannot  have  the  favor  or 
grace  of  God.  And  although  all  the 
sins  of  the  world  arc  atoned  for  by 
the  death  of  Christ,  and  a  full  pardon 
obtained,  yet  all  mankind  may  in  some 
sense  be  said  to  be  in  the  same  cir- 
cumstances with  the  servant  in  the 
parable,  who  had  not  wherewithal  to 
pay;  the  king  freely  remitted  him  all 
his  debts:  but  when  he  afterwards 
behaved  himself  cruelly  towards  his 
fellow-servant,  the  king  revoked  his 
pardon,  and  condemned  the  servant, 
on  account  of  the  hard  usage  with 
which  he  treated  his  neighbor.  Matt. 
18  :  23,  etc.  This  parable  Christ  con- 
cludes with  the  remarkable  expres- 
sion :  "So  likewise  shall  my  heavenly 
Father  do  also  unto  you,  if  ye  from 
your  hearts  forgive  not  every  one  his 
brother,  their  trespasses."  Yerse  35. 
And,  "  With  the  same  measure  that 
ye  mete  withal,  it  shall  be  measured 
to  you  again."  Luke  6  :  38. 

4.  Hence,  it  plainly  appears,  that 
man  was  not  created  for  himself  alone, 
but  for  his  neighbor's  sake  also.  So 
strict  is  the  commandment  of  loving 
our  neighbor,  that  when  it  is  broken, 
the  very  end  of  our  creation  is  de- 
stroyed, and  the  love  of  God  is  im- 
mediately withdrawn  from  the  soul. 
Nothing  is  left  but  the  severest  justice, 
judging  and  condemning  all  that  are 
void  of  this  charity. 

5.  If  we  dul}^  considered  these 
things,  we  should  never  be  angry 
with  one  another;  neither  would  "the 
sun  ever  go  down  upon  our  wrath." 
Eph.  4  :  26.    It  is  true,  on  the  one 


hand,  that  Christ  by  his  death  on  tho 
cross  has  offered  a  full  and  complete 
atonement  for  all  our  trespasses,  and 
in  this  respect,  has  remitted  all  our 
sins  at  once;  yet  is  it,  on  the  other 
hand,  an  awful  consideration,  that  the 
whole  extent  of  the  merits  of  Christ 
will  be  of  no  avail  at  all  to  us,  if  we 
continue  to  hate  our  brother,  and  will 
neither  pardon  nor  love  him.  We  shall 
be  entirely  cut  off  from  all  the  bene- 
fits that  flow  from  the  atonement. 

6.  Hence  it  appears  how  important 
the  love  of  our  neighbor  must  be  in 
the  sight  of  God,  binding  us  even  to 
such  a  degree,  that  God  refuses  to  be 
loved  by  us,  unless  we  love  our  neigh- 
bor also  ;  so  that  if  we  fail  in  our  be- 
nevolence toward  the  latter,  we  fall 
at  the  same  time  from  grace  and  di- 
vine charity.  And  for  this  reason,  we 
were  created  all  equal  and  of  the 
same  nature,  that  we  might  not  de- 
spise one  other;  but,  like  children  of 
one  common  parent,  live  in  peace  and 
love,  and  endeavor  to  maintain  a  good 
and  serene  conscience. 

7.  Now,  whoever  hates  and  despises 
his  brother,  hates  and  despises  God 
also,  who  has  forbidden  all  such  ani- 
mosities in  the  severest  terms.  If 
thou  contemnest  thy  brother,  God 
also  contemns  thee;  which  hastens 
thy  judgment  and  condemnation,  and 
deprives  thee  of  all  interest  in  the 
merit  and  redemption  of  Christ,  by 
which  sin  .is  forgiven. 

8.  For  it  cannot  be  possible  that  a 
heart  filled  with  wrath  and  bitterness, 
should  in  any  degree  reap  a  saving 
fruit  from  the  blood  of  Christ,  which 
was  shed  from  a  motive  of  pure  love. 
Yea,  the  above  parable  (Matt.  18  :  35) 
plainly  convinces  us,  that  God  was 
less  offended  at  the  debt  of  ten  thou- 
sand talents,  than  at  the  barbarous 
cruelty  of  which  the  servant  was 


Chap.  XXYI.] 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


85 


guilty;  he  Clin  overlook  tlie  debt,  but  i  with  which  the  Lord  concludes  the 
he  cannot  overlook  the  want  of  love.  parable:  "So  likewise  Khali  my  heav- 
Let  us,  therefore,  ponder  the  words  I  enly  Father  do  also  unto  you." 


CHAPTER  XXV  1. 

WHEREFORE  OUR  NEIGHBOR  IS  TO  BE  LOVED. 

Owe  no  man  any  thinr/,  but  to  love  one  another ;  for  he  that  loveth  another  hath 
fulfilled  the  Za?^.— Rom.  13  : 8. 


t'TTTIIEREWITH  shall  I  come 
\V  before  the  Lord?  Shall  I 
come  before  him  with  burnt-offerings, 
with  calves  of  a  year  old?  Will  the 
Lord  be  pleased  w4th  thousands  of 
rams,  or  with  ten  thousands  of  rivers 
of  oil  ?  Shall  I  give  my  first-born  for 
my  transgression,  the  fruit  of  my 
body  for  the  sin  of  my  soul  ? — lie 
hath  shewed  thee,  O  man,  what  is 
good ;  and  what  doth  the  Lord  require 
of  thee,  but  to  do  justly,  and  to  love 
mercy,  and  to  walk  humbly  with  thy 
God."  Micah  6  :  6-8. 

2.  By  this  question,  and  the  answer 
to  it,  the  prophet  teaches  us,  wherein 
the  true  w^orship  of  God  properly  con- 
sists ;  not  in  ceremonies  and  sacrifices, 
since  we  are  notable  to  give  anything 
to  God,  because  all  is  his  own  already; 
Dot  in  offering  up  human  sacrifices, 
which  he  does  not  require  at  our 
hands,  but  detests  and  abhors,  because 
they  are  injurious  to  Jesus  Christ,  the 
great  propitiatory  oblation  which  God 
appointed  to  takeaway  the  sins  of  the 
world  (John  1 :  29)  :  but  the  true  wor- 
ship of  God  consists  in  pure  faith, 
which,  from  the  visible  effect  of  it, 
the  prophet  here  describes,  by  doing 
justly,"  that  is  by  the  exercise  of  faith 
in  righteousness,  in  charity  and  mercy, 


(which  is  more  pleasing  than  all  sac- 
rifices); and  in  true  humility  and 
contrition,  as  it  is  said:  "The  sacri- 
fices of  God  are  a  broken  spirit:  a 
broken  and  a  contrite  heai*t,  O  God, 
thou  wHlt  not  despise."  Ps.  51  :  17. 

3.  To  this  divine  worship,  founded 
within  the  heart,  and  proceeding  from 
faith,  love,  and  humility,  St.  Paul  pow- 
erfully exhorts  us  in  Eom.  13  :  8-10. 
His  admonition  contains  in  it  both 
the  praise  of  Christian  love,  and  the 
perpetual  duty  in  which  we  stand  en- 
gaged to  our  neighbor,  and  without 
which  it  is  impossible  to  serve  God 
aright.  For.  truly  there  is  no  other 
way  of  serving  God,  except  by  that 
which  he  himself  works  in  our  hearts  : 
so  that  to  serve  God,  is  nothing  else 
but  to  serve  our  neighbor,  and  to  do 
him  all  the  ofiices  of  Christian  love 
and  humanity  w^hich  we  are  able  to 
perform. 

4.  The  apostle  calls  love  a  summary 
of  all  virtues,  and  the  "fulfilling  of 
the  law."  Eom.  13:  10.  Not  that  we 
are  able  by  any  acts  of  charity,  to  ful- 
fil perfectly  the  divine  law,  or  that 
consequently  we  can  merit  eternal  life 
thereby;  (which  cannot  possibly  be, 
except  our  love  were  complete  in 
every  respect,  and  arrived  to  a  con- 


86 


TEUE  CIIEISTIANITY. 


[Book  1. 


Biimmatc  perfection):  but  the  apostle 
desires  to  siir^gest  thereby  the  won- 
derful excellency  of  this  virtue,  and  to 
incline  us,  at  the  same  time,  to  an  un- 
feigned love.  As  to  our  righteousness, 
it  is  not  grounded  on  any  work  of 
ours,  but  only  on  the  merits  of  Christ 
applied  to  us  by  faith. 

5.  From  this  righteousness  of  Christ, 
appreliended  by  faith,  spi'ings  love  to 
our  neighbor,  together  with  t!ie  whole 
train  of  Christian  virtues,  called  by 
the  apostle  "fruits  of  righteousness, 
which  are  to  the  glorj^  and  j^raise  of 
God."  Phil.  1:11.  But  since  the  dig- 
nity of  this  virtue  is  so  very  eminent, 
it  will  be  2:)roper  to  set  forth  further 
motives  by  which  the  practice  of  it 
may  be  endeared  to  us. 

6.  The  first  and  strongest  of  all  mo- 
tives, is  that  which  St.  John  uses: 
"God  is  love;  and  he  that  dwelleth  in 
love,  dwelleth  in  God,  and  God  in 
him"  (1  John  4  :  16).  For  who  would 
not  wish  to  be  in  God,  and  to  remain 
in  Him;  and  that  God  should  be  and 
remain  in  him  ?  And  who,  on  the  con- 
trary, would  not  abhor  to  be  in  Satan, 
and  to  have  Satan  dwelling  in  him? 
And  yet  this  is  the  ordinary  conse- 
quence, as  often  ascharilj^^  is  repulsed, 
and  unnatural  animosities  are  admitted 
into  the  heart.  For  as  God  is  a  lover 
of  men,  ready  to  save  them  from  eter- 
nal destruction,  so  the  devil  is  a  hater 
of  men.  This  is  further  explained  by 
St.  John  :  "  lie  that  loveth,  is  born  of 
God,  and  knoweth  God."  1  John  4  :  7. 
And  again  :  "  In  this  the  children  of 
God  are  manifest,  and  the  children 
of  the  devil :  whosoever  doeth  not 
righteousness  is  not  of  God,  neither 
he  that  loveth  not  his  brother."  1  John 
3  :  10.  Now,  can  there  be  anything 
more  desirable  than  to  be  ranked 
among  the  children  of  God,  to  be  be- 
gotten of  God,  and  to  know  God  truly 


and  experimentally  ?  But  whoever  has 
his  heart  void  of  this  love,  and  has 
never  felt  its  force  and  energy,  nor 
tasted  its  goodness  and  gentleness, 
long  suffering  and  patience,  this  man 
knows  not  God,  who  is  pure  love. 
For  the  knowledge  of  God  must  pro- 
ceed from  enjoyment  and  experience. 
And  how  is  it  possible  that  a  man 
should  know  Christ,  whilst  he  is  a 
stranger  to  love,  and  to  that  loving 
intercourse  which  subsists  betwixt 
Christ  and  the  soul?  Hence  it  fol- 
lows, that  he  that  is  without  love,  is 
without  Christ  also.  But  he  who  is 
earnest  in  the  exercise  of  love,  shall 
not  be  left  barren  in  the  knowledge  of 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ:  "For  if  these 
things  be  in  you,  and  abound,  they 
make  you  that  ye  shall  neither  be 
barren  nor  unfruitful  in  the  knowledge 
of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  2  Pet.  1 :  8. 

7.  The  second  motive  is  found  in 
what  our  Jjord  himself  says:  '"By 
this  shall  all  men  know  that  ye  are 
my  disciples,  if  ye  have  love  one  to 
another."  John  18  :35.  Now,  in  order 
to  be  a  disciple  of  Christ,  it  is  not 
enough  to  be  a  Christian  in  name,  or 
by  a  mere  verbal  profession  ;  but  to  be 
a  disciple  of  Christ  implies  much  more. 
Such  a  one  must  believe  in  his  name; 
must  love  him,  imitate  him,  live  in 
him.  He  must,  in  a  peculiar  manner, 
adhere  to  him ;  must  feel  the  love  of 
Christ  infused  into  his  soul,  and  freely 
partake  of  all  the  gifts  and  benefits 
purchased  by  him.  Whoever  has  not 
this  love  of  Christ  abiding  in  him,  is 
not  Christ's  disciple,  nor  can  he  pre- 
tend to  have  any  share  in  his  merits. 
For  how  is  it  possible  that  Christ 
should  know  a  man  who  has  neither 
faith  in,  nor  any  love  to  him?  As  a 
flower  is  known  by  its  frag'-ance,  and 
fruit  b}^  its  flavor,  so  a  true  disciple  of 
Christ  is  known  by  his  love. 


Chap.  XXV J.] 


TRUE  CIIRrSTIANlTY. 


87 


8.  ITciice,  St.  Paul  does  not  hesitate 
I  to  affirm,  that  "all  gifts  without  char- 
;  ity  are  nothing"  (1  Cor.  13:  2);  which 
!  is  a  third  motive  why  we  .should  de- 
;  sire  this  excellent  gift.  In  truth,  nei- 
I  thcr  the  knowledge  of  divers  tongues, 

nor  the  gift  of  miracles,  nor  the  un- 
derstanding of  high  and  sublime  mys- 

j  terics,  nor  any  extraordinary  endow- 
ments, are  sufficient  marks  by  which 
to  know  a  Christian;  this  preroga- 
tive being  entirely  reserved  to  faith, 

'  which  worketh  by  love."  Gal.  5  :  6. 
Nor  does  God  require  an}'  hard  things 
at  our  hand  (such  as  the  working  of 
miracles),  but  to  exercise  love  and  hu- 
milit}';  virtues  that  may  be  appre- 
hended by  the  meanest  capacity.  Nor 
will  it  be  demanded  of  thee  in  theda}^ 
of  judgment,  whether  thou  hast  been 
versed  in  arts,  tongues,  and  sciences, 
or  what  great  parts  thou  hast  pos- 
sessed in  this  world;  but  whether  thou 
hast  exercised  thyself  in  faith  and  love. 
"I  was  a  hungered,"  saith  our  Sav- 
iour, "  and  ye  gave  me  meat,  etc."  Matt. 
25 :  35.  etc.  And  St.  Paul  says  to  the 
Galatians:  "In  Christ  Jesus  neither 
circumcision  availeth  anything,  nor 
uncircumcision  (no  gifts,  no  parts,  no 
endowments,  no  respect  of  persons); 
but  faith  which  worketh  by  love." 
Gal.  5  :  6. 

9.  Add  to  these,  as  a  fourth  motive, 
that  passage  of  St.  John  :  "  If  a  man 
say,  I  love  God,  and  hateth  his  brother, 
he  is  a  liar:  for  he  that  loveth  not  his 
brother  whom  he  hath  seen,  how  can 
he  love  God  whom  he  hath  not  seen  ? 
And  this  commandment  have  we  from 
him,  That  he  who  loveth  God,  love  his 
brother  also."  1  John  4  :  20,  21.  This 
all  the  inspired  writers  teach,  that  love 
towards  God  cannot  possibly  exist  in 
the  soul  without  love  to  our  neighbor. 
For  he  that  hates  his  neighbor  must 
be  an  enemy  to  God ;  because  God  is  a 


lover  of  men,  and  requires  us  to  be  of 
the  same  mind. 

10.  A  fifth  motive  is,  that  love  is  the 
great  law  of  nature,  and  attended  with 
many  things  beneficial  to  mankind, 
without  which  we  would  not  l)e  able 
to  live.  When  any  good  thing  hap- 
pens to  man,  it  cei-tainly  pi-oceed3 
from  divine  love.  Hence,  St.  Paul 
calls  love,  the  ''bond  of  perfectness" 
(Col.  3  :  14)  ;  and  describes,  in  Rom. 
12  :  9,  10,  the  excellent  fruits  that 
grow  upon  this  stock.  And  our  Sa- 
viour himself  teaches  to  the  same  ef- 
fect: "All  things  whatsoever  ye  would 
that  men  should  do  to  you,  do  ye  even 
so  to  them:  for  this  is  the  law  and  the 
prophets."  Matt.  7  :  12.  And  this  is 
so  universal  a  truth,  that  the  heathens 
themselves  were,  by  the  very  law  of 
nature  written  in  their  hearts,  con- 
vinced of  it.  Hence  they  said:  "That 
which  you  would  not  should  be  done 
to  yourself,  do  not  the  same  to  an- 
other." This  excellent  sentence,  the 
Emperor  Severus,  a  prince  adorned 
with  many  virtues,  had  daily  in  his 
mouth,  and  enacted  it  into  a  law  for 
the  good  of  the  country. 

11.  A  sixth  motive  is.  that  love  is  a 
beautiful  image  and  a  foretaste  of 
eternal  life;  when  the  saints  shall 
love  each  other  sincerely;  when  they 
shall  delight  in  one  another,  and  con- 
verse together  with  wonderful  and 
ineffable  concord,  in  an  inexpressible 
sweetness,  in  unfeigned  alfection, 
cheerfulness,  and  ^oy.  Whoever, 
therefore,  would  conceive  to  himself 
an  image  of  that  marvellous  love  and 
harmonj',  and  obtain  some  foretaste 
of  the  exquisite  pleasures  of  the  eter- 
nal beatitude,  let  him  study  this  love, 
in  which  he  will  find  a  singular  pleas- 
ure, with  much  peace  and  tranquillity 
of  mind. 

12.  The  more  pure  and  fervent  oui 


88 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  I. 


charity  is,  tlic  nearer  it  approaches  to 
tlie  divine  nature.  This  is  a  seventh 
motive.  In  God,  in  Christ,  and  in  the 
Holy  Ghost,  thei'C  resides  the  most 
pure,  fervent,  and  transcendent  love. 
It  is  then  that  our  love  becomes  j^ure, 
when  we  love  one  another,  not  for  the 
Bake  of  private  interest,  but  for  the 
sake  of  the  love  of  God,  which  is  the 
great  and  unerring  pattern  which  we 
ought  carefully  to  follow.  For  God 
loves  us  with  a  disinterested  love:  but 
if  any  man  loves  his  neighbor  for  his 
own  private  profit  and  interest,  his 
love  is  not  pure  at  all,  nor  does  it,  in 
any  degree,  come  up  to  that  sublime 
example  which  is  set  us  by  God  Al- 
mighty. This  makes  also  the  differ- 
ence betwixt  heathen  and  Christian 
charity.  A  Christian  loves  his  neigh- 
bor in  God  and  in  Christ,  disinterest- 
edly and  generously,  without  debasing 
himself  by  any  ignoble  or  selfish 
design.  Thus  is  his  love  preserved 
pure  and  sincere,  free  from  dissimula- 
tion, falsehood,  and  any  counterfeit. 
Whereas  the  heathens  polluted  their 
deeds  with  self- honor  and  interest, 
and  other  sinister  ends,  which  mingled 
with  the  best  of  their  actions.  This 
Christian  love,  when  it  becomes  a 
habit  in  the  mind,  produces  a  true 
fervency  of  spirit,  to  perform  still 
greater  acts  of  love  and  benignity. 
And  it  is  then  that  love  is  truly  fer- 
vent, when  it  inspires  the  lover  with 
great  mercy  and  tenderness  towards 
his  fellow-creatures,  and  prompts  to 
vigorous  efforts  to  relieve  their  neces- 
sity. When  he  has  the  affairs  of  his 
neighbor  as  much  at  heart  as  his  own, 
then  he  is  ready  even  to  "lay  down 
his  very  life  for  the  brethren  "  (1  John 
3  :  16),  if  need  be,  or,  after  the  exam- 
ple of  Moses  and  Paul,  to  be  "ac- 
cursed" for  the  brethren,  and  to  be 
''blotted  out  of  the  book  of  God,"  if 


this  possibly  could  be  done.  Exod. 
32:32;  Rom.  9:3. 

13.  Hence  it  follows  (which  is  the 
eighth  motive),  that  we  ought  also  to 
love  our  enemies,  according  to  the 
Lord's  precept :  "Love  your  enemies, 
bless  them  that  curse  you,  do  good  to 
them  that  hate  you,  and  pray  for 
them  which  despitefully  use  you  and 
persecute  you;  that  ye  may  be  the 
children  of  your  Father  which  is  in 
heaven.  For  if  ye  love  them  which 
love  you,  what  reward  have  ye?  do 
not  the  publicans  the  same?"  Matt. 
5  :  44  ;  Luke  6  :  32,  etc.  Herein  con- 
sist the  excellency  and  i:)rerogative  of 
a  true  (christian ;  namely,  to  subject 
nature  to  this  divine  principle,  to  tame 
flesh  and  blood,  and  to  overcome  the 
world,  and  the  evil  therein  with  good- 
ness. Rom.  12:21.  "If  thine  enemy 
hunger,  feed  him."  Rom.  12:  20.  It  is 
not  enough  for  a  Christian  not  to  hurt 
his  neighbor  or  eneni}^;  but  he  is 
commanded  to  do  him  good,  and  to 
support  him  with  such  aids,  as  are 
convenient  for  him  (Exod.  23  :  4,  etc.); 
whoever  refuses  to  comply  with  these 
terms,  cannot  be  a  child  of  God,  or  a 
disciple  of  Christ. 

14.  The  ninth  motive  is,  that  who- 
ever does  not  practise  Christian  love 
and  charity,  separates  himself  from 
the  spiritual  body  of  Christ,  that  is, 
the  Church  ;  and  forfeits  all  the  privi- 
leges of  this  body,  and  even  the  mer- 
its of  Christ;  there  being  but  "one 
Lord,  one  faith,  one  baptism."  Eph. 
4:5.  For  as  the  members  when  cut 
off  from  the  body,  no  longer  partake 
of  the  life  and  power  of  the  head,  but 
are  dead;  so  those  that  do  not  live  in 
the  practice  of  love  and  charity,  are 
separate  from  Christ,  the  sole  Head 
of  the  Church,  and  can  receive  no 
power  and  vital  influence  out  of  his 
fulness.     Therefore,   St.   John  says, 


Chap.  XXYII.] 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


89 


"He  that  lovcth  not   his  brother, 
abideth  in  death."  1  John  3  : 14. 

15.  Lastly,  we  ought  to  love  one 
another,  because  on  the  wings  of  this 
love  the  prayer  of  a  Christian  ascends 
to  heaven.    By  prayer,  all  good  gifts 
are  to   be  obtained;   and  without 
prayer,  all  helps  and  consolations  are 
[  expected  in  vain.  But  then  our  prayer 
I  must  spring  from  the  evangelical  prin-  i 
ciple  of  love;  since  God  gives  ear  to 
no  prayers,  but  to   those   that  are 
j  grounded  on  faith  and  Christian  char- 
I  ity :  "If  two  of  you  agree  on  earth, 
i 


as  touching  anything  that  tliey  shall 
ask,  it  shall  be  done  for  them  of  my 
Father  which  is  in  heaven."  Matt. 
18;  19. 

16.  Come  then,  O  man!  let  this 
sweet  agreement  and  harmony  be  es- 
tablished among  us  upon  earth.  Let 
us  live  in  the  spirit  of  love,  that  peace 
and  union  may  dwell  among  us;  for 
I  where  peace  is,  there  is  the  God  of 
peace  (2  Cor.  13:11;  Eom.  15:33); 
and  where  He  is,  there  "he  hath  also 
commanded  his  blessing  and  life  for 
evermore."  Ps.  133  :  3. 


CHAPTER  XXYII. 

WHEREFORE  OUR  ENEMIES  ARE  TO  BE  LOVED. 

Love  your  enemies^  bless  them  that  curse  you^  do  good  io  them  that  hate  you^  and  pray  for  them 
which  despitefuUy  use  you  and  persecute  you ;  that  ye  may  he  the  children  of  your  Father 
which  is  in  heaven. — Matt.  5  :  44,  45. 


THE  first  cause  why  enemies  ought 
to  be  loved,  is  the  express  com- 
mandment of  God  by  his  Son  ;  for 
which  he  gives  this  reason,  "  that  we 
may  be  the  children  of  our  Father  in 
heaven,"  that  is,  "of  him  that  loved 
'  us  when  we  were  yet  his  enemies." 
Eom.  5  :  10.    As  if  he  had  said,  "Un- 
•  less  jou.  love  jour  enemies,  you  can- 
j  not  be  the  children  of  the  heavenly 
I  Father:  and  he  that  is  not  God's  son, 
what  father  shall  he  have?"  This 
commandment  of  the  Lord  is  little 
practised  ;  alas !  how  backward  we 
are  in  bringing  forth  such  fruits  as 
become  the  children  of  God  !    If  we 
be  his  children,  truly  we  ought  to 
study  the  great  lesson  of  loving  our 
enemies,  that  so,  in  some  degree,  we 
may  express   the  character  of  our 
Father  in  heaven. 


2.  The  Scripture  says,  "He  that 
loveth  not  his  brother,  abideth  in 
death."  1  John  3  :  14.  And  Vv^hy  does 
he  abide  in  death?  Because  he  has 
not  yet  received  that  vital  principle 
which  is  to  be  derived  from  Christ. 
The  spiritual  and  heavenly  life  con- 
sists in  faith  towards  God,  and  in  love 
to  our  neighbor.  Thus,  St.  John  says, 
"We  know  that  we  have  passed  from 
death  unto  life,  because  we  love  the 
brethren."  1  John  3  :  14.  Whence  it 
is  manifest,  that  love  is  an  undoubted 
sign  and  effect  of  spiritual  life  or  res- 
toration to  life  in  Christ;  as  hatred 
to  men  is  an  infallible  proof  of  spirit- 
ual death  and  separation  from  God. 
And  this  spiritual  death  here,  will  end 
in  eternal  death  hereafter;  of  which 
our  Lord  faithfully  warns  us. 

3.  Whoever,  therefore,  suffers  his 


90 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  I. 


heart  to  be  filled  with  wrath  and  bit- 
terness against  his  neighbor,  ought  to 
know  assuredly,  that  even  liis  best 
performances,  his  praj'er  and  attend- 
ance on  divine  worship,  and  other 
works  of  tiiat  nature,  are  altogether 
vain,  and  of  no  account  before  God. 
St.  Paul  says,  '^Though  I  bestow  all 
my  goods  to  feed  the  poor,  and  though 
I  give  my  body  to  be  burned,  and  have 
not  charity,  it  profiteth  me  nothing." 

1  Cor.  13  :  3. 

4.  It  is,  on  the  other  hand,  the 
property  of  a  noble  and  divine  mind, 
to  pardon  injuries.  Behold  how  long- 
suffering  God  is,  and  how  easily  he  is 
reconciled.  Ps.  103:8.  Consider  the 
example  of  Christ,  the  Son  of  God, 
who,  in  the  midst  of  his  exquisite  tor- 
ments, like  a  patient  lamb,  did  not  so 
much  as  "  open  his  mouth."  Isa.  53  :  7. 
Contemplate  the  nature  of  the  divine 
S2'>irit,  who  appeared  in  the  form  of  a 
dove  (Matt.  3  :  16),  with  a  view  that 
by  such  a  representation  he  might 
teach  us  a  dove-like  meekness  of  mind, 
and  recommend  to  us  that  tender  sim- 
plicity of  manners,  w^iich  becomes  a 
true  Christian.  With  what  patience 
did  Moses  bear  the  reproaches  of  the 
peojile,  thus  deserving  to  be  called 
''very  meek,  above  all  the  men  which 
w^ere  upon  the  face  of  the  earth." 
Numb.  12  :  3.  Remember  also  the  con- 
duct of  David,  and  with  what  lenity 
of  mind  he  heard  the  curses  of  Shimei. 

2  Sam.  10  :  10. 

5.  True  love  teaches  us  to  be  angry 
with  none  but  ourselves.  True  peace 
consists  not  in  having  much  wealth, 
but  in  bearing  patiently  whatever  goes 
airainst  our  nature.  Should  a  madman 
rail  at  the  sun,  and  curse  it  for  being 
nothing  but  darkness,  the  sun  would 
never  be  darkened  by  his  reproachful 
language,  but  continue  his  course,  and 
enlighten  the  world  as  before.    So  do 


thou  also,  and  remember  that  there  is 
no  sweeter  or  better  revenge  than  to 
forgive.  Such  wise  and  excellent  rules 
w  e r e  p  r a c t  i  se d  bjMn  a  n  y  o  f  t  h  e  h  e a  t h  e  n s 
themselves.  Pericles,  the  Grecian  or- 
ator, having  patiently  heard  a  man  re- 
vile him  for  the  space  of  a  whole  day, 
when  night  came  on,  kindly  invited 
him  to  his  house,  and  entertained  hiru 
in  a  friendly  manner,  saying,  "It  is 
easier  to  speak  evil  of  virtue  than  to 
possess  it."  Thus  Phocion,  general  of 
the  Athenians,  when  he  had  deserved 
well  of  his  country,  but  through  envv 
was  adjudged  to  death,  and  was  now 
about  to  undergo  the  sentence,  being 
asked  if  he  had  any  commands  for  his 
son,  generously  made  answer  :  "None, 
except  that  he  never  take  measures  to 
revenge  this  injury-,  which  I  suffer  of 
m}-  country."  The  Emperor  Titus 
being  told  that  two  brothers  had  con- 
spired to  cause  his  death,  scru])led  not 
to  invite  them  both  to  sup  with  him; 
and  in  the  morning  w^ent  with  them 
to  the  theatre,  and  placed  himself  be- 
twixt them,  to  behold  the  play.  Thus 
with  marvellous  clemency  he  over- 
came, at  last,  their  baseness.  And 
when  Cato  had  committed  suicide,  J  u- 
lius  Caesar  said:  "I  have  lost  a  glori- 
ous victory ;  for  I  had  intended  to  for- 
give Cato  all  the  evil  that  he  has  done 
to  me." 

6.  But  after  all,  as  to  the  man  who 
cannot  be  iijfluenced  by  the  unspeak- 
able patience  and  meekness  of  the  Son 
of  God  himself,  to  forgive  and  to  love 
his  enemies,  him  neither  the  example 
of  the  saints,  nor  of  heathens,  will  ever 
be  able  to  melt  into  love  and  forbear- 
ance. For  what  greater  injustice  and 
barbarity  can  be  conceived,  than  that 
the  Son  of  God  should  be  so  shame- 
fully treated  by  the  children  of  men, 
be  scourged  with  stripes,  crowned  with 
thorns,  spit  upon,  and  loaded  wiih  all 


Chap.  XXVIII.] 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


91 


[the  marUs  of  scorn  and  derision;  and 
lastl}',  be  nailed  on  the  cross?  Never- 
theless, he  was  able  to  bear,  with  an 
junshaU'cn  firmness,  all  the  affronts  and 
'indignities  which  the  malice  of  men 
was  able  to  contrive;  nay,  and  freelj^ 
jto  pardon  all  this  barbarous  usage, 
'and  to  pray,  "  Father,  forgive  them  !" 
Luke  23  :  o4. 

j  7.  And,  truly,  it  was  to  this  very 
rend  that  our  blessed  liedecmcr  set  his 
_ example  before  our  eyes,  that  it  might 
I  be  an  all-healing  medicine  for  such 
"spiritual  diseases  as  have  seized  upon 
us;  ])articularly,  that  it  might  abase 
all  pride  and  loftiness,  strengthen  what 
;is  weak,  supply  what  is  defective,  and 
I  correct  what  is  evil  and  out  of  order. 
Can  the  distemper  of  pride  be  so  vio- 
lent, as  not  to  be  healed  by  the  pro- 
found humility  and  lowlinessof  Christ? 
Heb.  5  :8.  Can  avarice  and  covetous- 
Tiess  prove  so  stubborn,  as  to  baffle  a 
remedy  derived  from  that  sacred  pov- 
erty which  appeared  in  Jesus  Christ? 
What  wrath  is  so  fierce  and  vehement, 
Ithat  his  meekness  and  lenity  cannot 
mollify  it  ?  What  desire  of  revenge  so 
bitter  and  barbarous,  which  his  pa- 
tience cannot  assuage  and  compose? 
What  inhumanity  so  great  and  cruel, 
which  the  love  of  Christ  cannot  warm 

i 


into  a  sweet  and  compassionate  tem- 
per? And  what  heart  can  be  so  hard 
and  obdurate,  as  not  to  be  melted  with 
the  tears  of  Jesus  Christ  himself? 

8.  Who  would  not  heartily  wish  to 
be  made  like  God  the  Fathei*,  his  Son, 
and  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  to  carry 
within  him  the  excellent  image  of  the 
sacred  Trinity,  which  chiefly  consists 
in  love  and  forgiveness?  For  it  is  the 
highest  of  all  the  divine  properties,  to 
show  compassion  and  mercy,  to  spare 
and  to  pardon,  to  be  kind  and  gra- 
cious: and  that  must  be  undoubtedly 
one  of  the  sublimest  virtues,  which 
makes  us  bear  the  nearest  resemblance 
to  the  Most  High  God,  and  to  all  such 
persons  as  are  the  most  conspicuous 
for  goodness  and  virtue. 

9.  Lastly,  the  highest  degree  of 
virtue  is,  when  a  man,  overcoming 
himself,  is  ready  at  any  time  to  forget 
injuries,  to  pardon  offences,  and  to 
show  acts  of  favor  and  clemency. 
"He  that  is  slow  to  anger,"  says  Sol- 
omon, "  is  better  than  the  mighty  :  and 
he  that  ruleth  his  spirit,  than  he  that 
taketh  a  city."  Prov.  16  :  32.  This  is 
the  highest  step  of  the  soul's  ascen- 
sion in  her  spiritual  exercise ;  and 
when  she  has  attained  it,  she  rests  in 
God,  and  is  perfect  in  him. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

SHOWING   HOW  THE  LOVE  OF  THE  CREATOR    SHOULD  BE  PREFERRED  TO  THAT  OP 
ALL  creatures;    and  how  our  NEIGHBOR  IS  TO  BE  LOVED  IN  GOD. 

If  any  man  love  the  world,  the  love  of  the  Father  is  not  in  him. — 1  John  2 :  15. 


THE  heart  of  man  is  so  constituted, 
that  it  cannot  exist  without  love ; 
it  must  love  God,  or  the  world,  or  self. 
If,  therefore,  man  be  under  so  strong 


a  compulsion  to  love,  let  him  direct 
his  love  to  God,  the  supreme  Good, 
and  give  up  that  affection  to  Hira, 
who  originally  planted  it  in  man,  and 


92 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  ! 


lundlcd  it  by  his  g-ood  Spirit;  and  who 
is  still  ready,  at  our  fervent  request, 
to  rekindle  this  flame  in  the  soul.  His 
love  to  us  is  still  the  great  principle 
that  produces  our  love  to  him  :  and 
if  his  love  to  us  meet  with  a  suitable 
return  on  our  side,  then  his  love  will, 
day  by  day,  more  ardently  embrace 
us.  For  love  begets  love,  according 
to  the  words  of  the  Lord:  "He  that 
loveth  me  shall  be  loved  of  my  Fa- 
ther." John  U:  21. 

2.  Wherever  the  love  of  God  re- 
sides, it  disposes  the  soul  freely  to 
love  all  men,  and  not  only  to  wish 
them  well,  but  to  do  them  all  proper 
acts  of  love  and  beneficence  ;  this  be- 
ing the  property  of  that  love  which  is 
grounded  in  God,  and  derived  from 
him.  Such  a  lover  of  God  and  of  his 
neiirhbor,  will  never  hurt  or  defraud 
any  man  in  Avord  or  deed. 

3.  But  the  generality  of  the  people 
are  engrossed  so  much  with  the  love 
of  the  world,  that  they  never  even 
admit  the  love  of  God  into  their 
hearts.  This  is  plain  from  that  false 
love  with  which  they  treat  their 
neighbor,  and  which,  under  a  show  of 
friendship,  seeks  nothing  but  temporal 
advantage.  Nothing  in  the  world 
should  be  loved  to  such  a  degree,  as 
to  injure  the  love  of  God,  or  to  come 
in  competition  with  it;  especially  since 
there  is  so  great  a  vanity  and  vile- 
ncss  in  the  world,  and  so  great  a 
worth  and  majesty  in  God,  as  that  no 
comparison  can  ever  be  made  betwixt 
them.  As  God  infinitel}^  excels  all  his 
creatures,  so  the  love  of  God  infinitely 
excels  in  holiness  and  dignity  all  the 
love  we  can  bear  to  the  creature,  and 
is  in  no  w^ise  to  be  compared  with  it. 
No  love  to  the  creature  ought  to  have 
sufficient  weight  with  us,  to  make  us 
ofiend  the  love  of  God,  or  to  act  in 
opposition  to  the  same. 


4.  St.  Paul  says:  "Who  planteth  ; 
vinej'ard,  and  eateth  not  of  the  frui 
thereof?"  1  Cor.  9  :  7.  These  word 
may  not  improperly  be  applied  to  thif 
case.  Who  is  more  worthy  of  our  love 
than  he  that  hath  planted  it  in  oui 
hearts,  and  to  whose  love  we  owe  oui 
life  and  being?  And  as  we  all  live  b} 
the  love  of  God  in  Christ,  so  we  should 
all  adhere  to  this  love,  and  make  it 
our  constant  support  even  in  the  time 
of  adversity.  As  a  pilot  in  tempestu. 
ous  weather,  does  not  leave  the  ship 
to  the  mercy  of  the  billows,  but  se- 
cures it  by  the  anchor  as  well  as  he 
can,  and  sta3^s  its  unruly  motions;  so 
in  like  manner,  when  the  ship  of  our 
faith  is  tossed  about  in  the  sea  of  this 
world,  and  beset  on  all  sides  with  the 
temptations  of  sin  and  vanity,  of 
wrath  and  pride,  of  lust  and  avarice,^ 
we  should  hold  to  the  love  of  Christ, 
and  not  suffer  our  hearts  to  be  re- 
moved from  that  spiritual  steadfast- 
ness, which  is  to  carry  us  safe  through 
all  the  tempests  of  this  perverse  and 
boisterous  world.  Eomans  8  :  38,  39. 
Thus,  when  sin  and  death,  the  devil 
and  hell,  tribulation  and  persecution, 
and  other  miseries,  threaten  to  over- 
whelm us,  we  are  then  to  hold  fast 
the  love  of  God  manifested  in  Christ 
Jesus.  This  divine  love  is  like  that 
mountain  of  salvation  which  was 
showed  to  Lot  wdien  he  went  out  of 
Sodom,  to  escape  the  fire  of  that  ac- 
cursed place.  Gen.  19  :  17. 

5.  The  fire  of  lust,  attended  with 
everlasting  flames  and  torments,  is 
worse  than  that  of  Sodom.  But  the 
love  and  fear  of  God  are  a  sovereign 
remedy  against  this  profane  love,  and 
against  any  motion  contrary  to  its 
pure  and  heavenly  nature.  It  was 
this  divine  fear  and  love  which  pre- 
served Joseph  from  the  enticements 
of  Potiphar's  wife,  and  it  still  guards 


::;nAP.  xxviii  ] 


TEUE  CIIEISTIANITY 


93 


as  against  tlie  snares  of  an  evil  world. 
Jen.  39 :  9. 

6.  No  man  can  love  the  world,  but 
he  who  lias  never  tasted  the  love  of 
ijod;  nor  can  any  man  hate,  defraud, 
)r  circumvent  his  neighbor  in  any- 
:,hing,  but  he  that  does  not  love  God 
!Tom  his  heart.  Whence  arise  all  the 
mxious  cares  of  this  life,  that  grief 
ind  vexation  of  spirit  with  which  poor 
nortals  are  disturbed?  Surely,  from 
lothing  but  from  a  want  of  the  love 
bf  God.  For  the  sweetness  of  divine 
'ove  is  so  strong  and  effectual,  that  it 
j-nitigates  the  sense  of  all  the  miseries 
Lhat  are  incident  to  this  life.  This 
ove  renders  a  man  happy  even  in 
;ieath  itself 

i  7.  Again,  such  is  the  nature  of  love, 
hat  it  influences  a  man  to  lay  aside  all 
;houghts  about  anything  else,  and  to 
ix  his  attention  entirely  on  the  be- 
oved  object,  in  order  to  possess  and 
pnjoy  that  alone.    Why  then  are  the 
fhildren  of  men  so  much  besotted  with 
ihe  things  of  this  world?   Why  do 
jhey  not  entirely  forget  all  wealth  and 
lonor,  lust  and  riches,  that  they  may 
;njoy  him  alone,  whom  they  profess 
|o  love?  This  was  in  former  times  the 
constant  practice  of  the  holy  men  of 
jod;  whom  the  exquisite  sweetness 
j)f  this  divine  love  had  so  much  over- 
powered, as  to  make  them  forget  the 
ivhole  world,  and  even  themselves  also, 
lence  they  were  accounted  fools  in 
ihe  world,  when  at  the  same  time  they 
[vere  the  wisest  of  all  men  ;  and  their 
lespisers  most  deserved  the  name  of 
bols  and  madmen,  as  preferring  a 
landful  of  frail  and  transient  things, 
o  everlasting  and  nevei'-fading  pros- 
•erity.    Those  are  the  greatest  fools, 
vho  call  the  godly  by  that  name,  who, 
.etting  their  love  on  things  above,  are 
'eeply  concerned  to  obtain  and  eter- 
ally  enjoy  them.  1  Cor.  3  :  19;  4  :10. 


8.  A  true  lover  of  God,  loves  God 
as  if  tiiere  were  nothing  in  the  whole 
universe  to  love  but  God  alone.  And 
for  this  reason,  he  finds  all  that  in 
God,  which  he  sought  before  in  the 
world.  For  God  hath  in  himself  all 
things  essentially,  whatever  we  can  de- 
sire. He  is  true  honor  and  joy  ;  he  is 
peace  and  pleasure;  he  is  wealth  and 
magnificence.  With  him  are  li«rht  and 
life,  glory  and  majesty,  and  all  those 
delights  that  the  heart  of  man  can  de- 
sire. All  is  found  in  a  more  substan- 
tial and  transcendent  manner  in  God, 
than  it  is  in  the  world.  If,  therefore, 
thou  lovest  any  creature,  for  the  sake 
of  beauty,  transfer  thy  love  to  God, 
who  is  the  fountain  of  all  beauty.  If 
thou  wouldst  love  that  which  is  good, 
fix  thy  love  upon  God,  who  is  the  eter- 
nal source  of  all  goodness,  nay,  the  es- 
sential Good  itself,  and  without  whom 
there  is  no  goodness  at  all.  Matt.  19  : 
17.  For  whatever  goodness  the  crea- 
ture may  seem  to  possess,  it  is  but  an 
inconsiderable  drop  derived  out  of  the 
ocean  of  the  infinite  goodness  of  God, 
and  which  is  besides  impaired  by  many 
frailties  and  imperfections  that  adhere 
to  it. 

9.  To  conclude — is  it  not  far  better 
to  set  thy  love  and  affections  on  God 
alone,  the  unexhausted  fountain  and 
well-spring  of  all  perfection  and  good- 
ness? The  less  a  thing  has  of  earthly 
gravity  in  it,  the  lighter  it  is,  and  the 
more  easily  is  it  carried  upwards.  So 
it  is  with  the  soul ;  the  more  it  cleaves 
to  earthly  things,  and  is  pressed  down 
by  them  to  the  ground,  the  less  ability 
has  it  to  raise  itself  to  God,  and  re- 
joice in  its  Maker.  In  a  word,  the 
less  a  man  loves  this  world,  the  more 
will  the  love  of  God  and  of  his  neigh- 
bor prevail  in  the  soul. 

10.  Hence  it  follows  that  he  that 


94 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  I 


loveth  God,  cannot  but  love  his  neigh- 
bor also,  and  he  that  dares  to  offend 


God,  will  not  forbear  to  offend  hi.' 
neiirhbor. 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 


OF  THAT  RECONCILIATION  TO  OUR  NEIGHBOR,  WITHOUT  WHICH  GOD  WITHDRAW 

HIS  GRACE. 
First  be  reconciled  to  thy  brother. — Matt.  5  :  24. 


EVERY  one  who  desires  to  be  rec- 
onciled to  God,  must  of  necessity 
endeavor  to  reconcile  himself  to  his 
neiirhbor:  because  God  takes  the  in- 
jury  which  is  offered  to  man,  as  of- 
fered to  himself,  and  the  evil  done  to 
man,  as  done  to  himself 

2.  When,  therefore,  any  one  offends 
both  God  and  man,  he  cannot  be  re- 
stored to  the  favor  of  God  before  he  is 
reconciled  to  man  his  neighbor;  for 
having  offended  them  both,  he  must 
also  be  reconciled  to  both,  which  is 
expressly  attested  by  Christ  himself: 

It  thou  bring  thy  gift  to  the  altar,  and 
there  rcmcmberest  that  thy  brother 
hath  aiight  against  thee,  leave  there 
thy  gift  before  the  altar,  and  go  thy 
way ;  first  be  reconciled  to  thy  brother, 
and  then  come  and  offer  thy  gift." 
Matt.  5  :  23,  24. 

3.  It  will  be  needful,  therefore,  to 
say  something  further  of  the  love  of 
God  and  of  our  neighbor,  and  to  show 
how  impossible  it  is  to  separate  the 
one  from  the  other:  and  again,  that 
this  reconciliation,  so  joined  together, 
proves  the  true  source  of  brotherly 
love  and  affection. 

4.  This  the  beloved  disciple  has  ex- 
pressed as  follows :  "  If  a  man  say,  I 
love  God,  and  hateth  his  brother,  he 
is  a  liar:  lor  he  that  loveth  not  his 
brother  whom  ho  hath  seen,  how  can 
he  love  God  whom  he  hath  not  seen  ? 


And  this  commandment  have  we  from 
him,  that  he  that  loveth  God  love  his 
brother  also."  1  John  4  :  20,  21.  So 
utterly  impossible  is  it,  that  the  lovel 
of  God  should  subsist  without  the  love 
of  our  neighbor.  Hence,  also,  it  fol- 
lows, that  he  who  truly  and  unfeign- 
edl}^  loves  God,  will  also  embrace  his 
neighbor  with  the  same  sincere  affec-! 
tion.  And  again,  if  the  love  which  we 
profess  to  bear  to  God  be  hypocritical 
and  false,  then  the  love  with  which  we 
seem  to  love  our  neighbor,  will  rise  no 
higher  than  its  principle,  but  prove 
false  likewise.  Therefore,  the  love  of 
our  neighbor  is  the  test  of  our  love  of 
God,  by  the  right  application  of  which, 
the  truth  or  falsehood  of  that  love  will 
easily  be  discovered. 

5.  This  consideration  gives  us  a  true 
insight  into  the  love  of  our  neighbor, 
and  that  brotherly  reconciliation  which  1^ 
ought  to  attend  it.  There  is  a  twofold 
object  given  by  God  to  man,  to  which 
all  the  actions  of  his  life  are  constantly 
to  tend;  namely,  the  love  of  God,  and 
of  our  neighbor.  Into  this,  all  our  en- 
deavors ought  finally  to  be  resolved, 
and  we  ought  to  make  a  daily  progress 
in  this  holy  exercise;  since  we  are  to 
this  very  end,  created,  redeemed,  and 
sanctified.  In  a  word,  Christ  himself 
is  the  one  and  only  scope  in  which  all 
our  actions  ought  to  centre.  Now,  the 
more  we  approach  to  love,  the  more 


Chap.  XXTX.] 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


95 


we  approach  to  Christ,  and  the  better 
we  imitate  his  unblamable  life. 

6.  For  this  end  God  was  made  man, 
or,  the  Word  was  made  flesh,  that  he 
might  set  before  our  eyes  a  most  lovely 
'and  living  image  of  his  infinite  love 
and  kindness,  and  that  from  hence  it 
might  appear,  that  God  was  Love 
itself;  love  in  His  own  immense,  in- 
comprehensible, and  unsearchable  es- 
sence; and  that  man,  by  viewing  so 

i  amiable  an  object  of  love  as  is  dis- 
!  played  in  Christ  Jesus,  might  be  trans- 
formed into  the  same  image  day  by 
day. 

7.  Furthermore,  as,  in  Christ,  God 
and  man  are  united  together  by  an  in- 

;  dissoluble  tie,  so  the  love  of  God  is  so 
I  closely  connected  with  the  love  of  our 
i  neighbor,  that  the  former  cannot  exist 
I  without  the  latter.    Nay,  the  love  of 
I  God  and  of  our  neighbor  can  be  no 
more  disjoined  or  put  asunder,  than  the 
divine  and  human  natures  in  Christ. 
And  as  he  who  injures  the  humanity 
of  Christ  cannot  but  affront  his  divin- 
ity also;  so  he  who  offends  man,  is  in 
like  manner  guilty  of  offending  the 
infinite  God  himself    We  cannot  be 
angry  with   our   neighbor,  without 
being,  at  the  same  time,  angry  with 
God! 

8.  We  will  illustrate  what  has  been 
said,  by  the  following  comparison. 
When  a  circle  is  made,  and  from  its 
centre  a  number  of  lines  are  drawn 
to  the  circumference,  all  these  lines, 
i  though  ever  so  distant  in  the  circum- 
ference, meet  together  in  the  point, 
which  is  in  the  middle.  Here  they 
are  all  united  in  one,  and  all  flow  into 
one,  be  they  ever  so  wide  asunder, 
yea,  even  directly  opposite  one  to  the 
i  other.  Not  one  of  all  the  lines,  let 
I  their  number  be  ever  so  great,  can  be 

broken  from  the  rest,  without  losing 
its  communication  with  the  centre  it- 


self, wherein  they  all  meet.  So  God 
is  a  point,  or  a  centre,  whose  circum- 
ference is  everywhere,  extending  in  a 
manner,  to  all  men  upon  earth.  Who- 
ever presumes  to  break  off  the  lines 
of  his  love  from  his  neighbor,  must, 
in  like  manner,  disjoin  and  break  them 
off  from  God  at  the  same  time.  And 
as  all  these  lines  cohere  and  concur  in 
the  centre,  and  therein  mutually  af- 
fect one  another,  so  is  there  a  sort  of 
central  sympath}^,  and  a  fellow-feel- 
ing, as  it  were,  of  the  sufferings  of  our 
neighbor,  provided  we  be  but  ail  united 
in  God,  the  great  centre  of  all  good 
Christians. 

9.  The  truth  of  what  has  been  said, 
is  forcibly  illustrated  in  the  history  of 
Job.  When  the  tidings  were  brought 
him,  that  his  temporal  goods  were 
destroyed,  it  appears  that  he  quietly 
bore  the  loss  of  them,  without  giving 
any  great  sign  of  discontent  at  the 
appointments  of  Providence.  He  still 
continued  to  bless  the  Lord,  and  freely 
to  own,  that  he  who  had  given  him  his 
property,  had  also  a  right  to  take  it 
nway  whenever  he  pleased.  But  when 
he  was  told,  that  he  had  also  lost  his 
children,  then  indeed  it  went  to  his 
heart:  then  he  "arose,  and  rent  his 
mantle,  and  shaved  his  head,  and  fell 
down  upon  the  ground."  Job.  1 : 20.  So 
let  every  true  Christian  act  when  he 
hears  of  the  calamity  of  his  neighbor 
(here  represented  hy  the  children  of 
Job)  ;  knowing  that  he  ought  more  to 
be  affected  with  the  misery  of  his 
neighbor,  than  w^th  the  loss  of  all  his 
worldly  substance.  For  it  is  the  prop- 
erty of  true  love,  to  be  moved  with 
the  miseries  of  other  men  more  than 
wnth  our  own  losses.  O,  happy  men ! 
if  they  would  live  together  in  mutual 
love  and  affection  !  Then  frauds  would 
cease;  then  injuries  would  be  known 
no  more,  nor  would  there  be  any  com- 


96 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[B(DOK  I. 


plaint  of  unjust  ways,  or  of  underhand 
dealings. 

10.  In  order  that  this  might  be  the 
more  dec])!}'  impressed  on  the  heart, 
God  was  pleased  to  ereate  but  one  man 
in  the  beginning,  together  with  Eve, 
who  was  soon  afterwards  made.  Gen. 
2:21,  22.  This  w^as  done,  that  all  man- 
kind, springing  up  from  one  original 
stock,  and,  as  it  wei-e,  from  one  root, 
miirht  all  unite  in  mutual  kindness  and 
brotherly  affection  with  one  another. 
This  is  the  reason  why  God  did  not 
create  a  multitude  of  men  in  the  be- 
ginning, but  one  only  ;  whereas  he  cre- 
ated many  beasts,  trees  and  herbs  at 
once. 

11.  The  love  which  God  commands 
us  to  pursue,  is  of  that  agreeable  na- 
ture, and  of  that  incomparable  sweet- 
ness, that  it  does  not  in  the  least  bur- 
den either  a  man's  soul  or  body.  Nay, 
it  renders  the  mind  easy  under  every 
event,  is  most  agreeable  to  our  very 
nature,  and  in  every  respect  attended 
with  a  quiet  and  blessed  life.  But  if 
the  same  God  who  has  enjoined  thee 
to  love  thy  neighbor,  had  commanded 
thee  to  hate  him,  thou  w^ouldest  then 
have  had  cause  to  complain  of  hard 
usage,  and  of  a  far  heavier  burden  than 
that  which  love  can  possibly  impose 
upon  thee.  For  the  spirit  of  hatred 
and  revenge  is  a  tormentor  of  the  soul, 
and  a  daily  grief  and  vexation  to  those 
that  are  enslaved  by  it.  On  the  con- 
trary, love  refreshes  the  whole  man ; 
and  is  so  far  from  weakening  or  de- 
stroying body  or  soul  (which  is  the 
common  effect  of  hatred  and  envy), 
that  it  is  a  great  preserver  of  both, 
and  exhilarates  them  by  the  heal- 
ing influence  which  it  carries  with  it. 
In  a  w'ord,  to  those  that  love  God,  it 
is  a  pleasure  to  love  their  neighbor 
also;  but  those  who  do  not  love  God 
think  it  a  hard  and  difficult  task  to 


embrace  their  neighbor  with  brotherly; 
love. 

12.  But  if  thy  depraved  nature  should 
still  lind  it  a  hard  task  to  love  thy 
neighbor,  then  consider  how  much 
harder  it  will  be  to  be  banished  for- 
ever from  the  presence  of  God,  and  to 
endure  the  pangs  of  hell  to  all  eternity. 
Wretched  is  the  man,  who  makes  so 
sad  a  choice  as  to  prefer  hell-torments 
to  a  friendly  reconciliation.  Our  own 
experience  would  soon  convince  us,  if 
we  made  the  trial,  that  as  by  faith  we 
enjoy  solid  peace  with  God  (as  the 
apostle  assures  us,  Rom.  5:1);  so  by 
Christian  love  and  reconciliation  we 
enjoy  peace  with  men,  together  with 
much  case  and  tranquillity  of  heart: 
whereas,  on  the  contrary,  a  mind  full 
of  rancor  and  malice  frets  itself,  and 
has  no  other  rew^ard  to  expect  than  the 
lashes  of  an  unruly  conscience. 

13.  The  sum  of  all  this  is:  Every 
virtue  rewards  its  followers  with  peace 
of  conscience;  and  every  vice  punishes 
those  that  commit  it  with  the  recom- 
pense w^hich  they  deserve.  Every  vir- 
tue exalts  those  that  practise  it;  and 
every  vice  covers  its  slaves  with 
shame. 

14.  With  regard  to  the  order  and 
method  by  which  we  are  to  proceed 
in  working  out  a  sound  reconciliation 
with  our  offended  neighbor,  the  Scrip- 
ture is  explicit.  The  terms  of  recon- 
ciliation are  these:  1.  The  offender  is 
to  confess  his  sin  to  his  neighbor  whom 
he  has  offended.  2.  He  is  faithfully  to 
restore  that  of  which  he  has  defrauded 
his  neighbor;  that  is,  he  ought  to  re- 
turn not  only  the  principal^  but  also 
the  ffth  part  over  and  above  it.  3.  If 
there  be  none  to  receive  it,  he  is  then 
to  offer  it  unto  the  Lord  himself. 
Numb.  5  :  7,  8. 

15.  This  restitution  of  things  un- 
lawfully taken  away,  is  commanded 


OiiAP.  XXIX.] 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


97 


in  such  strong  and  expressive  words, 
as  to  show  that  it  is  absolutely  a  nec- 
essary part  of  unfeigned  repentance. 
St.  Augustine  has  thus  expressed  his 
mind  on  this  subject:  "  The  sin  is  not 
remitted,  unless  the  thing  unlawfull}^ 
taken  away  be  restored." — When  the 
thing  that  is  taken  away  may  be  re- 
stored, and  is  not  restored,  there  is  no 
true,  but  a  feigned  repentance." 

IG.  And  truly  it  is  the  property  of 
unfeigned  repentance  to  contemn  all 
earthly  things,  and  count  them  as  loss 
(Phil.  3:8),  in  respect  of  that  abound- 
ing grace  which  is  bestowed  upon  a 
penitent  sinner.  Of  this  we  have  a 
glorious  instance  in  Zaccheus,  and  in 
his  conversion  to  God  (Luke  19:8); 
who  has  had.  however,  comparatively 
few  followers  in  this  age.  Sound  con- 
version to  God  cleanses  the  heart,  and 
purifies  the  conscience,  by  faith  in 
Christ;  it  breaks  the  power  of  sin, 
and  by  influencing  a  man  to  restore 
such  things  as  are  wrongfully  de- 
tained, not  only  clears  the  heart  be- 
fore God,  but  also  the  outward  conduct 
in  the  eye  of  the  world.  For  in  the 
heart  and  conscience  a  man  is  a  thief 
before  God,  as  long  as  he  keeps  any 
thing  back  that  is  taken  away,  how^- 
ever  he  may  cease  to  steal  hereafter. 
Therel'ore,  in  order  that  repentance 
may  prove  true,  and  the  conscience  be 
freed  from  guilt,  all  possible  restitu- 
tion is  to  be  made:  or  if  a  man  be  not 
able  to  make  full  restitution,  he  ought 
fervently  to  implore  the  Lord,  that  he 
himself,  in  his  stead,  would  restore  the 
thinn;s  taken  from  his  neii^hbor,  and 
thus  do  justice. 

17.' Since  a  sinner  is  thus  bound  in 
a  twofold  respect  to  God  and  to  his 
neighbor,  in  order  that  his  repentance 
may  be  full  and  efficacious,  it  is  re- 
quired that  both  be  satisfied.  God 
does  not  accept  any  man's  repentance, 


unless  he  be  first  reconciled  to  his 
neighbor.  Therefore,  it  is  to  no  pur- 
pose if  thou  shouldest  say  unto  God: 
''Merciful  God,  I  confess  that  I  have 
ofi'ended  and  injured  my  neighbor;  I 
have  damaged  him  by  wicked  usury 
and  fraud;  and  have  dealt  so  with 
him,  as  I  would  not  that  another 
should  deal  with  me:  which  inicjuity 
I  humbly  entreat  thee,  O  Lord,  to  par- 
don for  th}'  dear  Son's  sake."  Be  not  de- 
ceived; God  will  not  be  mocked!  He 
repels  thy  prayer,  and  saith  :  "  Restore 
first  that  w-hich  with  fraud  and  usury 
thou  hast  taken  from  thy  neighbor,  and 
then  thy  joardon  shall  be  ready."  Not 
as  if  a  man  merited  thi?  pardon  of  God 
by  this  restitution  ;  this  is  a  debt  due 
to  his  neighbor,  and  how  can  he  pre- 
tend to  merit  any  thing  b3^  that  resti- 
tution which  he  is  so  engaged  to  make, 
and  which  the  law  of  God  exjiressly 
enjoins  ?  For  thus  hath  the  Lord  com- 
manded :  "All  things  whatsoever  ye 
w^ould  that  men  should  do  to  3'ou,  do 
ye  even  so  to  them."  Matt.  7  : 12.  "For 
with  the  same  measure  that  yo  mete 
withal,  it  shall  be  measured  to  you 
again."  Luke  G  :  38. 

18.  The  same  truth  is  confirmed  by 
the  following  Scriptures:  "Leave  thy 
gift  (oblation  or  sacrifice)  before  the 
altar  and  go  thy  way  ;  first  be  recon- 
ciled to  thy  brother,  and  then  come 
and  offer  thy  gift."  Matt.  5:24.  "Cease 
to  do  evil ;  learn  to  do  well ;  seek  judg- 
ment, relieve  the  oppressed,  judge  the 
fatherless,  plead  for  the  widow.  Come 
now,  and  let  us  reason  together,  saith 
the  Lord:  though  3'our  sins  be  as  scar- 
let, they  shall  be  as  white  as  snow; 
though  the}-  be  red  like  crimson,  they 
shall  be  asVool."  Isa.  1 :  lG-18.  And 
again,  by  the  same  prophet  the  Lord 
thus  reasons:  "Is  not  this  the  fast 
that  I  have  chosen  ?  to  loose  the  bands 
of  wickedness,  to  undo  the  heavy  bur- 


98 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  I. 


dons,  and  to  let  tlio  oppressed  go  free, 
and  that  ye  break  every. yoke  ?  Is  it 
not  to  deal  thy  broad  to  the  hungry, 
and  that  thou  bring  the  poor  that  are 
east  out  to  tliy  house?  when  thou 
seest  the  naked  that  thou  cover  him, 
and  that  thou  hide  not  thyself  from 
thine  own  flesh  ?  Then  shall  thy  light 
break  forth  as  the  morning,  and  thine 
health  shall  spring  forth  speedily  ;  and 
thy  righteousness  shall  go  before  thee ; 


the  glory  of  the  Lord  shall  be  thy 
rearward."  Isa.  58  :  6-8. 

19.  All  these  Scriptures,  with  one 
consent,  proclaim  this  great  truth, — 
that  God  will  not  accept  the  repent- 
ance of  any  man,  or  hear  his  prayer, 
or  regard  his  alms  and  oblations,  un- 
less he  be  first  reconciled  to  his  neigh- 
bor, and  make  him  all  the  restitution 
that  is  in  his  power. 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

OF  THE  FRUITS  OF  LOVE 

Charity  svffereth  long^  and  is  kind ;  charity  envieth  not;  charity  vaunteth  not  itself^  is  not  pnffed 
up,  doth  not  behave  itself  unseemly,  seeketh  not  Iter  own,  is  not  easily  provoked,  thinkethno 
evil;  rejoiceth  not  in  iniquity,  but  rejoiceth  hi  the  imth;  beareth  all  things,  believcth  all  things, 
hopeth  all  things,  endureih  all  things. — 1  CoR.  13  :  4-7. 


EVEN  as  the  tree  of  life  stood  in 
the  midst  of  Paradise  (Gen.  2  :  9); 
so  Jesus  Christ  stands  in  the  Paradise 
of  the  Christian  Church,  in  order  that 
all  believers  might  derive  life  and 
strength  from  him.  The  whole  sub- 
stance of  the  Christian  religion  con- 
sists in  faith  and  love.  As  by  faith  in 
Christ,  the  life  of  a  Christian  is  ren- 
dered acceptable  to  God  (the  life 
which  he  lives  being  not  so  much  his 
own,  as  the  life  of  Christ  in  him);  so 
Love  proves  the  fruitful  principle  of 
all  such  charitable  acts  as  relate  to  his 
neighbor.  And  so  true  is  it,  that  all 
virtues,  ho  w  shining  soever  they  may 
be,  are  of  no  account  without  charity; 
that  even  faith  itself  is  counted  dead 
if  it  be  without  love.  James  2  :  17. 
For  although  faith,  as  it  respects  jus- 
tification, has  no  regard  to  works, 
either  preceding,  accompanying,  or 
following  it,  but  to  Jesus  CimiST  only. 


on  whom  it  lays  hold;  yet  is  that  faith 
but  mere  show  and  pretence  wiiich  is 
not  attended  with  love,  though  it 
should  even  work  miracles.  For  as  a 
body  destitute  of  a  soul  is  dead;  so 
the  inward  spiritual  man,  if  he  have 
not  love,  is  dead  in  all  his  members. 
Therefore  hath  the  apostle  declared, 
that  faith  should  work  by  love.  Gal. 
5:6.  It  is  true  that  faith  justifies  a 
sinner  without  works  (Rom.  4:6):  yet 
when  it  performs  the  functions  of  mu- 
tual love  among  men,  it  will  neces- 
sarily be  accompanied  with  a  train  of 
good  works;  this  being  the  true  test 
by  which  genuine  faith  can  be  dis- 
tinguished from  all  counterfeits.  This 
is  that  faith  which  works  by  love; 
this  is  the  tree  which  bears  abundance 
of  fruits,  as  from  the  following  con- 
siderations will  farther  appear. 

2.  The  first  of  these  fruits  is  long- 
suffering.    "  Charity  suffereth  long." 


Chap.  XXX.] 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


99 


The  nfitnrc  and  constitution  of  this 
virtue  no.  one  ever  more  fully  ex- 
pressed than  Christ  himself,  tlie  true 
tree  of  life,  whose  goodly  and  salutary 
fruits  we  ought  to  eat,  and  to  convert 
into  our  own  substance  and  nature. 
As  he  by  his  wonderful  long-suffering 
bore  the  malice  of  the  world,  that 
thereby  sinners  might  be  brought  to 
repentance  (Rom.  2:4);  so  do  thou 
also,  O  man,  order  thy  life  and  man- 
ners, that  it  may  appear  evident,  that 
the  meek  and  gentle  Christ  lives  in 
thee,  and  that  thou  mayest  continue 
in  him,  as  a  member  firmly  united  to 
its  head. 

3.  The  second  fruit  is  kindness. 
"Charity  is  kind."  This  virtue  was 
also  most  eminently  seen  in  Christ 
Jesus,  and  in  that  example  which  he 
hath  set  us.  David  says:  "Grace  is 
poured  into  thy  lips."  Ps.  45  :  2.  And 
the  Evangelist  tells  us,  that  "they 
wondered  at  the  gracious  words  which 
proceeded  out  of  his  mouth."  Luke 
4 :  22.  To  these  words  do  thou  give 
attention,  O  man,  and  follow  this 
great  pattern  of  love  and  benignity, 
that  so  Christ  may  also  speak  by  thy 
mouth,  and  that  thou  mayest  remain 
united  to  him  in  perpetual  charity. 

4.  The  third  fruit  is,  not  to  be  envi- 
ous and  revengeful,  but  to  be  ready  to 
remit  any  offence  whatsoever.  "Char- 
ity envieth  not."  Nothing  is  more 
agreeable  to  the  nature  of  God,  than 
to  forgive.  "  The  Lord  is  merciful  and 
gracious,  slow  to  anger,  and  plenteous 
in  mercy.  He  will  not  always  chide, 
neither  will  he  keep  his  anger  forever. 
He  hath  not  dealt  with  us  after  our 
sins,  nor  rewarded  us  according  to  our 
iniquities."  Ps.  103:8-10.  "If  the 
wicked  will  turn  from  all  his  sins  that 
he  committed,  and  keep  all  my  stat- 
utes, and  do  that  which  is  lawful  and 
right,  he  shall  surely  live,  he  shall  not 


die.  All  his  transgressions  that  he 
hath  committed,  they  shall  not  be  men- 
tioned unto  him;  in  his  righteousness 
that  he  hath  done,  he  shall  live."  Ezek. 
18  :  21,  22.  "Is  Ephraim  my  dear  son  ? 
Is  he  a  pleasant  child?  Por  since  I 
spake  against  him,  I  do  earnestly  re- 
member him  still ;  therefore  my  bowels 
are  troubled  for  him;  I  will  surely 
have  mercy  upon  him,  saith  the  Lord." 
Jer.  31  :  20.  And  lastly,  this  divirje 
goodness  is  most  clearly  expressed  by 
Isaiah,  and  represented  as  the  very 
character  of  God:  "I,  even  I,  am  he 
that  blotteth  out  thy  transgressions, 
for  my  own  sake,  and  will  not  re- 
member thy  sins  "  Isa.  43  :  25.  There- 
fore be  thou  in  this  respect  also  like 
unto  the  merciful  God.  Eorgive,  I 
say,  and  forget  the  trespasses  of  thy 
neighbor,  that  so,  in  like  manner, 
Christ  may  also  forgive  thine  offences 
and  transgressions.  It  is  then  that 
the  same  mind  is  in  thee  which  was 
also  in  Christ.  And  in  this  order 
alone  thou  shalt  obtain  fellowship  with 
him. 

5.  The  fourth  fruit  is  candor.  "Cha- 
rity vaunteth  not  it&elf "  A  kind  and 
charitable  man  does  not  misjudge  his 
neighbor,  vaunt  it  over  him,  rashly 
censure  him,  or  disingenuously  de- 
ride him  before  others.  True  love  is 
altogether  averse  to  these  unfair  pro- 
ceedings. Whoever  sincerely  loves 
his  neighbor,  shows  his  heart  in  his 
countenance,  and  does  all  things  in- 
genuously, and  without  guile.  A  visi- 
ble example  hereof  Christ  himself  hath 
left  us,  whose  deportment  was  equal 
both  to  friends  and  enemies,  and  who 
from  the  bottom  of  his  heart  endeav- 
ored most  earnestly  to  promote  the 
salvation  of  mankind.  Let  this  be  an 
example  to  thee,  O  man,  and  follow 
in  thy  Master's  footsteps,  that  so  the 
candor  which  was  in  Christ,  may  also 


100 


TEUE  CIIPJSTIANITY. 


[Book  T. 


shine  fortli  in  tiiy  life  and  conduct. 
As  the  Lord  has  most  hearlilj'  es- 
poused our  good  and  interest,  so  ought 
we  in  like  manner,  to  do  the  same 
among  ourselves  also;  if  we  wish  to 
partake  of  the  nature  of  Christ,  and 
to  be  united  to  him,  as  living  mem- 
bers to  their  Head  and  Saviour. 

6.  The  fifth  fruit  is,  not  to  be  "puffed 
up."  Cliarity  is  not  of  a  haughty  and 
supercilious  temper.  It  is  not  swelled 
with  high  conceit  on  account  of  its 
own  deeds  and  performances.  Behold 
again  thy  Lord  Jesus  !  When  a  wo- 
man, in  a  great  concourse  of  people, 
lifted  up  her  voice  and  said:  "Blessed 
is  the  womb  that  bare  thee,  and  the 
paps  which  thou  hast  sucked,"  "Yea," 
replied  he,  "  rather  blessed  are  they 
that  hear  the  word  of  God  and  keep 
it''  (Luke  11 :  27,  28)  ;  humbly  remov- 
ing from  himself  that  praise  which 
was  entirel}'  due  to  him,  and  resigning 
it  to  those  that  tvnXy  loved  the  Lord. 
If  thou  also  rcsolvest  to  do  this,  then 
verily  the  humble  Jesus  lives  in  thee, 
and  thou  livest  in  him;  it  being  the 
constant  character  of  true  charity,  to 
transfer  the  praises  of  men  to  another 
wliom  it  esteems  rnore  worthy  of 
them. 

7.  The  sixth  effect  of  charity  is,  "not 
to  behave  itself  unseemly."  A  man  en- 
dued with  love,  is  not  easily  soured 
with  discontent,  or  Avith  any  morose 
humor.  His  conversation  is  easy, 
obliging,  and  so  concordant  with  all 
the  offices  of  love  and  humanity,  that 
the  kindness  residing  within  may  even 
be  read  in  his  countenance.  Of  this 
sweetness  of  temper,  the  Lord  Jesus 
hath  left  us  a  most  bright  and  holy 
pattern.  He  did  all  with  a  spirit  of 
mildness;  and  when  he  conversed  with 
sinners,  then  pity  and  compassion  vis 
ibly  appeared  in  his  very  mien  and 
asi)ect.    This  sweet  temper  of  Christ 


ought  also  to  be  transfused  into  our 
souls,  so  that  our  life  may  prove  a 
transcript  of  this  most  blessed  origi- 
nal. 

8.  The  seventh  fruit  of  true  love  is, 
"not  to  seek  her  own."  A  true  Christian 
has  b}'  love  obtained  such  enlargement 
and  liberty  of  soul,  as  to  serve  hisfel 
low-creatures  freelj-,  without  any  vie 
to  self-interest.  Nothing  is  more  pleas 
ing  to  him  than  to  do  good  to  all  with 
out  the  least  expectation  of  gain.  Thi 
pure  and  disinterested  love  originall 
dwells  in  God  Almighty.    He  gives  al 
things  freely,  without  receiving  an 
profit  at  all.   He  commands  us  to  fea 
and  worship  him,  for  no  other  reaso 
than  to  make  us  proper  objects  of  hi 
divine  love  and  benignity.    xVnd,  lo 
what  a  glorious  pattern  of  disinter 
ested  love  Christ  has  set  before  us 
Matt.  20  :  28.    As  a  tree,  without  r-^ 
spcct  of  persons,  imparts  its  fruit  t 
all  in  the  most  ample  and  uni versa 
manner;  so  has  Christ,  and  God  i 
Christ,  given  himself  unto  us  as  th 
greatest  and  most  excellent  Good.  G 
now,  O  man  !  and  practise  the  sam 
virtue;  that  so  Christ,  the  ever-livin 
vine^  may  bud  in  thee,  and  that  tho 
maj'est  become  a  fruitful  plantn,tio 
of  the  Lord.  Isaiah  61 :  3. 

9.  The  eighth  fruit  of  true  love  i 
"  not  to  be  easily  provoked."  A  ma 
that  has  tasted  of  true  love,  is  not  ap 
to  entertain  any  bitterness,  much  les 
to  vent  it  by  cursing  and  railing  word. 
Contemplate  again  the  life  of  Jesus 
who  did  not  so  much  as  open  his  mout' 
against  his  enemies,  nor  pour  fort 
any  bitter  and  vehement  speeches,  bu 
gave  blessing  and  life  to  those  tha 
hated  him.  Isaiah  11:3;  42:2.  An 
though  he,  indeed,  denounced  wrat 
against  Chorazin,  Capernaum,  an 
Bethsaida,  and  uttered  many  w^oe 
against  the  Pharisees  (Luke  10:13 


Chap.  XXX.] 


TRUE  CHEISTTANITY. 


101 


11 :42);  3'et  this  did  not  proceed  from 
a  bitter  or  revengeful  temper;  but  was 
no  more  than  a  serious  and  earnest 
exhortation  to  true  and  unfeigned  re- 
pentance, that  so  the  offenders  might 
at  last  be  saved.  Therefore,  let  us  be 
cautions,  lest  any  root  of  bitterness 
should  at  any  time  spring  up  in  us, 
and  so  hinder  our  charity,  and  thus 
many  be  offended.  Ileb.  12:  15. 

10.  The  nlniJi  fruit  of  charity  is,  "to 
think  no  evil."  This  is  also  the  prop- 
erty of  God  Almighty,  as  he  himself 
testifies:  "For  I  know  the  thoughts 
that  I  think  towards  you,  saith  the 
Lord,  thoughts  of  peace,  and  not  of 
evil,  to  give  you  an  expected  end. 
And  ye  shall  seek  me,  and  find  me, 
when  ye  shall  search  for  me  with  all 
your  heart."  Jer.  29  :  11, 13.  Whence 
it  follows  that  whosoever  has  thoughts 
of  peace  towards  his  neighbor,  has  the 
mind  of  Christ,  and  is  animated  and 
influenced  by  his  Spirit. 

11.  The  tenth  fruit  is,  "Loverejoic- 
eth  not  in  iniquity,"  nor  has  it  pleas- 
ure in  the  injury  or  oppression  of  good 
men,  as  Shimei  had  when  David  fled 
before  Absalom.  2  Sam.  16:  5,  6.  On 
the  contrar^^,  true  love  imitates  Christ 
Jesus,  who,  with  a  tender  compassion, 
beholding  with  a  mournful  counte- 
nance, the  fall  of  Peter  (Luke  22  :  61), 
raised  and  reclaimed  him.  and  thereby 
fulfilled  the  words  of  the  Psalmist: 
"God  raises  them  that  are  bowed 
down."  Ps.  146  :  8.  And  how  did  he 
deplore  the  evil  which  was  hanging 
over  the  men  of  Judea,  and  the  de- 
struction of  their  temple  and  city! 
Luke  19:41;  15:4.  With  what  fer- 
vency, with  what  a  hearty  desire,  did 
he  bring  his  wandering  sheep  into  the 
right  way ;  and  with  what  a  sweet 
and  gentle  voice  did  he  allure  them 
home  !  Let  us  imitate  so  great  a  mas- 
ter of  love;  and  if  any  one  be  over- 


taken in  a  fault,  let  us  bewail  his  case, 
instruct  him  in  the  sj)irlt  of  meekness, 
and  bear  his  burden,  that  so  we  may 
fulfil  the  law  of  Christ.  Gal.  6:2. 
For  he  did  first  bear  himself  the  bur- 
den of  our  sins,  that  we,  being  made 
his  living  members,  might  be  formed 
to  the  same  temper  by  him,  who  is  the 
Head  of  the  Church. 

12.  The  eleventh  property  of  charity 
is,  that  it  "  rejoiceth  in  the  truth,"  and 
is  exceedingly  pleased  Avith  a  Chris- 
tian order  of  things.  Of  this  we  liave 
an  example  in  Christ  Jesus,  Avho,  at 
the  return  of  the  seventy  disciples,  re- 
joiced in  spirit  and  praised  his  Father 
for  the  success  which  had  attended 
their  function.  Luke  10  :  21.  Thus  also 
the  angels  in  heaven  rejoice  (as  Christ 
himself  teaches  us),  over  the  conver- 
sion of  a  sinner.  Luke  15  : 10.  Who- 
ever, therefore,  seriously  lays  to  heart 
the  practice  of  so  Christian  a  virtue, 
manifests  thereby  an  angelical  temper 
of  mind:  nay,  it  is  a  proof  that  the 
very  mind  of  Christ,  yea,  of  God  him- 
self, resides  in  that  soul. 

13.  The  twelfth  fruit  of  charity  is,  to 
"  bear  all  things,"  in  order  to  j^reserve 
the  bond  of  peace  and  of  mutual  friend- 
ship. Love  patiently  bears  the  infirmi- 
ties of  others,  after  the  example  of  St. 
Paul,  who  was  made  w^cak  with  the 
weak,  that  he  might  profit  the  weak: 
nay,  he  was  made  all  things,  if  by  any 
means  he  might  be  an  instrument  to 
save  some.  1  Cor.  9  :  22.  The  same 
heavenl}^  love  helieveth  all  things,  and 
suspects  no  evil  of  its  neighbor;  hopeth 
all  things,  praying  and  desiring  that 
peace  and  happiness  may  constantly 
accompany  our  fellow-creatures.  And, 
lastly,  true  love  endureth  all  things  for 
the  sake  of  benefiting  a  neighbor;  all 
which  our  blessed  Redeemer,  by  his 
own  example,  has  most  feelingly  taught 
us.    He  bore  all  manner  of  reproaches 


102 


TEU^]  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  I. 


and  injuries  for  our  sins;  be  underwent 
most  inhuman  scourgings  and  buft'ct- 
ings,  will)  exlrenic  poverty,  tlmt  in 
him,  iind  by  liim,  we  might  obtain 
cverUisling  joy  and  honor. 

14.  The  thirteenth  fruit  of  love  is, 
•'not  to  faint  or  be  wear}^,"  in  doing 
good.  Herein  it  is  like  God,  whose 
mere}"  is  from  everlasting  to  everlast- 
ing upon  those  that  fear  him.  Ps. 
103  :  17  ;  Luke  1  :  50.  God  expeets  and 
waits  that  he  may  be  graeious  unto 
us.  Isa.  30  : 18.  In  order  that  he  might 
have  mercy  on  us,  he  rose  up  to  spare 
us,  and  he  loves  to  be  exalted  in  show- 
ing mercy.  His  love  is  stronger  than 
death,  which  man}^  waters  are  not 
able  to  quench,  and  from  which  noth- 
ing can  ever  separate  us.  Cant.  8  :  7. 
lie  hath  mercy  on  us  with  everlasting 
mercies.  And  though  he  declares,  on 
a  certain  occasion,  that  he  is  "  wearj^ 
with  repenting"  (Jer.  15  :G);  yet  is 
this  confined  to  those  only  wYio  wil- 
fully reject  the  tender  of  his  mercy, 
who  despise  his  grace,  and  abuse  his 
goodness:  and  in  no  wise  affects  those 
that  heartily  fear  him.  "The  moun- 
tains shall  depart,  and  the  hills  be  re- 
moved ;  but  my  kindness  shall  not  de- 
part from  thee,  neither  shall  the  cove- 
nant of  my  peace  be  removed,  saith 
the  Lord  that  hath  mercy  on  thee." 
Isa.  54:  10.  After  this  standard  of  di- 
vine mercy,  we  ought  also  to  regulate 


the  love  we  bear  to  our  neighbor,  so 
that  it  may  never  fail  or  faint  in  acts 
of  humanity  and  kindness;  no,  not 
even  in  those  which  we  are  bound  to 
bestow  on  our  very  enemies.  As  Christ 
did,  so  ought  we, 'from  a  compassion- 
ate  and  never-failing  love,  to  pray^ 
"  Father,  forgive  them."  Luke  23:34. 

15.  In  a  word,  Love  is  the  greatest, 
the  best,  and  the  noblest  of  all  virtues. 
First,  because  God  himself  is  love.  1 
John  4  :  16.  Secondly,  because  it  is 
the  fulfilling  and  the  summary  or  coni- 
pi^ehension  of  the  whole  law.  Rom. 
13  :  10.  Thirdly,  because  it  is  eternal 
and  never-failing,  so  that  it  is  not  like 
faith  and  hope,  which  vanish  away 
when  that  happiness  appears  which  is 
the  end  of  faith.  1  Cor.  13:8.  Fourthly, 
because  all  good  works  and  services 
done  to  our  neighbor  without  it,  are 
vain  and  of  no  account  before  God. 
And  lastly,  because  love  gives  us  an 
assurance  here,  that  by  faith  in  Christ 
we  shall  inherit  life  eternal  hereafter. 
Hence  it  follows,  that  Christian  love 
must  excel  all  other  gifts  and  graces 
whatsoever,  and  that  our  main  con- 
cern ought  to  centre  in  so  divine  a 
virtue.  Nothing,  certainly,  can  be 
greater  than  experimental!}-  to  know 
that  love  of  Christ  which  "passeth  all 
knowledge,"  that  we  may  be  filled 
with  all  the  fulness  of  God,  and  the 
fruits  of  love.  Eph.  3  :  19. 


Chap.  XXXI.] 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


103 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 


PRIDE  AND  SELF-LOVE  CORRUPT  AND  DESTROY  EVEN  THE  BEST  AND  NOBLEST 

GIFTS. 

Though  I  speak  with  the  tongues  of  men  and  of  angels^  and  have  not  charity,  I  am  become  as 
soundmg  brass,  or  a  tinkling  cymbal,  etc. — 1  Cor.  13  :  1,  etc. 


LEST  any  should  wonder  why  St. 
Piiul  sets  forth  the  virtue  of 
charity  with  so  many  high  and  emi- 
n'^nt  praises;  we  are  to  consider  that 
God  is  love;  and  that,  consequently, 
the  same  praise  belongs  to  both:  nor 
can  there  be  a  greater  virtue  in  God 
or  man,  than  love. 

2.  But  our  love  is  twofold:  the  one 
true,  living,  sincere,  and  undefiled; 
the  other  false,  polluted,  hypocritical, 
and  selfish.  The  former  of  these  St. 
Paul  lias  most  amply  described,  and 
exhibited  all  the  fruits  and  proj^erties 
that  attend  it,  of  which  we  have  al- 
ready spoken.  The  latter  kind,  which 
is  false  and  polluted,  may  sometimes 
seem,  indeed,  to  promote  the  glorj^  of 
God,  and  the  profit  of  mankind;  yet 
inwardly,  and  in  the  heart,  it  seeks 
nothing  either  in  word  or  deed,  but 
private  honor  and  interest  only.  Now 
whatever  flows  from  this  fountain  of 
false  love,  proceeds  not  from  God,  but 
from  the  devil;  for  it  is  a  poison  in- 
fecting the  very  best  of  works,  and 
the  most  excellent  gifts  conferred  on 
man. 

3.  As  a  flower,  that  in  sight,  taste, 
and  smell,  is  sweet  and  beautiful,  is  re- 
jected with  disgust,  if  it  contain  secret 
venom,  because  it  is  hurtful  to  man; 
so,  though  a  man  be  adorned  with  the 
most  exquisite  parts,  and  the  very  gifts 
of  angels  themselves,  if  he  be  void  of 
charity,  and  full  of  avarice,  pride,  self- 
love,  and  self-honor,  then  all  those  gifts 
not  only  prove  of  no  value,  but  be- 


come pernicious  to  him  that  possesses 
them.  For  whatever  is  really  good, 
always  proceeds  from  God  himself,  so 
as  to  begin  and  end  in  him.  Whatever 
deviates  from  this  beginning  and  end, 
can  never  be  really  good,  nor  accept- 
able to  the  Lord.  That  which  this  good 
God  works  in  thy  heart,  is  truly  good, 
and  only  good:  but  it  is  quite  other- 
wise if  self-love,  self-honor,  and  self- 
interest,  bear  the  sway  in  thy  soul, 
and  influence  the  actions  of  thy  life. 
All  that  springs  from  so  depraved  a 
I  principle,  must  be  of  the  same  nature 
I  with  the  principle  whence  it  flows, 
corrupt  and  defiled,  since  it  does  not 
proceed  from  God  as  fi'om  its  original 
cause  and  moving  principle;  God  alone 
is  good.    Matt.  19  : 17. 

4.  It  is  said  that  it  was  the  wish  of 
a  certain  saint  of  old,  that  he  might 
be  of  no  other  use  to  God,  than  his 
own  right  hand  was  to  himself;  an  in- 
strument, ready  to  give  and  to  receive 
what  was  fit,  and  this  in  the  manner 
directed  by  the  soul ;  arrogating  nei- 
j  ther  honor  nor  profit  to  itself  And, 
j  indeed,  it  is  right  that  we  all  should 
I  be  of  the  same  temper.     For  as  all 
:  things  come  freely  from  God  to  us,  so 
I  we  should  return  all  things  freely  to 
!  our  neighbor,  from  a  principle  of  pure 
love,  and  in  true  singleness  of  heart, 
without  any  desire  of  glory  or  self  in- 
terest. For  as  God  alone  is  the  author 
of  all  that  is  good;  so  it  is  but  just 
that  all  honor  and  glory  should  be 
given  to  him  alone.    Man  is  but  an  in- 


104 


TRUE  CHEISTTA^slTY. 


[Book  I 


strument.  made  fit  to  i-eccive  and  to 
deliver  what  God  bestows  upon  him. 

5.  Now  if  a  man  be  witliout  tliis 
sincere  and  piii-e  love,  he  is,  notwith- 
standini^  all  his  gifts  and  endowments, 
a  mere  nothing,  and  of  no  account  in 
the  sight  of  God.  Though  he  speak 
with  the  tongues  of  angels;  though  he 
prophesy,  and  know  all  mysteries,  and 
have  sue!)  faith  as  even  to  remove 
mountains;  and  though  he  should 
moreover  bestow^  all  that  lie  has 
among  the  pooi*,  and  give  his  body 
to  be  burned;  all  this  will  avail  him 
nothing  at  last,  and  stand  him  in  no 
stead  when  he  is  to  have  his  trial.  1 
Cor.  18  :  1-3. 

6.  The  reason  is  plain.  Self-love, 
self-honor,  and  self-interest,  are  of  the 
devil,  who  thereby  procured  his  own 
downfall  from  heaven.  For  after  God 
had  created  Lucifer  a  most  glorious 
angel,  and  adorned  him  with  the  most 
excellent  gifts  of  wisdom,  light,  and 
glory,  he  began  to  pride  himself  in  his 
gifts,  and  to  love,  honor,  and  exalt 
himself  This  self-complacency  pi'oved 
the  very  first  step  to  his  ruin,  lie 
turned  his  love  from  God  to  himself, 
and  was  deservedly  driven  from  his 
principality,  together  with  all  such  as 
adhered  to  him,  and  whom  he  had  in- 
fected with  the  saine  pride  and  self- 
love.  Not  contented  with  his  estate 
or  principality,  he  aspired  too  high, 
and  lost  all  which  the  Creator  had  con- 
ferred upon  him,  according  to  St. 
Jude  :  "  The  angels  kept  not  their  first 
estate."  Jude  6.  See  also  Col.  2  :  15. 

7.  By  the  same  sin  which  had  ef- 
fected his  own  ruin,  Satan  attempted 
the  ruin  of  man,  namely,  by  diverting 
him  from  the  love  of  God  to  the  love 
of  himself  Hereby  self  love  and  self- 
honor  began  to  act  in  man,  and  influ- 
enced him  to  seek  equality  with  God 
himself.    Hence  he  was  cast  out  of 


Paradise,  as  Lucifer  had  been  before 
cast  out  of  heaven,  leaving  to  us  all 
the  heritage  of  pride  and  selflove. 
And  this  is  the  fall  of  Adam,  which 
all  men  in  themselves  repeat;  and 
which  is  transmitted  through  flesh  and 
blood,  from  one  generation  to  another. 

8.  The  remedy  by  which  a  thorough 
cure  may  be  wrought  in  fallen  man,  is 
wholl}'  to  be  sought  in  the  pi-ecinus 
7nerit  of  Christ  apprehended  by  laith. 
By  this  we  are  renewed  in  Christ,  and 
the  flesh  is  crucified,  with  its  sinlui 
desires.  Then  we  love  ourselves  no 
more,  but  on  the  contrary,  even  hate 
ourselves.  Luke  14  :  26.  We  do  not 
honor  or  extol,  but  deny  and  mortify 
ourselves.  We  no  more  seek  our  own 
glory  and  interest;  but,  denying  all 
we  have,  we  withdraw  our  pleasure 
and  trust  from  everything  whatsoever 
it  be  (Luke  14  :  33),  and  manfully  fight 
with  our  own  flesh  and  blood.  Who- 
soever refuses  to  comply  with  these 
terms,  can  in  no  case  be  a  disciple  of 
Christ;  since  this  is  the  only  means 
by  which  the  natural  degeneracy  of 
our  heart  is  to  be  subdued,  and  a  sound 
conversion  is  to  be  efl'ected. 

9.  Since  it  was  utterly  impossible 
that  man,  by  his  ow^n  natural  strength, 
should  restore  himself  (for  of  himself, 
he  can  do  nothing  but  love  himself, 
boast  of  himself,  and  seek  his  own  ends 
and  interest;  or,  to  sum  up  all  in  a 
word,  commit  siii);  God,  in  his  infinite 
mercy,  was  moved  to  commiserate 
man's  fallen  condition,  and  to  make 
the  very  beginning  of  the  work  of 
man's  restoration.  In  order  to  this, 
the  Son  of  God  took  the  form  of  a  man 
upon  him,  thereby  to  renew  our  nature, 
that,  being  regenerated  by  him,  in  him, 
and  from  him,  we  might  become  new 
creatures.  For  as  in  Adam  we  are 
dead  both  bodily  and  spirituall}',  so 
we  ought  to  rise  again  in  Christ,  and 


Chap.  XXXI.J 


[be  renewed  holli  in  spirit  and  bod}', 
jl  Cor.  15:22.  And  as  by  a  carnal 
idcseent  from  Adam,  sin,  self-love  and 
Ipride  cleave  to  our  nature;  so  in 
IClirist,  by  a  spiritual  birth,  we  must  be 
I  justified,  and  inherit  bj' faith  his  right- 
eousness. And,  as  b}'  our  carnal  birth, 
we  draw  our  sin  from  Adam,  especially 
jSelflove,  pri(]e,  and  ambition  ;  so  from 
[Christ,  by  failh,  and  by  the  Holy 
i Ghost,  our  nature  is  to  be  renewed, 
.cleansed,  and  sanctified.  All  self-love, 
Ipride,  and  ambition,  are  to  die  in  us,  in 
order  that  we  may  attain  a  new  heart 
and  a  new  spirit  from  Christ,  even  as 
t  we  received  our  sinful  flesh  from  Adam. 
jAnd  with  reference  to  this  new^  birth 
lin  us,  Christ  is  called  the  everlasting 
\Father.  Isaiah  9  :  6. 
I  10.  Hence  it  follows,  that  all  the 
iworks  of  a  Christian,  together  with  his 
jgifts  and  talents,  ought  to  proceed 
Ipurely  from  the  new  birth,  if  ever  they 
jbe  acceptable  to  God;  and  that  they 
[ought  to  spring  from  faith,  from  Christ, 
|and  from  the  Holy  Ghost.  Wherever 
Ithis  principle  is  wanting,  there  the 
most  excellent  parts,  and  even  miracles 
themselves,  are  of  no  account  at  all 
I  before  God.  So  with  respect  to  our 
[neighbor,  all  things  ought  to  be  done 
,in  Christian  charity  (1  Cor.  16  :  l-l), 
jwithout  any  view  to  private  gain,  or 
'honor;  as  a  pattern  of  which  God  has 
set  his  Son  before  us  (John  lo  :  15), 
in  whom  there  was  no  spot  of  self-love 


1C5 


or  arrogance  ;  no  desire  of  piv^fit  or 
praise;  nay,  in  whom  nothing  resided 
but  pure  and  undefiled  love  and  liumil- 
ity.  He  is  Inwardly  to  live  in  our 
liearts  by  faith,  and  outwardly  to  be 
expressed  in  our  whole  life  and  con- 
duct. It  is  then,  that  all  our  works, 
words^  and  knowledge,  wholly  proceed 
from  Christ,  as  from  their  original 
source.  Without  this  divine  principle 
settled  within  the  mind,  all  our  gifts 
and  works,  be  they  ever  so  high  and 
angelical,  are  insignificant,  and  of  no 
worth.  For  wdierever  self-love  sw^ays 
the  soul,  there  must  be  a  hatred  of 
God;  wliere  pride  rules,  it  engenders  a 
contempt  of  God;  and  how  can  works 
springing  from  so  vitiated  a  principle, 
ever  be  acceptable  to  the  Lord? 

11.  Let  us,  therefore,  most  fervently 
beseech  the  Lord,  to  give  us  true  faith 
and  sincere  love;  a  love  not  defiled 
with  any  desire  of  vain  honor,  profit, 
and  glory.  Whenever  this  divine  tem- 
per is  obtained  and  established  in  the 
heart,  it  is  followed  with  this  happy 
effect,  that  thereby  not  onl^^  great  and 
illustrious  endowments  and  works  are 
made  acceptable  to  God,  but  also  the 
least  and  meanest  of  all,  even  the  gift 
of  a  cup  of  cold  water.  Matt.  10  :  42. 
For  a  small  work  proceeding  from  sin- 
cere love  and  humility,  is  far  more  ex- 
cellent than  all  the  splendid  works 
that  are  raised  on  no  other  foundation 
than  pride  and  self-love. 


TKUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


106 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Booi 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 

GREAT  GIFTS  DO  NOT  DEMONSTRATE  A  MAN  TO  BE  A  CHRISTIAN,  BUT  FAIT^ 

THAT  WORKS  BY  LOVE. 


The  kingdom  of  God  is  not  in  v)ord,  but  in  poioer. — 1  CoR.  4  :  20. 


ST.  PAUL,  intending  to  describe  a 
Christian  in  a  few  words,  says: 
"  The  end  of  the  commandment  is 
charity  out  of  a  pure  heart,  and  of  a 
good  conscience,  and  of  faith  unfeign- 
ed." 1  Tim.  1  :  5.  As  if  he  had  said: 
To  be  a  Clirislian,  and  to  render  our- 
selves acceptable  in  the  sight  of  God, 
requires  notiiing  hard  and  lofty;  no 
worldly  wisdom,  no  human  learning, 
no  great  i)arts,  no  gift  of  prophesy- 
ing, no  eloquence,  no  knowledge  of 
tongues,  no  miracles:  but  only  that  a 
man  have  faith  in  Christ;  that  he  do 
all  things  in  love,  and  Avith  a  mind 
wholly  resigned  to  God  ;  and  that  he 
suffer  himself  to  be  led  and  governed 
by  the  good  Spirit  of  God. 

2.  We  should  not,  therefore,  regard 
how  many  languages  a  man  speaks,  or 
how  eloquent  he  is  in  his  delivery ; 
but  how  he  shows  forth  his  faith  by 
love,  and  by  the  mortification  of  the 
flesh.  For  they  that  are  Christ's  have 
crucified  the  flesh  with  the  affections 
and  lusts"  (Gal.  5  :  24)  :  under  which 
are  included  self-esteem,  self-love,  cov- 
etousncss,  vain-boasting,  ambition,  self- 
interest,  and  all  else  that  is  carnal.  To 
which  purpose  also  St.  Paul  says,  that 
"  the  kingdom  of  God  is  not  in  word," 
or  in  great  gifts  and  endowments, 
"but  in  power"  (1  Cor.  4  :  20);  that  is, 
in  a  living  exercise  of  Christian  vir- 
tues, of  faith,  love,  meekness,  patience, 
and  humility. 

3.  Therefore,  no  man  is  in  favor  with 
God,  or  is  saved,  because  he  is  endued 


with  brighter  gifts  than  others;  buti 
because  he  is  found  in  Christ  Jesus  by 
faith,  and  lives  in  him  as  a  new  crea-j 
ture.  2  Cor.  5  :  17.    Great  gifts  do  not] 
make  us  happy.    If  a  man  had  at-jj 
tained  to  gifts  so  extraordinary  and  I 
marvellous  as  never  any  possessed 
before,  yet  would  he  be  certainly  cast 
away,  unless  he  lived  at  the  same 
time  in  the  exercise  of  daily  repent- 
ance in  Christ,  in  a  ready  abnegation 
of  the  world,  and  in  a  denial  of  him- 
self, and  of  all  his  selfish  desires.  Nay, 
if  he  did  not  hate  and  forsake  him-i 
self,  so  as  to  place  his  whole  confi-j| 
dence  in  God  alone,  and  to  cleave  to 
his  grace,  as  an  infant  to  the  breasti 
of  the  mother,  he  would  be  forever! 
banished  from  the  presence  of  God,; 
notwithstanding  all  his  gifts  and  alljj 
his  endowments. 

4.  It  is  certain  that  gifts  and  parts 
are  not  bestowed  upon  us  in  order  to 
make  us  great  here,  and  happy  here- 
after; but  they  are  wholly  dispensed 
for  the  edification  of  the  Church. 
When  the  seventy  disciples,  at  their 
return,  said  with  joy,  "Lord,  even  the 
devils  are  subject  unto  us  through 
thy  name  "  (Luke  10  :  17,  20)  ;  our 
Lord  replied:  "In  this  rejoice  not  (for 
neither  miracles  nor  gifts  shall  save 
you),  but  rejoice  rather  because  your 
names  are  written  in  heaven."  By 
faith  Moses  was  saved,  not  by  his 
miracles.  Aaron's  eloquence  did  not 
the  more  endear  him  to  God.  And 
Miriam,  the  sister  of  Moses,  who  was 


Phap.  XXXIL] 


TEUB  CHEISTIANITY. 


107 


ndued  with  the  gift  of  prophecy,  and 
ly  wliom  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  spoke, 
vas  struck  with  the  leprosy.  Numb. 
2:  10. 

5.  The  apostles  themselves  did  not 
nterinto  the  kingdom  of  heaven  be- 

ELUse  of  the  miracles  which  they  per- 
rmed,  nor  on  account  of  the  gift  of 
ingues. conferred  upon  them,  but  bc- 
iausc  they  believed  in  Christ,  the  Sa- 
I'iour  of  the  world.  Those  of  the  first 
tank,  and  those  of  the  meanest  con- 
dition, must  tread  in  the  same  way  of 
'aith  and  humility,  of  repentance  and 
nortification,  and  become  new  crea- 
ures  in  Christ  through  faith  and  love; 
n  whom  Christ  also  may  live  again 
)y  this  faith.  Whoever  neglects  tliis 
•rder,  cannot  expect  to  be  accounted 
me  of  the  family  of  Christ. 

6.  Christian  love  is  that  new  vital 
)rinciple  by  which  a  man  is  actuated 
0  do  good.  This  is  attended  with  the 
ife  of  Christ,  and  the  powerful  in- 
Iwelling  of  the  divine  Spirit.  To  this 
)urpose  the  apostle  desires,  that  we 
nay  be  filled  with  all  the  fulness  of 
^od  (Eph.  3:  19):  and  St.  John  tells 
IS,  that  "God  is  love,  and  that  he  who 
hvelleth  in  love,  dvvelleth  in  God,  and 
jod  in  him."  1  John  4:  16.  Whoever, 
therefore,  feels  the  love  of  God  shed 
Ibroad  in  his  heart,  feels  no  less  than 
'jrod  himself  there.  However,  in  order 

hat  we  might  not  deceive  ourselves 
mih  a  false  and  hypocritical,  instead 


of  a  true  and  divine  love,  the  apostle 
has  drawn  up  the  character  thereof, 
and  represented  it  as  a  tree  adorned 
with  numerous  branches  :  "  Love," 
says  he,  "is  patient,  kind,"  etc.  1  V.ov. 
13.  All  which  are  the  essential  prop- 
erties of  Christians,  and  consequently 
the  life  of  the  new  man. 

7.  To  sum  up  all  in  a  few  words, 
God  the  Father  is  love,  God  the  Son 
is  love,  God  the  Holy  Ghost  is  love. 
The  whole  spiritual  body  of  Christ, 
which  is  the  Church,  is  also  knit  to- 
gether by  the  bond  of  love;  so  that 
there  is  but  one  God,  one  Christ,  one 
Spirit,  one  baptism,  one  faith  (Eph. 
4:5,  6);  and  lastl}',  eternal  life  itself 
shall  be  nothing  else  but  eternal  love. 

8.  Whoever,  therefore,  does  not  live 
in  love,  is  certainly  a  dead  member  of 
the  body  of  Christ.  As  a  dead  mem- 
ber is  not  supported  by  that  natural 
heat  which  nourishes  the  body  and 
every  living  member  thereof,  nor  is 
sustained  with  proper  food  for  its  daily 
growth  and  increase;  so  a  man  who 
does  not  live  in  Christian  love  is  des- 
titute of  spiritual  life,  and  is  dead  to 
God  and  to  Christ.  He  is  without 
faith,  a  withered,  lifeless  branch;  he 
has  no  part  in  God,  in  Christ,  and  the 
Holy  Ghost,  in  the  hol}^  Christian 
Church,  and  in  life  eternal;  and  will 
be  excluded  from  the  presence  of  that 
God,  who  has  declared  himself  to  he 
Love. 


I 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  I 


CHAPTER   XXXII  1. 

GOD  HAS  NO  RESPECT  TO  THE  WORKS  OF  ANY  ONE;  BUT  JUDGES  OF  WORKS 
ACCORDING  TO  THE  HEART. 

Every  way  of  a  man  is  7'ight  in  his  own  eyes;  but  the  Lord  pondercih  the  hearts. — Prov.  21 :2. 


WHEN  the  prophet  Samue],  by  the 
commandment  of  God,  went  to 
anoint  David  king,  he  entered  the 
1)0 use  of  Jesse,  and  offered  to  anoint 
his  first-born:  but  the  Lord  said  to 
him:  "Look  not  on  his  countenance, 
or  on  the  height  of  his  stature;  because 
I  have  refused  him.  For  the  Lord 
seeth  not  as  man  seeth;  for  man  look- 
eth  on  tlie  outward  appearance,  but 
the  Lord  looketh  on  the  heart."  1  Sam. 
IG  :7. 

2.  By  this  example  God  declares,  on 
the  one  hand,  that  he  has  no  regard 
to  any  man's  person,  be  he  ever  so 
great  and  eminent,  when  his  heart  is 
destitute  of  piety,  love,  faith,  and  hu- 
mility; and  on  the  other,  that  he  es- 
teems persons  and  works  according  to 
the  inward  spirit  and  intention  of  the 
mind,  and  thence  allows  or  disallows 
them,  according  to  Prov.  21:2.  More- 
over, all  gifts  and  endowments,  how 
considerable  soever  they  be,  and  how 
admirable,  great,  and  glorious  they 
may  appear  in  the  eyes  of  men,  in  no- 
wise please  t'he  Lord,  unless  they  be 
accompanied  with  a  pure  heart,  a  heart 
that  has  a  steady  respect  to  the  honor 
of  God  and  the  profit  and  edification 
of  our  neighbor;  and  which,  at  the 
same  time,  is  freed  from  pride  and 
arrogance,  from  self-love,  and  self-in- 
terest, and  any  of  those  sinister  views 
which  are  apt  to  mingle  v/ith  the  worlds 
of  a  Christian. 

3.  Consider  the  example  of  Lucifer, 
the  fairest  and  most  glorious  angel 


which  heaven  contained.  No  soonci 
did  he  stain  the  gifts  of  God  with  self- 
love  and  self-honor  (not  consideriiio 
that  he  was  bound  to  advance  there' 
the  glory  of  God,  who  had  conferrr 
them  upon  him),  than  he  was  trans- 
tbrmed  into  a  devil,  and,  being  east 
down  I'rom  heaven,  was  shut  out  from 
the  glorious  presence  of  God. 

4.  If  ever,  therefore,  our  works  shall 
be  acceptable  to  God,  they  ought  to 
proceed  from  pure  faith  towards  God 
and  sincere  love  to  our  neio-hbor,  beinir 
cleared  from  the  spots  of  self-love,  self- 
honor,  and  self  interest,  as  much  as 
possibly  can  be  in  this  state  of  infirm- 
ity. To  this  end  St.  Paul  says 
"Though  I  speak  with  the  tongu 
of  men  and  of  angels,  and  have  noi 
charity,  I  am  become  as  sounding 
brass  or  a  tinkling  cymbal"  (1  Cor. 
13:  1):  that  is,  1  am  altogether  vain 
and  unprofitable.  In  truth,  God  re- 
gards not  fluency  of  speech,  but  an 
hunible  heart;  not  arts,  learning,  wit, 
or  ability,  but  he  w^eighs  the  spirit  of 
a  man,  whether  it  be  bent  upon  pro-' 
moting  its  own  honor  and  interest,  or 
the  glory  of  God  and  the  profit  of  men. 
Nor  does  God  regard  a  faith  by  which 
mountains  might  be  removed,  and  the 
eyes  of  the  beholders  be  attracted 
from  all  sides,  if  a  man  seek  thereby 
his  own  honor  and  glory.  But  the 
Lord  looks  with  the  greater  affection 
upon  him  who  "  is  poor,  and  of  a  con- 
trite spirit,  and  trembles  at  his  word." 
Isaiah  66:  2.    In  short,  if  a  man  di3-| 


•hap.  XXXIY.]  TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


109 


•ibute  all  that  lie  has  to  the  poor,  or 
ive  up  his  body  to  be  burned,  it  will 
3  all  to  no  purpose,  if  the  act  be  sul- 
ed  with  self'honor  and  self-cornpla- 
ney.  It  is  the  heart  only  and  the  in- 
jard  intention  of  the  mind,  which  the 
ord  regards.  This  fully  appears  from 
tany  instances  recorded  in  Scripture. 
5.  Both  David  and  Saul  attended  the 
;rvice  of  God,  but  with  a  different  ef- 
ct.  1  Sam.  15:9;  2  Sam.  24:25.  Da- 
id,  Manasseh  (2  Chron.  33: 18),  Nebu- 
ladnezzar,  and  Peter,  after  repent- 
ice,  obtained  mercy;  Saul,  Pharaoh, 
id  Judas,  on  the  contrary,  fell  short  of 
,  on  account  of  the  different  principle 
hich  swayed  their  minds.  Pharaoh 
5xod.  9:27)  and  Saul  (1  Sam.  15: 
t),  no  less  than  Manasseh,  used  the 
ime  praj^er,  ''Lord,  I  have  sinned  I" 
it  they  received  different  rewards, 
he  prayer  of  Ilczekiah,  Joshua,  and 
idcon  (Isa.38:  7;  Josh.  10:12;  Judg. 
:37),  by  which  they  required  a  sign 
oni  heaven,  is  approved  and  praised; 
le  Pharisees  doing  the  same  are  re- 
ctcd  and  reproved.    Matt.  12:38; 


1G:4.  The  Publican  and  the  Pharisee 
prayed  both  in  the  temple;  but  both 
are  not  approved.  Luke  18  :  14.  The 
Ninevitea  fasted  (Jonah  3  :  5,  10);  the 
Jews  and  Pharisees  did  the  Kanie 
(Matt.  6  :  IG)  :  but  the  former  were  re- 
cei  ved,  and  the  latter  rejected.  "Where- 
fore (say  they)  have  w^e  fasted,  and 
thou  seest  not?"  Isa.  58  :3.  The  poor 
wndow,  who  cast  into  the  treasury  but 
two  mites,  is  praised  by  Christ;  where- 
as, he  that  gave  more  is  not.  Luke 
21  :  3.  Herod  and  Zaccheus  both  re- 
joice at  the  sight  of  Christ;  but  they 
had  most  different  rewards.  Luke  19 : 6; 
23:8. 

6.  All  this  proceeds  from  no  other 
cause  than  the  heart,  and  that  moving 
principle  by  which  it  is  swayed,  and 
which  God  chiefly  regards.  He  accepts 
those  w^orks  only  which  flov\^from  un- 
feigned faith,  sincere  love,  and  true 
humility;  for  whatever  our  gifts  or 
works  may  be,  if  pride,  self-love,  and 
the  contagion  of  filthy  lucre,  infect 
them,  they  are  at  once  rejected  by  the 
Lord. 


CHAPTER  XXXIY. 

lOWING  THAT  GOD  ALONE,  WITHOUT  ANY  HUMAN  AID,  IS  THE  AUTHOR  OF  OUR 
SALVATION,  AND  THAT  WE  ARE  TO  SUBMIT  UNRESERVEDLY  TO  HIS  GRACE; 
ALSO,  THAT  CHRIST's  MERIT  IS  NOT  IMPUTED  TO  THE  IMPENITENT. 

%t  of  him  are  ye  in  Christ  Jesus,  who  of  God  is  made  unto  us  wisdom,  and  righteousness,  and 
sanctification,  and  redemption. — 1  Cor.  1  :  80. 


N  this  impressive  sentence,  St.  Paul 
-  teaches  us  that  all  things  necessary 
r  our  salvation  are  merited  by  Christ 
58U8  our  Lord.  When  we  were  iixnor- 
tt  of  the  way  of  life,  he  was  made 
i  isdom  unto  us  ;  when  we  were  sin- 


ners, he  w^as  made  our  righteousness ; 
when  we  were  an  abomination  before 
God,  he  was  made  our  sanctification  ; 
and  when  w^e  were  in  a  state  of  dam- 
nation, he  became  our  redemption. 
2.  It  is  therefore  most  certain,  that 


110 


TRUE  CIIPJSTIAyiTY. 


[Book  1 


man  does  not  contribute  so  ninch  as 
one  jot  to  liis  salvation.  Sin,  indeed, 
man  could  commit  of  himself,  but  he 
was  not  able  to  justify  himself  again  ; 
he  could  lose,  but  not  recover  himself; 
kill,  but  not  restore  to  life;  he  could 
submit  himself  to  the  devil,  but  could 
not  shake  off  his  spiritual  fetters.  As 
a  dead  body  cannot  quicken  itself 
again,  so  men  "being  dead  in  sins" 
(Eph.  2  :  1,  5),  as  the  Apostle  declares, 
cannot  raise  themselves  again  to  life. 

3.  We  did  not  contribute  anything 
towards  our  creation,  neither  do  we 
perform  an3'thing  towards  our  redemp- 
tion, regeneration,  and  sanctification, 
which  are  far  greater  transactions  than 
the  creation  itself. 

4.  Hence  it  was  necessary,  that  the 
Son  of  God  should  take  human  nature 
upon  him,  to  recover  all  that  was  lost 
in  Adam,  and  to  revive  those  that  were 
dead  in  sins  and  trespasses. 

5.  That  this  may  be  the  better  un- 
derstood, we  ought  to  represent  to 
ourselves  the  traveller  in  the  Gospel, 
who,  falling  among  thieves,  was  cruelly 
wounded  and  bruised  by  them,  and  at 
last  utterly-  disabled  from  helping  him- 
self again.  Luke  10:  30.  Him,  there- 
fore, the  good  Samaritan  receives  into 
his  arms,  binds  up  his  wounds,  sets 
him  on  his  beast,  takes  him  to  an  inn, 
and  omits  nothing  that  a  faithful  phy- 
sician could  administer  to  a  sick  and 
wounded  person.  And  as  the  traveller 
showed  himself  obedient  to  his  physi- 
cian, and  strictl}^  followed  the  direc- 
tions prescribed  by  him;  so  we  ought 
to  act  if  we  desii-c  to  be  healed  of  our 
disease.  We  ought  to  siiffer  the  heal- 
ing hand  of  the  Lord,  and  not  to  resist, 
when  he  attempts  the  cleansing  of  our 
wounds;  and  when,  after  having 
poured  in  wine  and  oil,  he  binds  them 
up.  To  obtain  the  blessed  effect  of 
these  spiritual  operations,  we  must 


v\'holly  resign  ourselves  to  him,  wlu 
alone  is  able  to  save  us ;  and  then 
we  may  trust  to  the  goodness  of  Gel 
that  on  his  side  he  will  not  fail  to  i 
store  us  to  health  and  soundness. 

6.  No  sooner  does  a  sinner  repent 
than  he  begins  his  happy  return  to 
wards  the  Lord,  grieving  for  his  formci 
transgressions,  and  suffering  that  hi. 
wounds  be  washed  with  the  sharpi 
wine  of  the  law,  and  the  oil  of  consola 
tion.    Whoever  comjjliea  with  the 
terms,  in  him,  Ciirist,  by  his  gnu 
works  an  unfeigned  faith,  atten-lt 
with  all  thefi'uits  it  produces, — right- 
eousness, life,  peace,  jo}^,  comfort,  and 
salvation,  and  thus  "worketh  in  him 
both  to  will  and  to  do,  of  his  good 
pleasure."  Phil.  2  :  13. 

7.  But  it  is  not  in  the  power  of  num 
by  nature  to  forsake  sin.    The  Scrijt 
ture  calls  the  natural  man  a  "  servni 
of  sin  "  (John  8  :  34),  and  one  that 
"sold  under  sin"  (Eom.  7  :  14),  who^ 
can  do  nothing  but  sin  ;  and  the  pro- 
phet says,  "  Can  the  Ethiopian  char,_ 
his  skin,  or  the  leopard  his  spots? 
may  ye  also  do  good  that  are  acci; 
tomed  to  do  evil."  Jer.  13  :  23.  P.i 

"  the  o-race  of  God  that  brino-eth  salv 
tion,  hath  appeared  to  all  men  (by  t!, 
Gospel),  teaching  us  that  denying  un- 
godliness and  worldly  lusts,  we  should 
live  soberl}^,  righteously,  and  godly,  in' 
this  present  world."    Tit.  2  :  11,  12. 
This  is  offered  us  by  the  word  of  God  : 
and  it  is  this  grace  which  excite.-, 
teaches,  and  allures  fallen  man  ;  which 
urges  and  influences  him  to  renounce 
sin,  and  to  submit  to  the  discipline  of 
grace.    And  these  divine  admonition 
furnished   through   the  Word,  fiili_ 
agree  with  the  inward  testimony  of 
the  conscience;  so  that  a  man  is  con- 
vinced both  from  without  and  from 
within  of  his  sinful  life,  and  of  the 
necessity  of  quitting  it,  in  order  to 


L^nAP.  XXXIV.] 


TEUE  CIiniSTIAXITY. 


Ill 


preserve  bis  soul  from  everlasting  de- 
struction, for  whoever  lives  in  sin,  lives 
n  opposition  to  God  and  his  own  con- 
jscience. 

,  8.  When  a  man  yields  to  the  sugges- 
tions and  exhortations  of  divine  grace, 
'ind,  proving  obedient  to  the  Word,  be- 
irins  to  withdraw  from  his  vicious  life, 
:hen  the  grace  of  God  endows  him 
with  all  those  virtues  which  the  Gos- 
:-»el  requires.  It  is  then  that  faith 
springs  up  in  the  soul,  the  original 
principle  of  all  other  virtues.  This  is 
'ollowed  by  love,  and  all  Christian 
ijraces,  which  grow  as  so  many  fruits 
:)n  the  tree  of  faith.  It  is  then,  also, 
>hat  liirht  be<i;ins  to  shine  in  the  midst 
j)f  darliness.  But  as  it  is  impossible 
;hat  darkness  should  be  able  to  en- 
ighten  itself;  so  it  is  also  impossible 
or  fallen  man  to  raise  himself  from 
larkness  to  light.  Hence  the  Psalm- 
jst  says,  "  For  thou  wilt  light  my 
pandle;  the  Lord  my  God  will  en- 
igbten  my  darkness."  Ps.  18:28.  Let 
I  man  open  his  eyes  ever  so  much,  he 
jVill  never  be  enlightened  whilst  the 
ight  of  the  sun  is  withdrawn  from  his 
iight.  Thus  the  grace  of  God,  that  is, 
of  Christ  himself,  is  that  clear  and 
}ierene  light,  risen  on  all  men  "  that 
liit  in  darkness,  and  in  the  shadow  of 
ileath."  Luke  1 : 79.  "  He  enlighteneth 
jvery  man  that  cometh  into  the  w^orld  " 
I  John  1 : 9):  that  is,  he  manifests  himself 
.0  all,  and  offers  his  grace  to  all.  He  is 
he  light  of  the  whole  world ;  he  shows 
be  way  of  life  to  all  men ;  and  leaving 
IS  his  own  example  for  imitation,  he 
ijoes  before  us  like  a  good  shepherd 
'John  10  :  4),  and  guides  his  flock  into 
;be  path  in  w^hich  they  are  to  w^alk. 
le  sought  us  out  as  his  lost  sheep, 
ind  even  now  daily  seeks  and  allures 
IS.  Luke  15:4.  Nay,  more;  he  still 
bllows  us  closely,  calls  after  us,  and 
voces  us  to  his  love,  in  as  endearing  a 


manner  as  a  bridegroom  does  his  bride. 
O  that  men  did  not  love  sin  and  dark- 
ness rather  than  light  and  grace  ! 

9.  Now%  as  a  physician,  addressing 
his  patient,  says :  Beware  of  this,  lest 
you  die;  you  hinder  the  w^orkings  of 
the  medicine  by  an  irregular  life,  so 
that  you  cannot  be  made  whole;"  so 
Jesus  Christ,  the  true  physician  of 
souls,  says:  "My  beloved,  I  beseech 
thee,  incline  thy  mind  to  true  repent- 
ance; utterly  forsake  all  thy  sins; 
shake  off  thy  pride,  thy  covetousness, 
thy  carnal  propensities,  thy  wrath, 
and  thirst  of  revenge,  with  other  sins. 
If  this  change  be  not  wrought  in  thee, 
thou  must  surely  die ;  and  the  precious 
medicine  of  my  blood  and  merit  can 
profit  thee  nothing,  whilst  thy  disor- 
derly life  hinders  their  healing  effect." 

10.  It  was  for  this  cause  that  Christ 
gave  it  in  charge  to  his  apostles,  be- 
fore all  things,  to  preach  repentance 
(Luke  24:47);  and  he  himself  called 
sinners  to  it  while  he  conversed  with 
them  upon  earth ;  because  an  impeni- 
tent heart  never  can  partake  of  his 
merits. 

11.  Whoever  hears  that  either  sin 
must  be  forsaken,  or  eternal  condem- 
nation be  endured,  must,  of  necessity, 
be  brought  to  some  serious  consider- 
ation about  the  state  of  his  soul.  He 
is  struck  with  a  double  conviction  ;  the 
truth  of  the  Word  of  God,  and  the 
power  of  his  own  conscience,  leaving 
so  strong  an  impression  upon  him,  as 
to  set  him  beyond  all  doubts  about 
the  truth  of  this  matter.  It  is  true, 
God  hath  freely  promised  remission 
of  sin  to  all  men;  but  it  is  on  this  con- 
dition, that  they  repent,  and  turn  them- 
selves unfeignedly  to  the  Lord.  Thus 
the  prophet  says,  "  If  the  wicked  shall 
turn  from  his  wickedness,  he  shall  live 
thereby.  None  of  his  sins  that  he 
hath  committed  shall  be  mentioned 


112 


TEUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


[Book  I 


unto  him"  (Ezek.  33:14,  IG):  wlicrc 
\vc  HOC  that  rcperiliincc  and  remission 
of  Rin  arc  linked  together. 

12.  Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  in  no 
other  sense  promises  life  eternal  to 
those  that  believe  in  his  name.  The 
nature  of  faith  must,  however,  be 
more  fully  inquired  into.  This  faith 
is  a  very  active  i)rinciple  in  the  soul. 
It  daily  strives  against  the  old  man  ; 
it  tames  the  flesh,  and  subjects  it  to 
the  Spirit;  it  converts  the  whole  man; 
it  subdues  and  vanquishes  sin;  it  puri- 
fies the  heart,  lie  is  a  true  believer 
\vho  turns  from  the  world,  from  sin 
and  the  devil,  to  God,  and  seeks  rest 
and  comfort  wholly  and  entirely  in 
the  blood,  death,  and  merit  of  Christ, 
without  the  works  of  himself,  or  of 
any  otlicr  man  whatsoever;  the  blood 
of  Christ  being  a  i)erfect  ransom  for 
all  the  debts  which  the  soul  has  con- 
tracted. AVhoever,  therefore,  imag- 
ines that  his  sins  may  be  pardoned, 
although  he  desist  not  from  them,  is 
most  miserably  deluded.  He  deceives 
himself  with  a  false  laith,  which  he 
has  assumed  to  himself,  and  the  dread- 
ful effects  of  which  he  must  hereafter 
feel,  lie  can  never  be  saved  without 
true  repentance. 

13.  Consider  the  case  of  Zaccheus 
the  publican,  who,  having  a  sound  ap- 
prehension of  the  doctrine  of  faith 
and  conversion,  freely  acknowledged 
that  to  be  true  faith  by  which  a  man 
is  turned  from  sin  to  God,  and  in  this 
order  hopes  to  obtain  a  gracious  par- 
don from  Christ,  and  an  interest  in  his 
merit,  so  as  to  reij-  upon  it  with  a 
filial  trust  and  an  unshaken  firmness 
of  mind.  In  this  manner  did  he  un- 
derstand the  woi'd  of  our  Lord,  "Ee- 
pent  ye,  and  bcUeve  the  Gospel " 
(Mark  1: 15):  Ib^it  is,  Desist  from  sin, 
trust  in  ni}'  merits,  and  expect  for- 
giveness of  sin  fi'OMi  mo  alone.  Hence 


Zaccheus  says  to  Christ,  "Behold,  th( 
half  of  my  goods  I  give  to  the  poor 
and  if  I  have  taken  anything  by  fals( 
accusation,  I  restore  fourfold."  Luk( 
19  :  8.    In  these  w^ords  he  does  no' 
commend  his  own  works  at  all,  bir 
extols  the  grace  of  God,  which  h, 
taught  him  the  way  of  true  repch 
ance.    As  if  he  had  said:  "O  Lord,  I 
am   so   thoroughly   grieved   at  tlu 
fraudulent   practices  w^hich    I  hav( 
committed  against  my  neighbor,  thai 
I  will  not  only  restore  fourfold  untr 
him,  but  will  also  bestow  half  of  m\ 
goods  on  the  poor.    Wherefore,  Lor  l 
since  I  confess  my  sin,  and  fully  re 
solve  to  leave  it,  I  now  embrace  tliv 
prom.ises  with  faith,  and  beseech  tli 
to  receive   me   into  thy  grace  ai 
favor."    And  no  sooner  is  this  reso' 
tion  taken,  than  the  Physician  dr 
Clares,  "This  day  is  salvation  come  \(. 
this  house.    For  the  Son  of  man 
come  to  seek  and  to  save  tliat  whieli 
was  lost." 

14.  This  is  true  repentance  and 
conversion,  carried  on  by  a  faith, 
which  is  the  w^ork  of  God  \vithin  us.j 
God  himself  will  begin,  advance,  andj 
finish  at  last,  the  great  work  of  our! 
salvation,  if  we  only  yield  to  his 
Spirit,  and  do  not  resist  him  wilfully, 
as  did  the  refractory  Jews  of  old;  to, 
w^hom  the  apostle  eays :  "  It  was  ne-! 
cessarj'  that  the  word  of  God  shouKl 
first  have  been  spoken  to  you  :  but  see-, 
ing  ye  put  it  from  }'ou,  and  judge  your-[ 
selves  unworthy  of  everlasting  life,  lo, 
we  turn  to  the  Gentiles."  Acts  13:46.j' 
It  is,  therefore,  our  duty  to  take  th^l 
advice  of  the  physician,  after  thei 
manner  of  the  sick,  and  to  obey  his 
precepts  and  prescriptions.  As  the 
physician  first  explains  the  nature  of,i 
the  disease,  so  the  Lord  lays  open  the 
spiritual  disease  of  the  heart,  an^i 
then,  as  a  faithful  physician,  warns  u- 


.CiiAP.  XXXY.] 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


113 


against  liiirtfal  things,  lest  the  healing 
'virtue  of  the  precious  blood  of  Christ 
be  obstructed,  and  at  last  rendered  in- 
effectual. 

15.  JSTo  sooner  does  man,  by  the  as- 
sistance of  the  Holy  Ghost,  withdraw 
from  sin,  than  the  grace  of  God  be- 
gins to  operate  in  him,  and  to  endue 
,him  with  new  gifts.  Witliout  this,  he 
is  not  sufficient  to  think  any  good 
ithought  of  himself,  much  less  to  do 
lany  good  work.  Whenever  such  a 
(person  discovers  any  good  motions 
'arising  in  his  mind,  he  attributes 
ievery  good  desire  to  divine  grace,  even 
las  St.  Pa'ul  says,  "  By  the  grace  of 
iGodl  am  what  I  am."  1  Cor.  15  :  10. 
[Whoever,  therefore,  complies  with  this 
;order  of  salvation,  to  him  the  merit 
bf  Christ  and  his  perfect  obedience, 
|are  fully  imputed,  as  if  he  himself  had 
tmade  a  complete  atonement  for  all  his 
transgressions;  but  no  wicked  person, 
and  no  contemner  of  this  dispensation, 
jlias  a  share  in  the  imputation  of  the 
jmerit  of  Christ. 

j  16.  God,  when  he  works  in  ns  and 


through  us,  crowns  and  commends 
those  things  as  our  own,  of  which  lie 
himself  is  the  chief  author.  "  With- 
out me,"  saith  Ciirist,  "ye  can  do  no- 
thing "  (John  15  :  5);  that  is,  no  good; 
for  by  nature  we  are  ready  enough  to 
do  evil  without  him.  The  doing  of 
evil  is  our  own  property ;  as  the  doing 
of  good  is  entirely  the  property  of 
God.  Tiierefore  let  no  flesh  glory  in 
anything;  all  is  of  and  through  grace. 
Rom.  3  :24;  Eph.  2 :  8,  9. 

17.  Happy  is  the  man  that  refrains 
from  sin,  and  gives  up  his  will  to  the 
Lord.  Christ  uses  all  his  endeavors 
to  gain  our  love  and  aff^cctions,  and  to 
wean  us  more  and  more  fron-^the  pro- 
fane love  of  the  w^orld.  He  applies  the 
most  endearing  expressions,  in  his 
word,  and  in  his  addres-ses,  to  our 
hearts.  He  seeks  and  allures  us;  and 
even  before  w^e  remember  him,  he  be- 
stows upon  lis  tokens  of  his  love  and 
kindness;  and  this  for  no  other  end, 
than  that  we  might  at  last  forsake  our 
beloved  sin,  and  partake  of  the  blessed 
effect  of  his  blood  and  merits- 


CHAPTER   XXX T. 

ILL  WISDOM,  ARTS,  AND  SCIENCES,  YEA,  EVEN  THE  KNOWLEDGE  OF  THE  WHOLE 
SCRIPTURE,  ARE  VAIN,  WITHOUT  A  HOLY  AND  CHRISTIAN  LIFE. 

.Vo<  eve7-y  one  that  saith  unto  me,  Lord.,  Lord,  shall  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven  ;  but  he  that 
doeth  the  will  of  my  Father  which  is  in  heaven. — Matth.  7  :  21. 


:^INCE  in  Love  are  contained  all  the 
O  duties  of  a  Christian,  and  since  the 
i.vhole  life  of  Christ  was  nothing  but 
he  purest  and  most  cordial  love,  there- 
ore  St.  Paul,  under  the  name  of  char- 
ity or  love,  has  comprehended  the 
Vhole  life  of  a  Christian.  1  Cor.  13  :  1. 
2.  It  is  the  property  of  true  love,  to 


respect  God  alone  in  everj'thing,  and 
not  self.  It  refers  all  to  God  ;  it  does 
not  love  or  honor  self;  it  is  not  intent 
upon  personal  glory  or  interest;  but 
it  undertakes  everything  with  a  free 
and  disinterested  regard  to  God  and 
man.  He  who  is  endued  with  Chris- 
tian love,  loves  God  and  liis  neighbor 


114 


TKUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  I. 


-with  pure  affection,  because  God  is  tlic 
sovereign  Good,  to  which  we  ouglit  to 
adhere. 

3.  Whoevei",  tlierefore,  is  destitute 
of  this  love,  must  of  necessity  prove  a 
hypocrite  amidst  all  his  pretences  and 
boasts.  In  whatever  he  undertakes, 
he  seeks  himself,  and  not  purely  God, 
as  he  ought  to  do.  For  this  reason, 
his  love  is  false,  be  his  boasts  what 
they  may.  If  such  a  man  had  all  the 
Scriptures  committed  to  memory,  and 
could  speak  of  them  with  the  tongue 
of  angels,  yd  would  he  still  jirovo  as 
sounding  brass,  without  life  and  mo- 
tion. For  as  no  natural  food  can 
nourish  the  body,  unless  it  be  converted 
into  the  juices  and  the  blood;  so  also 
the  Word  and  the  Sacraments  arc  un- 
availing, if  they  be  not  converted  into 
a  man's  life  ;  and  if  a  new,  spiritual, 
and  holy  man,  be  not  begotten  thereby. 

4.  Hence  St.  Paul  says,  '^Though  I 
have  the  gift  of  prophecy,  and  under- 
stand all  mysteries,  and  all  knowledge, 
and  though  I  have  all  faith,  so  that  I 
could  remove  mountains,  and  have  not 
charity,  I  am  nothing."  1  Cor.  13  :  2. 
As  if  he  had  said,  If  I  pursue  mine  own 
honor  by  those  gifts  and  attainments, 
and  seek  anj'thing  besides  the  honor 
of  God,  and  the  good  of  my  neighbor, 
then  I  am  an  abomination  before  the 
Lord,  and  not  at  all  acceptable  in  his 
sight. 

5.  This  is  intimated  by  that  saying 
of  our  Lord  :  "  Many  will  say  to  me  in 
that  day,  Lord,  Lord,  have  we  not 
prophesied  in  thy  name,  and  in  thy 
name  have  cast  out  devils,  and  in  thy 
name  done  man^^  wonderlul  works? 
And  then  will  I  profess  unto  them,  I 
never  knew  3'ou  ;  depart  from  me,  ye 
that  work  iniquity  "  (Matt.  7  :  22,  23): 
for  you  have  not  respected  me  alone 
in  what  you  have  done,  but  rather 
your  own  selves. 


G.  This  is  again  attested  by  St.  Paul- 
"Though  I  bestow  all  my  goods  to 
feed  the  poor,  and  have  not  charity,  it 
profiteth  me  nothing."  2  Cor.  13  :  3. 
But  can  it  be  possible  (some  may  sav 
to  give  all  to  the  poor,  and  3'et  bcdi 
titute  at  the  same  time  of  love,  or 
charity?    Yes;  there  may  be  a  love 
which  is  not  altogether  single  in  vehat 
it  performs,  but  biassed  by  impure  d( 
signs,  and  by  some  temporal  intere.st, 
or  the  applause  of  men,  or  any  such 
selfish  objects,  whereby  the  best  of  ac- 
tions are  too  often  corrupted.   Of  ihi- 
nature  was  the  charity  of  the  Phar- 
isees of  old,  Avho  offered  abundance 
of  sacrifices,  and  persuaded  others  to 
adorn  the  temple  with  magnificent 
gifts,  and  to  bring  sacrifices  of  great 
price.    But  whilst  they  suffered  them- 
selves to  be  led  away  by  pride  and 
ambition,  which  mingled  with  their 
very  worship,  they  forgot  to  show 
mercy  to  the  poor,  and  to  practise 
that    undefiled  religion,"  wherebj'  the 
fatherless  and  the  widows  are  to  be 
supported  and  visited.   James  1 :  27. 
For  this  preposterous  charity,  the  Lord 
reproved  them,  saying:  ''Woe  unto 
you,  scribes  and  Pharisees,  hypocrite 
for  ye  devour  widows'  houses,  and  t« 
a  pretence  make  long  prayer:  there 
fore  ye  shall  receive  the  greater  dam- 
nation." Matt.  23: 14.   In  this  perverse 
religion  they  have  many  follower- 
even  at  this  time.    Such  are  those  who 
bequeath  large  legacies  to  temples  and 
monasteries,  that  priests  and  friar- 
who   enjoy   them,  may   make  lo' 
pra^-ers  for  such  as  bestow  them.  Tl) 
truly  is  a  false  and  deceitful  love,  for 
those  who  perform  these  acts,  do  n(  ' 
so  much  regard  the  honor  of  God  ; 
their  own.  ji 

7.  He  that  is  justified,  shall  live  by 
h'lfi  faith  (Habak.  2:4);  and  whoso- 
ever is  thus  justified,  lives  in  true  re- 


Chap.  XXXV.] 


TRUE  CirRISTIANITY. 


115 


pcntiince,  and  by  daily  mortification 
of  his  flesh,  becomes  liimself  a  sacri- 
fice unto  the  Lord.  Rom.  12  :  1.  He 
spends  his  time  in  continual  acts  of 
love  and  charity;  flowing  from  a  dis- 
interested principle,  free  from  self- 
honor  and  self-love,  and  entirely  di- 
rected to  advancing  the  glory  of  God. 
Therefore,  O  man,  if  thou  even  yield- 
est  thy  body  to  be  burnt,  and  yet  art 
void  at  the  same  time  of  this  pure  and 
sincere  love,  thou  doest  nothing  in  all 
such  performances.  And  what  do  they 
proiit  themselves,  who  torture  their 
bodies  ?  They  generally  are  puffed  up 
with  a  conceit  of  their  singular  sanc- 
tity, and,  thus  setting  forth  their  own 
pompous  religion  and  will-^Yorship, 
they  do  not  regard  God  in  what  they 
do,  so  much  as  catch  at  the  applause 
of  men.  Isa.  58  :  3  ;  Zcch.  7:5,6.  Nay, 
some  are  blinded  to  such  a  degree  by 
the  spirit  of  delusion  and  error,  as  to 
suffer  themselves  to  be  burnt  in  de- 
fence  of  conceits  such  as  these.  They 
expect  thereby  to  be  enrolled  in  the 
list  of  such  martyrs  as  vrere  slain  for 
the  sake  of  Christ  and  the  Gospel ; 
when  in  truth  they  seek  not  Christ, 
but  themselves,  and  rise  not  to  defend 
his  honor,  but  their  own  erroneous 
opinions.  This  is  called  by  St.  Paul,  a 
strong  delusion^  and  a  working  of  Satan. 
2  Thess.  2  :  9,  11.  It  is  not  the  punish- 
ment, but  the  cause,  which  makes  a 
martyr. 

8.  Such  martyrs  as  these  the  devil 
has  had  even  amongst  the  heathens 
themselves;  many  of  whom  were  so 
fiir  blinded  in  their  understandings,  as 
contentedly  to  die  for  the  defence  of 
their  idols,  and  false,  heathenish  re- 
ligion.   And  is  not  the  same  done  at 


this  da}'  amongst  those  who  call  them- 
selves Christians  ?  Even  as  the  heath- 
ens, to  gain  an  immortal  name,  per- 
suaded themselves  that  they  did  well 
in  what  they  endured,  so  self-love  and 
vainglory  have  so  far  besotted  some 
monkS;  and  other  persons  even  in  our 
age,  as  that  they  have  murdered  kings 
and  princes,  to  support  the  better  their 
church,  or  the  Catholic  cause,  as  they 
call  it,  which  they  supposed  to  be  in 
danger.  If  such  men  are  made  to  suf- 
fer again,  it  is  manifest  that  they  do 
not  suffer  for  the  sake  of  Christ,  nor 
are  the}^  to  be  accounted  his  martyrs. 
They  are  martyrs  to  the  pope  of  Rome, 
to  their  own  conceit,  and  to  a  thirst 
after  vainglory,  with  which  they  are 
carried  away.  Thus  much  concerning 
false  love,  to  which  man  is  seduced 
by  a  false  and  deceitful  light. 

9.  It  remains,  therefore,  that  with- 
out a  sincere  love  to  God  and  our 
neighbor,  and  a  holy  and  Christian 
life  attending  it^  all  arts  and  sciences, 
gifts  and  attainments,  profit  nothing. 
Wisdom,  how  great  soever  it  may  be, 
yea,  though  it  be  as  great,  or  greater 
than  that  of  Solomon,  is  nothing ;  and 
the  knowledge  of  the  whole  Scrij^ture, 
if  it  be  without  love,  must  necessarily 
degenerate  into  a  poor,  empty  specu- 
lation. All  works  whatsoever,  and 
martyrdom  itself  (if  so  it  be  called), 
are  to  no  purpose  without  this  essen- 
tial character  of  love.  For  to  know 
the  will  of  God  and  his  word,  and  not 
to  live  up  to  them  as  a  rule,  only  in- 
creases our  condemnation,  as  the  Lord 
plainly  afiirms :  "If  I  had  not  come 
and  spoken  unto  them,  they  had  not 
had  sin ;  but  now  they  have  no  cloak 
for  their  sin."  John  15  :  22. 


116 


TEUE  CIIRISTIxVNITY. 


[Book  I. 


CHAPTER  XXXVI. 

HE  WHO  DOES  NOT  LIVE  IN  CHRIST,  BUT  GIVES  HIS  HEART  TO  THE  WORLD,  HAS 
ONLY  THE  OUTWARD  LETTER  OF  THE  SCRIPTURES,  BUT  HE  DOES  NOT  EX- 
PERIENCE THEIR  POWER,  OR  EAT  OF  THE  HIDDEN  MANNA. 

To  him  that  overcometh,  will  I  give  to  eat  of  the  hidden  manna,  and  will  give  him  a  white  stone, 
and  in  the  stone  a  new  name  written,  which  no  man  knoweth  saving  he  thai  receivelh  it.— 
Key.  2:  17. 


BY  this  Scripture  we  are  taught, 
that  no  man  can  taste  the  inward 
sweetness  of  heavenly  joy  and  com- 
fort hidden  in  the  Word,  who  does  not 
first  vanquish  his  own  flesh  and  the 
world,  with  all  the  pomps  and  lusts 
thereof,  and  the  devil  himself  But 
those  that  crucify  their  flesh  daily, 
with  all  its  desires  and  lusts,  by  serious 
contrition  and  repentance,  who  die 
daily  to  themselves  and  to  the  world, 
and  to  whom  this  life  is  a  cross  and 
affliction  ;  these  are  divinely  fed  with 
the  heavenly  manna,  and  drink  the 
wine  of  the  joy  of  paradise.  Those, 
on  the  other  hand,  that  love  the  pleas- 
ures of  this  world  rather  than  those 
of  heaven,  render  themselves  alto- 
gether unfit  to  taste  the  hidden  manna, 
preserved  for  him  alone  that  over- 
cometh.   The  reason  is,  because  like 
things  (according  to  the  proverb)  re- 
joice in  their  like;  and  things  of  a  con- 
trary nature  do  not  unite  one  with 
another.    Since,  therefore,  the  word 
of  God  is  spiritual,  it  is  no  wonder 
that  worldly  minds  take  no  pleasure 
in  it.    For  as  the  body  receives  no 
strength  from  the  food  which  the 
stomach  does  not  digest;  so  the  soul 
receives  no  strength  from  the  divine 
word,  unless  it  be  entirely  converted 
into  itself,  that  is,  into  its  own  life  and 
nature. 

2.  Yea,  as  a  man  that  is  sick  of  a  fever 


acquires  a  distempered  appetite,  and 
deems  the  coarsest  trash  more  pleasant 
than  wholesome  food;  so  those  that 
are  sick  of  a  spiritual  fever,  that  is, 
of  the  love  of  the  world,  of  pride  and 
covetousness,  loathe  the  good  word  of 
God  as  bitter  and  insipid  food.  Those, 
on  the  other  hand,  that  have  the  Spirit 
of  God,  find  in  it  a  hidden  manna,  and 
a  secret  sweetness,  which  transcends 
all  other  delights;  but  then  it  is  not  to 
be  tasted  by  such  as  are  carried  away 
with  the  pleasures  of  a  profane  world. 

8,  Many  hear  the  glad  tidings  of  the 
Gospel  repeatedl}^,  and  yet  are  but 
little  affected  with  what  they  hear. 
They  do  not  feel  any  fervency  of  spirit, 
any  sense  of  spiritual  joy.  The  cause 
is  plain ;  the}'^  are  not  led  by  the  good 
Spirit  of  God,  but  by  the  corrupt  spirit 
of  the  world;  nor  have  they  heavenly, 
but  earthly  minds,  which  cannot  re- 
ceive the  things  of  God.  Whoever, 
therefore,  wishes  to  obtain  a  sound 
understanding  in  spiritual  matters,  to 
feel  the  power  of  the  word  of  God,  and 
to  eat  of  the  hidden  manna,  ought  by 
all  means  to  conform  his  life  to  the 
word  which  he  reads,  and  to  the  life 
of  Christ  which  is  set  before  him.  It 
is  then  that  the  Lord  feeds  the  humble 
with  grace  (1  Pet.  5  :  5),  satisfies  the 
meek  with  his  love,  and  supports  the 
patient  with  his  comfort;  rendering 
his  yoke  pleasant,  and  his  burden  light 


Chap.  XXXVI.] 


TEUE  CIIEISTIANITY. 


117 


unto  them.  For  the  sweetness  of  this 
heavenly  manna  cannot  be  tasted  ex- 
cept under  the  3'oke  of  Christ,  accord- 
.  ing  to  the  promise  of  the  Lord  :  "lie 
I  hath  filled  the  hungry  with  good 
things,  and  the  rich  he  hath  sent 
empt}'  away."  Luke  1  :  53. 

4.  ^'The  words  that  I  speak  unto 
you,"  saith  the  Lord,  "they  are  spirit 
and  they  are  life."  John  G:G3.  Whence 
it  follows,  that  a  carnal  and  voluptu- 
ous man,  who  has  no  spiritual  under- 
Ftandiiig  or  taste,  cannot  possibly  per- 
ceive or  relish  the  words  of  Christ. 
These  must  be  apprehended  in  spirit, 
and  in  an  inward  tranquillity  of  mind, 
attended  with  great  humility  and  fer- 
vent desires  after  God.  In  this  order, 
the  Word  of  God  must  be  received  and 
digested,  if  ever  it  is  to  afford  a  vital 
nourishment  to  the  soul;  which,  if  it 
be  neglected,  then  truly  the  Word  is 
no  nioi'e  than  an  empty  sound,  and  an 
external  letter.  As  a  man  that  hears 
the  sound  of  a  harp,  and  understands 
not  its  melody,  receives  no  pleasure 
from  it;  so  no  man  can  perceive  the 
virtue  hidden  in  the  Word,  unless  he 
endeavor  to  express  it  in  his  life,  and 
thoroughly  to  conform  himself  to  it  in 
his  spirit. 

5.  For  this  reason,  the  Lord  says: 
""I  will  give  him  a  white  stone,  and  in 
the  stone  a  new  name  written,  which 
no  man  knoweth,  saving  he  that  re- 
ceivcth  it." 

6.  This  is  the  testimony  of  the  hid- 
den Spirit,  who  witnesses  to  the  di- 
vine Word:  and  in  like  manner,  the 
Spirit  of  the  Word  gives  testimony  to 
our  spirit  (Rom.  8 :  16),  whence  both 
unite,  and  so  become  one  spirit.  1  Cor. 
6  :  17.  This  is  that  nevv  name,  which 
no  man  knoweth  but  he  that  hath  it. 
As  no  man  perceives  the  sweetness  of 
honey,  but  he  that  tastes  it;  so  the 
name  of  this  divine  testimony,  written 


in  the  hearts  of  good  souls,  no  man 
knoweth  but  he  that  possesses  it.  IIo 
only  understands  the  nature  of  heav- 
enly comfort,  and  of  divine  visita- 
tions, who  really  tastes  them.  This 
name  and  testimony  are  called  new, 
because  they  are  the  blessed  effect  of 
the  new  birth,  and  come  from  above. 

7.  Blessed  is  the  man  to  whom  God 
thus  gives  himself  to  be  tasted!  Thus 
were  the  prophets  of  old  fed  with 
this  heavenly  bread,  and  sustjiined  by 
the  eternal  Word  proceeding  from 
God,  and  communicating  itself  unto 
them.  This  made  their  tongues  so 
free  and  so  ready  in  the  delivery  of 
the  divine  oracles.  And  from  this  in- 
w^ard  sense,  with  which  they  were  so 
powerfully  affected,  the  Holy  Scrip- 
ture has  been  derived,  and  handed 
down  to  us  for  our  edification. 

8.  Even  at  this  day,  God  does  not 
cease  still  to  speak  unto  all  men,  and 
inwardly  to  feed  them  with  his  Word: 
bat  alas!  most  men  have  shut  their 
ears  against  his  voice,  and  Avill  rather 
hear  the  world  than  God^  and  follow 
their  own  lusts,  than  the  motions  of 
the  good  Spirit  of  God.  They  cannot 
eat  of  the  hidden  manna,  because  they 
greedily  adhere  to  their  carnal  pro- 
pensities, and  contemn  the  tree  of  life, 
with  the  fruit  thereof. 

9.  But  surely  such  men  are  awfully 
blinded,  since  they  will  not  understand 
that  God  can  afford  infinitely  greater 
pleasures  than  this  world  is  capable 
of  imparting.  He  that  has  once  tasted 
the  goodness  of  God,  will  esteem  the 
whole  world,  together  with  its  most 
exquisite  pleasures,  to  be  nothing  but 
gall  and  bitterness.  Our  first  parents 
were  beguiled  by  the  world;  and  by 
eating  of  the  forbidden  tree,  they 
brought  no  less  an  evil  upon  them- 
selves than  death  itself :  and  yet  we 
are  so  much  besotted  with  the  pleas- 


118 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book 


urcs  of  tbis  world,  as  to  follow  freely 
their  steps,  and  to  obey  tbe  forbidden 
lusts  of  tbe  flesb,  which  cause  our 
death.  Rom.  8  :  13. 

10.  Christ  says:  "If  any  shall  eat 
of  me,"  tbe  true  tree,  and  the  true 
bread  of  life,  "he  shall  live  for  ever." 
John  G  :  51.  And  what  is  it  to  eat  of 
hwi,  but  to  believe  in  him,  to  rejoice 
in  him,  to  delight  in  him,  and  to  rest 
and  to  take  pleasure  in  nothing  but 
him  alone?  The  world  bestows  poor 
and  inconsiderable  wages,  and  yet  it 
is  served  with  great  labor  and  earnest- 
ness; whereas  God  grants  an  eternal 
and  never-lading  reward;  and  yet 
with  what  sluggishness,  coldness,  and 
backwardness  is  his  service  per- 
formed! How  few  there  are,  who  ad- 
here to  God  with  as  much  care  and 
faith,  devotion  and  obedience,  as  pro- 
fane worldlings  do  to  mammon,  and 
the  world !  We  see  them  often  take 
long  and  tedious  journeys  for  a  little 
money;  but  for  tbe  sake  of  heaven,  it 
grieves  them  to  move  even  a  foot. 

11.  In  all  classes  men  seek  and  love 
the  world  more  than  they  regard  God. 
Many  a  scholar  studies  day  and  night 
to  attain  preferment  and  honor,  who 
will  hardly  take  time  to  say  the  Lord's 
Prayer  for  the  good  of  his  soul.  The 
men  who  avoid  no  labor  to  get  the 
bread  that  perishes,  will  undergo  none 
to  procure  that  which  is  incorruptible. 
There  are  many  who  fear  no  difficulty, 
flee  from  no  danger,  and,  in  an  earthly 
warfare,  stare  even  death  in  the  face; 
influenced  by  no  other  motive  than  to 
gain  a  little  fleeting  fame,  or  at  best, 
to  be  ranked  among  nobles  and  hei-oes: 
whereas  there  is  hardly  one  to  be  found 
that  will  enter  into  a  combat  with  the 
corrupt  propensities  of  his  flesh,  al- 
though this  is  the  way  to  obtain  a  king- 
dom in  heaven.  We  see  the  victors 
of  many  nations,  and  the  subduers  of 


]  vast  kingdoms,  who  little  care  to  ove 
I  come  themselves.    There  are  larg 
numbers  who  do  not  regard  the  lo 
of  their  immortal  souls,  if  they  can  b 
gain  the  perishing  goods  of  this  worl 
All  these,  certainly,  have  not  tast 
the  hidden  manna  of  the  divine  Word; 
for  the}^  do  not  overcome  the  world, 
but  are  themselves  overcome  by  it. 
Whosoever  will  taste  the  sweetness 
of  this  heavenly  manna,  must,  ibr  the 
sake  of  the  love  of  God,  despise  the 
world,  and  overcome  it.    When  lie 
complies  with  these  terms,  he  is  re- 
freshed again  with  that  comfort  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  which  no  man  knows  save 
he  that  receives  it. 

12.  This,  therefore,  must  be  done. 
The  tree  of  life  must  first  be  planted 
in  us,  before  we  can  eat  of  its  fruit: 
and  the  heart  that  wishes  to  be  quick- 
ened with  heavenly  comforts,  ought 
first  to  be  truly  converted  from  the 
world  to  God.  But  we,  being  intoxi- 
cated with  worldly  pleasures,  do  not 
see  that  the  joj's  of  heaven  are  far 
more  excellent  than  all  that  this  world 
affords.  That  which  God  gives,  is  in- 
finitely more  true  and  more  substantial 
than  all  which  the  creature  can  bestow. 
And  that  teaching  which  comes  from 
above,  through  the  inspiration  of  the 
divine  Spirit,  is  far  more  noble  and 
solid  than  that  which  is  conveyed  to 
us  by  man's  understanding,  and  im- 
printed on  the  mind  with  much  toil 
and  labor.  The  flowers  and  fruits 
which  are  the  productions  of  nature 
are  nobler  and  better  than  those  which 
are  fashioned  of  the  finest  gold  by  the 
hand  of  art;  even  so,  one  drop  of  di- 
vine consolation  is  more  satisfactory, 
and  incomparably  better,  than  a  whole 
ocean  of  worldly  lust  and  pleasure. 

13.  Whenever,  therefore,  thou  de- 
si  rest  to  taste  any  heavenly  comfort, 
withdraw  thy  heart  from  the  joys  of 


J  Chap.  XXXVI.] 

f   


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


119 


this  world.  As  if  the  Lord  were  to 
I  say, If'JHiy  will  understand  me,  let 
him  seriously  attend  to  what  I  say  ;  if 
an}'  will  sec  me,  it  sorely  behooves  him 
to  fix  his  eye  upon  me  alone."  Who 
can  doubt  but  that  our  heart  and 
senses,  and  all  the  faculties  of  our 
souls  ought  to  be  converted  to  God, 
j  and  fixed  on  him  alone,  if  ever  we 
desii'e  to  see.  hear,  and  understand 
God;  nay,  to  taste  him  and  his  good-  I 
ness?  For  thus  he  expresses  himself 
in  the  Pi-ophet :  "  When  ye  shall 
search  for  me  with  your  whole  heart, 
ye  shall  find  me."  Jer.  29  :  13. 

14.  Many  at  this  day  are  held  in 
great  admiration  on  a  very  light  ac- 
count. Oh  !  a  learned  man  !  (they  say), 
a  rich  man  !  a  great  man  !  a  wise  man ! 
But  scarcely  any  regard  how  meek, 
how  humble,  how  patient,  or  how  de- 
vout any  man  is.  Of  this  perverse 
judgment,  there  is  no  other  cause,  than 
that  the  people  of  this  world  only  ad- 
mire the  exterior  of  a  man,  and  pass 
by  what  is  within  the  mind,  which 
alone  is  worthy  to  be  esteemed  and 
valued.  Let  him  that  praises  a  man 
because  he  is  a  great  traveller,  and  has 
seen  many  cities  and  countries,  con- 
sider whether  it  be  not  far  better  to 
have  seen  God.  Let  him  that  admires 
another,  because  he  has  served  several 
monarchs,  and  attended  on  emperors, 
kings,  and  princes,  tell  us  whether  it 
be  not  far  more  excellent  to  be  the 
servant  of  God,  to  wait  on  the  King 
of  Heaven,  to  hear  Him  speak  in  the 
heart,  and  to  serve  Him  faithfully? 
Many  who  enjoy  nothing  but  the 
things  of  this  world,  will  say,  "  We 
have  abundance  of  learned  men  and 
great  scholars  in  this  age;  arts  and 
sciences  are  greatly  advanced  among 
us."  But  such  men  as  these,  do  not 
know  the  art  of  arts,  the  science  of 
Bciences,  which  is  divine  Love  ;  a  ben- 


efit preferable  to  all  other  knowledge 
and  learning,  but  which  seems  to  be 
almost  wholly' extinct  in  this  degener- 
ate age,  together  with  faith  itself,  that 
pi-oduces  it.  The  number  of  those 
that  are  in  truth  divinely  "  taught  of 
God,"  is  apparently  but  small  (Isa. 
54:  13);  and  so  of  those  that  care  to 
be  instructed  in  the  humble  and  meek 
life  of  Christ.  Matt.  11  :  29.  Yea,  to 
I  speak  plainly,  there  are  among  the 
most  learned  at  this  da}^,  some  who 
are,  perhaps,  the  most  alienated  from 
the  life  of  God,  and  know  but  little  of 
that  truth  which  is  in  Jesus.  They 
are  those  who  confine  knowledge  to 
words  and  terms  artfully  contrived; 
when  indeed  solid  erudition  and  learn- 
ing consist  not  in  words,  but  in  things^ 
and  in  a  real  and  eternal  wisdom. 
Upon  the  whole,  Avhoever  calls  this 
world  a  wicked  world,  is  not  mistaken 
in  his  judgment. 

15.  Others  will  praise  a  man,  be- 
cause he  keeps  a  rich  and  plentiful 
table,  and  fares  sumj^tuousl}^  every 
day;  but  they  do  not  consider  that 
the  very  crumbs  dropping  from  God's 
table,  are  transcendently  better  than 
the  choicest  dishes  of  the  wealthy  and 
gVeedy;  and  that  the  hidden  manna, 
and  the  incorruptible  bread  descend- 
ing from  heaven,  and  prepared  by 
the  Lord  himself,  afford  the  most  sa- 
vory and  most  delicious  food  for  nour- 
ishing the  soul.  Ps.  23  :  5. 

16.  W^hoever  enjoj's  God  and  his 
Word,  is  disgusted  at  nothing,  and 
nothing  can  displease  him;  for  he  en- 
joys God  in  all.  But  what  can  delight 
him,  who  does  not  taste  the  sweetness 
of  God,  and  the  goodness  of  his  Word  ? 
God  alone  is  the  joy  of  the  soul.  He 
infinitely  surpasses  all  earthly  joy  and 
transient  mirth.  He  is  the  eternal 
Light,  which  incomparably  exceeds  all 
created  lights.    May  he  be  pleased  to 


i 


TKUE  ClIRISTIAXITY. 


[Book  I. 


influence  our  hearts  with  his  hidden 
pleasure  I  May  he  purify  our  spirits, 
and  all  the  faeuUies  of  our  souls  !  May 
he  enlighten  and  quicken,  correct  and 
revive  all  that  is  within  us  I  And,  O! 
when  shall  that  glorious  hour  appear, 
in  which  the  Lord  will  satiate  us  with 
his  presence,  and  replenish  us  with  all 
that  he  himself  is!  Isa.  55:  12. 

17.  But  as  we  are  not  yet  prepared 
for  so  transcendent  a  joy,  so  we  cannot 
partake  of  it,  while  we  are  confined  to 
this  state  of  imperfection.  Let  us, 
therefore,  be  content  with  the  crumbs 
of  comfort  which  fall  from  the  Lord's 
table,  and  patiently  wait  for  that  time, 
wherein  we  shall  be  refreshed  with  his 
joy  for  evermore ! 

18.  Hear  the  words  of  our  blessed 
Saviour  :  "  Behold,  I  stand  at  the  door, 
and  knock ;  if  any  man  hear  my  voice, 
and  open  the  door,  I  will  come  in  to 
him,  and  will  sup  with  him,  and  he 
with  me."  Rev.  3  :  20.  Is  it  not,  then, 
a  foolish  thing  to  slight  so  great  a  fa- 
vor, and  to  treat  contemptuously  the 
King  of  kings,  who,  like  a  heavenly 
guest,  comes  to  see  thee  ?  Is  it  not  dis- 
graceful to  let  a  friend  stand  knocking 
without,  and  refuse  to  admit  a  man  to 
thy  presence,  who  has  nothing  at  heart 
but  thy  welfare  ?  How  unaccountable 
then  must  it  be  to  debar  the  great 
God  from  thy  heart,  who  stands  in  no 
need  of  thy  presents;  but,  after  the 
manner  of  princes,  brings  his  own 
royal  dainties  with  him  when  he  ap- 
proaches the  house  of  a  poor  subject  I 
He  will  feed  thee  with  heavenly  bread, 
and  with  that  hidden  manna  which  is 
preserved  for  those  that  overcome. 

19.  When  the  Lord  says,  "  Hear 
my  voice,  and  open  the  door,"  he  com- 
pares, as  it  were,  the  heart  of  a  man 
to  a  house  full  of  noise  and  clamor, 
where  music,  though  ever  so  sweet 
and  melodious,  cannot  be  heard.  So 


the  voice  of  the  divine  Visitor  cannot 
enter  a  profane  heart,  whilst  it  is  hur- 
ried about  with  the  cares  and  desires 
of  this  world.  Such  a  heart  closes 
the  door  against  this  Visitor,  and  con- 
sequently cannot  taste  the  sweetness 
of  the  celestial  manna.  But  when  this 
noise  and  tumult  cease,  it  is  then  that 
these  secret  whispers  are  best  per- 
ceived in  men.  And  O !  that  thou, 
with  Samuel,  couldest  answer:  "  Speak 
Loi-d,  for  thy  servant  hcareth."  1  Sam. 
3:10. 

20.  The  truth  of  this  internal,  spir- 
itual, and  heavenly  supper  is  also  at- 
tested elsewhere.  The  apostle  speaks 
of  some,  that  "  have  been  once  en- 
lightened, and  tasted  of  the  lieavenly 
gift,  and  have  been  made  partakers  of 
the  Holy  Ghost,  and  have  tasted  the 
good  word  of  God,  and  the  powers  of 
the  world  to  come."  Heb.  6:4.  By 
this  we  are  taught,  that  in  whomso- 
ever the  Holy  Ghost  freely  resides 
there  the  virtues  and  powers  of  the 
world  to  come  are  also  tasted.  It  is 
then  that  the  ^oul  feeds  on  that  man- 
na, which  is  hid  in  the  gracious  Word 
proceeding  out  of  the  mouth  of  God, 
and  by  which  all  the  saints  live. 

21.  The  efficacy  of  this  living  Word 
w^as  also  tasted  by  the  royal  prophet 
through  the  Holy  Ghost,  when  he 
burst  forth  into  these  words  :  "  In  thy 
presence  is  fulness  of  joy  ;  at  thy  right 
hand  there  are  pleasures  for  ever- 
more." Ps.  16:11.  From  this  lively 
sense,  he  also  invited  others  to  an  en- 
joyment of  the  same  sweetness,  say- 
ino;,  "  O  taste  and  see  that  the  Lord 
is  good.  There  is  no  want  to  them 
that  fear  him."  Ps.  34  :  8,  9.  Of  the 
plent}^  and  dignity  of  this  heavenly 
banquet,  he  hath  thus  expressed  him- 
self: Thou  preparest  a  table  before 
me  in  the  presence  of  mine  enemies: 
thou  anointest  my  head  with  oil;  my 


Chap.  XXXYI.] 


TEUE  CIIEISTIANITY. 


121 


cup  runneth  over."  Ps.  23  :  5.  "  Thy 
:  loving  kindness  is  better  than  life."  Ps. 

G3 :  3.  "  They  shall  be  abundantly  sat- 
jisfiedwith  the  fatness  of  thy  house; 
land  thou  shalt  make  tliem  drink  of 
I  the  river  of  thy  pleasures."  Ps.  oG  :  8. 
,And  lastly,  "Let  all  those  that  seek 
|thec,  rejoice  and  be  glad  in  thee;  and 
■  let  such  as  love  thy  salvation,  say  con- 
.tinually.  Let  God  be  magnified.  But  I 
|am  poor  and  needy;  make  haste  unto 
;mc,  O  God  :  thou  art  my  help  and  my 

deliverer;  O  Lord,  make  no  tarrying." 
jPs.  70  :  4,  5. 

I    22.  From  all  these,  and  many  other 
Iplaces  besides,  it  may  abundantly  be 
jkuown  who  those  arc  that  are  in- 
iwardly  fed  with  the  good  Word  of 
jGod,  and  with  the  hidden  manna  of 
jtbe  world  to  come;  even  those  that 
iare  poor  in  spirit,  who  entirely  rely  on 
jdivine  comfort.    These  only  are  wor- 
Ithy  to  taste  of  this  heavenly  manna, 
land  of  the  divine  gil't,  of  which  David 
speaks  at  large:  "How  amiable,"  says 
he,  "are  thy  tabernacles,  O  Lord  of 
hosts !    My  soul  longeth,  yea,  even 
jfainteth  for  the  courts  of  the  Lord; 
imy  heart  and  my  flesh  crieth  out  for 
the  living  God."  Ps.  84 : 1,  2.    By  this 
^cripture  we  may  understand,  that  the 
least  pleasure  of  the  world  to  come, 
infinitely  exceeds  all  the  joys  of  this 
jworld  ;  and  that  one  day  passed  there, 
(is  far  more  excellent  than  a  thousand 
ij'earsbere.    Whoever  has  tasted  these 
exquisite  pleasures,  will  discard  the 
things  of'this  life,  as  empt}-  and  insipid. 
The  whole  world  becomes  a  burden,  a 
trouble  and  vexation  of  spirit,  to  such 
I  person.    He  is  like  one  that  is  ac- 
ustomed  to  delicious  fare,  and  conse- 
j^uently  cannot  partake  of  what  is 
•oarse. 

'^'i.  This  is  so  sacred  a  hunger  and 
i-hirst,  that  none  but  God  alone  can 
satisfy  it,  and  he  only,  by  his  love. 


This  is  that  spiritual  fulness  with 
which  the  saints  are  satiated,  accord- 
ing to  the  words:  "Eat,  O  friends, 
drink,  yen,  drink  abundantly,  O  be- 
loved." Song  of  Sol.  5  :  1.  These  spir- 
itual enjoyments  the  Lord  bestows  on 
his  friends,  in  order  to  unite  them  the 
more  closcl}'  to  himself,  and  to  make 
them  the  sooner  foi'get  the  2)erishing 
things  of  this  world.  A  few  crumbs 
of  this  bread,  a  few  drops  pressed  from 
this  heavenly  vine,  ought  to  excite  oar 
desires  alter  that  plentii'ul  and  abound- 
ing fountain,  which  shall  flow  for  us 
hereafter. 

24.  In  order  that  the  Lord  might 
excite  in  us  so  sacred  a  thirst,  and  that 
he  might  make  us  long  the  more  ear- 
nestly alter  such  heavenly  objects  as 
these,  it  was  expedient  that  he  should 
first  himself  thirst  upon  the  cross  for 
our  sakes.  John  19:  28.  As  he  him- 
self satisfies  and  quenches  our  hunger 
and  thirst,  so  ought  we  again  to  sati- 
ate his  thirst  and  ardent  desire  of 
loving.  He  more  fervently  thirsts 
after  us,  than  we  do  after  him ;  accord- 
ing to  that  which  he  hath  himself  de- 
clared :  "  My  meat  is  to  do  the  will  of 
him  that  sent  me,  and  to  finish  his 
work"  (John  4:34):  and  the  will  of 
God  was,  to  save  men  from  everlasting 
destruction.  If  we  but  thirsted  after 
him  as  he  thirsts  after  ns,  we  should 
then  drink  so  pleiitifully  of  his  Spirit, 
that  even  "  rivers  of  living  water 
would  flow  from  our  bodies  "  (John 
7  :  38)  :  that  is,  nothing  should  be  seen 
in  us,  but  what  is  spiritual,  lovely,  and 
consoUxtory.  ^ay,  he  would  make  us 
overflow,  as  it  were,  with  a  torrent  of 
divine  goodness  and  consolation,  so 
that  soul  and  body,  and  all  that  is 
within  us,  should  triumphantly  rejoice 
in  the  living  God.  For  nothing  is  of 
so  great  and  so  divine  an  amplitude  as 
a  man's  soul,  after  it  has  gained  true 


122 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  I. 


freedom  and  liberty.  Such  a  soul  com- 
prehends God,  licavcn,  and  eartli. 
And  again,  nothing   is  les3  than  a 


man's  soul  in  its  nothingness  and 
humiliation,  when  it  humbles  itself 
under  God  and  all  his  creatures. 


CHAPTER  XXXVII. 

HE  WHO  HOES  NOT  FOLLOW  CHRIST  IN  FAITH,  HOLINESS,  AND  CONTINUED  RE- 
PENTANCE, CANNOT  BE  DELIVERED  FROM  THE  BLINDNESS  OF  HIS  HEART,  BUT 
MUST  ADIDE  IN  ETERNAL  DARKNESS;  AND  HE  CANNOT  HAVE  A  TRUE  KNOWL- 
EDGE OF  CHRIST,  OR  FELLOWSHIP  WITH  HIM. 

God  is  light,  and  in  him  is  no  darkness  at  all:  if  ive  say  we  have  fellowship  with  him,  and  walk 
in  darkness,  toe  lie,  and  do  not  the  truth  :  but  if  we  walk  in  the  light,  as  he  is  in  the  light,  we 
have  fellowsJup  one  loith  another. —  1  John  1  :  5-7. 


TIIAT  we  may  the  better  under- 
stand the  nature  of  light  and 
darkness,  it  is  necessary  first  to  give 
heed  to  the  description  of  the  light, 
as  it  is  originally. 

2.  "  God  is  light,"  saith  St.  John. 
But  what  is  God?  God  is  a  spiritual, 
eternal,  and  infinite  Being;  God  is  al- 
mighty, merciful,  gracious,  righteous, 
holy,  true,  and  the  only  wise  God. 
God  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost, 
is  unspeakable  love  and  faithfulness; 
He  is  one  in  three  Persons;  lie  is  the 
Sovereign  Good,  and  good  essentiall3^ 
And  this  is  the  true  and  everlasting 
light.  Whence  everyone  that  departs 
from  God,  from  his  love,  his  mercy, 
his  righteousness,  and  his  truth,  de- 
parts also  I'rom  light  itself,  and  must 
consequently  fall  into  darkness;  for 
without  God  there  is  nothing  but  ever- 
lasting darkness.  O  liow  dark,  there- 
fore, is  that  soul  in  which  God  doth 
not  dwell !  Now  if  God  be  light,  then 
the  devil  must  certainly  be  darkness; 
and  if  God  be  love,  then  the  devil  must 
be  nothing  but  hatred  and  wrath,  en- 
mit}'  and  envy,  malice  and  uncharit- 
ableness,  sin  and  wickedness.  Who- 


ever, therefore,  turns  himself  to  sin, 
turns  himself  to  darkness  and  to  the 
devil.  Neither  can  he  be  delivered, 
till  he  turn  back  again,  from  darknc- 
to  liijjht,  from  sin  to  ria:hteousnes>, 
from  vice  to  virtue,  from  the  devil  to 
God.  Acts  26  : 18.  And  this  is  the  work 
of  a  true  and  living  faith  which  purifies 
the  heart.  Acts  15  :  9.  For  he  who 
believes  in  Christ,  daily  repents  and 
turns  from  sin  and  the  devil  to  Christ 
Jesus.  For  even  as  Adam  by  sin  turned 
himself  from  God  to  the  devil,  so  wo 
ought  to  withdraw  again,  by  true  re- 
pentance and  faith,  from  the  devil  to 
God. 

3.  Hence  it  follows  that  man,  with- 
out being  converted  from  sin  to  God, 
can  never  be  truly  enlightened.  For 
what  communion  hath  light  with  dark- 
ness?" 2  Cor.  6  : 14.  Impiety  and  im- 
penitence are  wholly  darkness,  and, 
consequently,  can  have  no  fellowship 
Avith  the  \\<A\i  of  the  knowleduje  of 
Christ.  So  that  it  is  absolutely  im- 
possible that  those  should  be  enlight- 
ened by  the  Spirit,  and  the  light  of 
eternal  truth,  who  live  in  darkness 
and  impenitence.    To  this  purpose, 


:hap.  XXXVIL] 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


123 


.  5t.  Paul  says  concerning  the  Jevvs: 
'When  they  shall  turn  to  the  Lord, 
,he  vail  shall  be  taken  away  "  (2  Cor. 
1:16);  that  is,  their  darkness,  blind- 
less,  and  ignorance  shall  be  removed, 
md  Christ  shall  give  them  light. 

4.  The  greatest  blindness,  or  thick- 
5St  darkness  that  covers  the  minds  of 
iiien,  is  the  sin  of  unbelief,  with  the 
Tuits  resulting  from  it;  such  as  pride, 
Avarice,  wrath,  and  the  whole  train  of 
j;cnsual  lusts  and  pleasures.  Wherever 
i.hcse  take  possession  of  a  man,  it  is 
impossible  that  he  should  know  Christ, 
ihe  true  Light  of  the  world ;  much  less 
\ian  he  savingly  believe  in  him,  trust 
[n  him,  and  obtain  by  him  everlasting 
;ife. 

5.  For  how  should  that  man  know 
;he  humility  of  the  heart  of  Christ, 
vhose  own  heart  abounds  with  pride 
ind  high-mindedness?  How  should  he 
)e  acquainted  with  the  meekness  of 
ihe  heart  of  Christ,  who  is  full  of  hit- 
ler wrath  and  envy?  How  should  he 
'inderstand  his  marvellous  patience, 
vho  delii>;hts  in  reven^-e,  and  is  hur- 
fied  about  with  a  multitude  of  unruly 
Ussions?  But  he  who  does  not  un- 
jerstand  the  humility,  meekness,  and 
j)atience  of  Christ,  does  not  know 
phrist  himself,  nor  believe  in  his  holy 
lamc.  For  truly,  if  ever  thou  de- 
[irest  to  attain  u  sound  know^ledge  of 
Christ,  thou  must  obtain,  by  faith,  the 
[ame  heart  which  is  in  Christ;  thou 
jnust  experimentally  perceive  in  thy 
|eart,  his  meekness,  his  patience,  and 

'  lis  humility.  It  is  then  that  thy 
knowledge  becomes  solid  and  substan- 
fial.  As  a  fruit  is  known  by  the  taste, 
jo  Christ,  the  tree  of  life,  is  known  by 
'asting.  Whenever  thou  tastest  by 
iiith  the  humility  of  Christ,  his  meek- 
less  and  his  patience,  thou  then  oat- 
■st  of  his  fruit,  and  shalt  find  rest  for 
hy  soul.  Thou  enjoyest  in  Christ  the 


favor  and  consolation  of  God.  This 
is  the  only  w^ay  to  true  rest  and  tran- 
quillity of  mind.  For  the  grace  and 
comfort  of  God  cannot  enter  into  a 
heart  that  is  void  of  faith,  and  desti- 
tute of  the  meekness  and  humility  of 
Christ.  It  is  to  the  humble  that  God 
gives  grace.  1  Pet.  5  :  5. 

6.  But  how  is  it  possible  that  Christ 
should  profit  a  man  who  does  not  de- 
sire to  have  the  least  fellowship  with 
him?  For,  in  truth,  all  those  that 
live  in  the  darkness  of  sin,  have  no 
fellowship  ^vith  Christ,  be  their  pre- 
tences what  they  will.  For  thus  says 
St.  John:  "If  we  say  that  we  have 
fellowship  with  him,  and  walk  in 
darkness,  we  lie,  and  do  not  the  truth. 
But  if  we  walk  in  the  light,  as  he  is 
in  the  light,  we  have  fellowship  one 
with  another."  1  John  1 :  6,  7.  And  in 
the  following  chapter  he  explains  it 
more  full}^:  '-The  darkness  is  past, 
and  the  true  light  now  shineth.  He 
that  Siiith  he  is  in  the  light,  and  hateth 
his  brother,  is  in  darkness  even  until 
now.  He  that  loveth  his  brother, 
abideth  in  the  lii^ht,  and  there  is  no 
occasion  of  stumbling  in  him.  But 
he  that  hateth  his  brother,  is  in  dark- 
ness, and  walketh  in  darkness,  and 
knoweth  not  whither  he  goeth,  be- 
cause that  darkness  hath  blinded  his 
eyes."  1  John  2  :  8-11. 

7.  As  long,  then,  as  a  man  continues 
in  that  dark  and  terrible  cloud  of  sin, 
it  is  impossible  that  he  should  be  en- 
lightened by  Christ,  the  true  Light  of 
the  world,  and  be  thereby  brought  to 
a  saving  knowledge  of  God.  Who- 
ever will  attain  to  a  true  knowledge 
of  God  and  Christ,  must  firmly"  be- 
lieve that  God  is  nothing  but  grace 
and  love.  Now,  no  man  can  know 
what  love  is,  but  he  that  has,  and 
practises  it,  the  know^ledge  of  a  thing 
being  the  result  of  a  man's  experi- 


124 


TRUE  CHPJSTIANITY. 


[Book 


encc,  of  his  feelings,  and  of  the  works 
of  trulh  wliieli  lie  performs.  Who- 
ever, therefore,  does  not  exercise  love 
(whatever  words  he  may  use  about  it), 
continues  an  utter  stranger  to  the  na- 
ture of  love;  and  what  he  is  pleased 
to  call  love,  is  nothing  but  show  and 
pretence.  And  as  Christ  himself  is 
nothing  but  love  and  humility,  meek- 
ness and  patience,  and  every  true  vir- 
tue, so  a  man  that  is  not  frequent  in 
the  performance  of  these  and  the  like 
virtues,  is  altoo-ether  io-norant  of 
Christ  and  of  the  truth.  He  is  but  a 
superficial  pretender  to,  and  a  vain 
usurper  of,  His  holy  name,  let  his 
boasts  be  what  they  may.  The  Word 
of  God  is  nothing  but  spirit.  AVho- 
ever,  therefore,  docs  not  live  and  walk 
in  the  Sj)irit,  in  no  wise  understands 
what  the  Word  of  God  is,  though  he 
may  dispute  and  argue  copiously 
about  it.  How  shall  a  man  tell  us 
what  love  is,  who  never  performed 
any  act  of  love?  How  shall  a  man 
give  an  account  of  the  nature  of  light, 
who,  having  been  constantlj^  confined 
to  a  dark  dungeon,  has  never  seen  the 
light  himself?  Now,  the  light  in  man 
is  faith  and  charity,  according  to  the 
saying  of  Christ:  "Let  your  light  so 
shine  before  men,  that  they  may  sec 
your  good  works,  and  glorify  your 
Fiithcr  which  is  in  heaven."  Matt. 
5  :  IG. 

8.  In  a  word,  the  holy  life  of  Christ 
is  nothing  but  love  and  charity.  No 
sooner  do  we,  by  faith,  learn  from  him 
true  love  and  humility,  meekness  and 
patience,  as  he  himself  has  engaged 
us  to  do.  than  we  are  transformed  into 
his  image,  and  enlightened  with  that 
true  and  eternal  light,  which  he  him- 
self is;  according  to  that  exhortation 
of  St.  Paul:  "Awake  thou  that  sleep- 
est  (namely,  in  sins  and  the  lust  of  the 
flesh),  and  arise  from  the  dead,  and 


Christ  shall  give  thee  light."  Epl 
5:14. 

9.  From  all  this  it  follows,  that  i 
the  case  of  as  many  as  do  not  awak 
from  their  spiritual  lethargy,  that 
from  the  lust  of  the  eyes,  the  lu 
of  the  flesh,  the  pride  of  life,  an 
other  pleasures  that  attend  then 
their  souls  cannot  be  enlightened  li 
Christ,  since  they  love  darkness  rathi 
than  light,  and  thereby  unfit  thcr 
selves  for  a  reception  of  the  divin 
light. 

10.  It  also  hence  appears  that  tho^ 
on  the  other  hand,  who  truly  enibra 
the  life  of  Christ,  and  follow  him  i 
faith,  are  by  him  graciously  enlight 
ened,  according  to  his  promise  :  "  I  ar 
the  light  of  the  world  :  he  that  fbl 
loweth  me  (in  faith  and  love,  hopean( 
patience,  meekness  and  humility,  fea 
of  God,  and  in  prayer,  etc.)  shall  no 
walk  in  darkness,  but  shall  have  th 
light  of  life."  John  8  :  12.  Therefon 
the  true  followers  of  Christ,  andtliv> 
only,  freely  enjoy  the  light  of  life,  an< 
are  alone  endued  with  true  illumina 
tion  and  sound  knowledge  of  Chri 
And  it  is  on  account  of  this  Christ; a 
faith  and  life,  that  true  believers  ai' 
called  by  the  Apostle,  a  light  in  tl 
Lord.    "Ye  were,"  saith  he,  "sonir 
time  darkness,  but  now  are  ye  light  i\ 
the  Lord  "  (Eph.  5:8):  here  he  mean 
the  principle  of  faith,  and  those  Chri 
tian  virtues  that  attend  it.   And  again 
"  Ye  are  all  the  children  of  light,  ant_ 
the  children  of  the  day:  we  are  noi 
of  the  night,  nor  of  darkness," — "put 
ting  on  the  breast-plate  of  faith  an 
love,  and  for  a  helmet,  the  hope  i 
salvation."    1  Thess.  5  :  5,  8.  Chri.^i 
denies  that  the  world  (that  is,  carna 
and  unregenerate  minds),  can  evoi 
"receive  the  Spirit  of  Truth."  Joht 
14  :  17. 

11.  That  there  might  be  a  perfeci 


,;hap.  XXXVIL] 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


125 


nd  absolute  example  given  to  men, 
nd  a  coinplete  idea  of  virtue  and 
oodness,  the  Son  of  God  became  also 
ilan,  and  by  his  unspotted  and  holy 
fo  was  made  the  public  Light  of  the 
■orld,  that  so  all  men  might  follow 
im,  believe  in  him,  and  receive  light 
•cm  him.  Since,  however,  fjilse  Chris- 
tans  own  with  their  lips  that  Christ 
the  safe  and  great  exemplar  of 
irtue,  and  yet  do  not  follow  him  in 
,ieir  life  and  actions,  it  is  manifest, 
kat  the  heathens  who  esteemed  vir- 
'le,  put  the  Christians  to  shame.  The 
est  eminent  of  them,  such  as  Plato, 
Iristotle,  Cicero,  Seneca,  have  highly 
iicommended  the  study  of  virtue,  and 
eely  confessed,  that  "if  virtue  could 
3  seen  with  bodily  eyes,  it  would  ap- 
iar  fairer,  and  with  a  more  glorious 
stre  than  even  the  morning  star." 
lut,  truly,  none  have  had  a  fuller  view 
'the  beauty  of  virtue,  than  those  who 
i  faith  have  seen  Jesus  Christ,  that 
'lerring  pattern  of  righteousness, 
ihese  are  those  that  have  "  handled 
jie  Word  of  life"  (1  John  1 : 1),  as  St. 
!)hn  tells  us.  And,  surely,  if  heathens 
live  been  so  much  absorbed  by  the 
Ive  of  virtue,  how  much  more  should 
[Christian  love  the  -transcendent 
l^auty  of  Jesus  Christ,  who  is  virtue 

!elf,  and  composed  of  nothing  but 
re  love,  and  unspotted  meekness; 
y,  who  is  God  himself? 
1 12.  It  was  not  without  cause,  there- 
ji-e,  that  St.  Paul  preferred  the  love 
I  Christ  to  all  other  knowledge  or 
lience :  and  with  him  we  ought  to 
fay  that  we  may  experimentally 
know  this  love  of  Christ  which  pass- 
h  knowledge"  (Eph.  3  : 19),  that  so 
i  may  thereby  be  "filled  with  all  the 
ilnees  of  God."  Now  there  is  no  man 
■  at  has  the  love  of  Christ  in  him,  but 
!  must  necessarily  also  love  the  hu- 
ility  and  meekness  of  Christ,  and 


from  sincere  love  to  him  readily  em- 
brace them.  By  this  means  lie  is  still 
more  and  more  enlightened,  and  day 
by  day  transformed  into  the  image  of 
Christ,  "as  from  glory  to  glovy.''  2 
Cor.  3  :  18.  And  the  reason  of  this  is 
evident ;  for  God  delights  to  give  grace 
to  the  humble  (1  Peter  5 : 5),  as  the 
Scripture  tells  us :  agreeably  to  what 
St.  Bernard  says,  "  The  rivers  of  grace 
flow  downwards,  not  upwards."  The}^ 
visit  and  refresh  the  valley,  but  will 
not  rest  upon  mountains,  or  upon  any- 
thing that  is  high  and  lifted  up. 
IIow  should  then  the  grace  of  the 
lio'ht  and  knowledo-e  of  God  come  to 
a  man  that  walks  not  in  the  humble 
and  holy  light  of  Christ,  but  in  the 
way  of  Lucifer  ?  For  if  there  be  any 
faith  in  us,  and  if  this  be  attended 
with  suitable  fruits  and  practice,  it 
will  not  leave  us  "  barren  and  unfruit- 
ful in  the  knowledge  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ."  2  Peter  1 :  8.  In  an  humble 
soul  Christ  lives,  and  then  also  his 
Spirit  rests  upon  it  (the  spirit  of  wis- 
dom and  of  understanding,  the  spirit 
of  counsel  and  might,  the  spirit  of 
knowledge  and  of  the  fear  of  the 
Lord),  as  truly  as  it  rested  upon  Christ 
himself.  For  in  whomsoever  the  light 
and  the  life  of  Christ  dwell,  in  him  is 
also  Christ  himself,  who  is  the  very 
light  and  life  of  a  Christian.  And  this 
also  is  the  reason  that  the  gifts  and 
graces  of  the  divine  Spirit  rest  upon  a 
true  Christian,  as  well  as  upon  Christ 
himself,  according  to  the  prophecy  of 
Isaiah.   Ch.  11:1-3. 

13.  Hence  St.  Peter,  speaking  to  the 
Jews,  exhorts  them  to  repent  (or  to  be 
renewed  in  their  minds) :  "  and  ye 
shall,"  says  he,  "  receive  the  gift  of 
the  Holy  Ghost."  Acts  2  :  38.  Whence 
it  plainly  appears,  that  those  who  are 
in  a  state  of  faith  and  repentance,  are 
the  only  men  duly  prepared  for  re- 


126 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  I 


cciving  the  divine  Spirit,  the  true  cn- 
ligliteiier  of  licarts. 

14.  Whoever,  therefore,  desires  to 
be  delivered  from  the  blindness  of  his 
heart,  and  from  eternal  darkness,  jea, 
from  the  devil  himself,  let  him  fiaith- 
fully  follow  Christ  in  true  faith,  in  un- 
feigned conversion,  and  in  a  thorough 
newness  of  life.  The  nearer  we  are  to 
Christ,  the  nearer  we  are  to  the  eter- 
nal light;  the  more  closely  we  adhere 
to  unbelief,  the  more  we  adhere  to 
darkness  and  to  the  devil  himself  For 
even  as  Christ,  faith,  and  all  the  vir- 
tues, are  nearly  allied  and  belong  to- 
gether, so  in  like  manner,  are  the  devil, 
unbelief,  and  all  the  vices,  and  works 
of  darkness,  so  nearly  combined,  as  to 
render  it  impossible  to  conceive  of  one 
without  the  other. 

15.  Consider  the  apostles  of  the 
Lord.  They  followed  their  Master  in 
faith,  in  contempt  of  the  world,  deny- 
ing themselves,  in  renouncing  their 
possessions,  and  in  living  together  in 
unity  of  the  Spirit.  By  this  means 
they  were  enlightened  from  above,  and 
filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost.  Acts  2: 
1,  etc.  AYith  these  terms  the  rich 
young  man  in  the  Gospel  being  un- 
willing to  comply,  he  continued  shut 
up  in  the  darkness  of  the  world,  and 
was  not  enlightened  unto  eternal  life. 
Luke  18:23.  For  '4f  any  man  love 
the  world,  the  love  of  the  Father  is 
not  in  him."  1  John  2  :  15.  And  "  he 
that  hateth  his  brother  is  in  darkness, 
and  knoweth  not  whither  he  goeth : 
because  that  darkness  hath  blinded 
his  eyes."  1  John  2  ;  11. 

16.  All  the  sermons  of  Tauler  refer 
to  this  subject.  He  makes  it  appear, 
that  without  the  sincere  exercise  of 
faith,  without  a  serious  course  of  mor- 

^  tification,  without  self-denial,  without 
a  narrow  search  into  one's  own  heart, 
and  without  the  inward,  calm  sabbath 


of  the  soul,  no  man  can  obtain  or  enjo^ 
the  divine  light. 

17.  In  short,  in  proportion  as  th( 
works  of  darkness  are  destroyed  in  ; 
man  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  in  that  pr 
portion  is  he  illuminated;  and  agai 
in  the  same  degree  as  the  corrupt)); 
ture,  the  flesh,  and  the  world,  pricit 
and  the  lust  of  the  eyes,  domineer  ii 
a  man,  in  that  degree  darkness  is  leli 
in  him,  and  the  less  of  grace,  of  light 
of  the  Spirit  of  God  and  of  Christ,  i,« 
he  possessed  of   Therefore  it  remain 
that  without  unfeigned  repentan* 
and  a  daily  repentance,  no  man  can  ' 
truly  enlightened  from  above. 

18.  Whoever  yields  too  much  to  cue 
sin,  undoubtedly  opens  a  door  to  manj 
others.  Sin  never  comes  alone,  but 
like  a  noxious  weed,  spreads  itself  or 
every  side,  and  gains  more  groui 
every  day.  And  as  the  darkness  Ik 
comes  greater  accordingly  as  the  sui 
retires,  so  as  the  hol}^  life  of  Christ  do 
parts  from  us,  the  darkness  and  sin  in 
crease,  till  at  length  the  man  is  swal 
lowed  up  in  eternal  darkness.  On  tin 
contrary,  if  a  man  devote  himself  i 
the  practice  of  one  virtue,  he  gain- 
thereby  an  opportunity  of  pjractisi! 
all  the  rest  in  time,  and  cannot  l> 
daily  proceed  from  one  to  another 
This  admirable  connection  is  repre 
sented  by  St.  Peter  as  a  chain,  ir 
which  all  the  rings  are  linked  together 
and  none  is  suffered  to  separate  Iron 
another.  "Add,"  he  says,  "to  yom 
faith,  virtue;  and  to  virtue,  know! 
edge;  and  to  knowledge,  temperance 
and  to  temperance,  patience ;  and  h 
patience,  godliness;  and  to  godliness 
brotherly  kindness;  and  to  brotberl} 
kindness,  charity;"  superadding  o:k 
virtue  continually  to  another,  a. 
crowning  all  at  last  with  this  promi.^> 
"  If  these  things  be  in  you  and  abound 
they  make  you  that  ye  shall  neithcj 


Phap.  XXXVIl.J 


TRUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


127 


De  barren  nor  unfruitfiil  in  the  knowl- 
edge of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  2 
iPeter  1 :  5-8.  To  sum  up  all  in  a  few 
words  :  Whoever  is  not  earnestly  bent 
)n  the  exercise  of  such  heavenly  vir- 
;ue9  as  these,  certainly  knows  not 
3!hrist,  and  is  void  of  all  saving  knowl- 
edge: whereas,  if  a  man  by  faith  grow 
in  virtue,  he  also  grows  in  Christ  him- 
j^elf.  On  the  contrary,  the  w^ratbful, 
i:he  covetous,  the  proud,  the  impatient, 
ko  not  grow  in  Christ,  but  in  the 
pevil. 

19.  It  is  the  apostle's  command,  that 
jive  should  grow  up  "unto  a  perfect 
^-nan."  Eph.  4  :  13.  As  a  child  gradu- 
Lilly  grows  up  to  the  stature  of  a  per- 
pet  man,  so  a  Christian  ought  daily 
b  grow  in  the  practice  of  faith  and 
Virtue,  till  he  become  a  perfect  man  in 
phrist.  But  "he  that  lacketh  these 
::l)ings  is  blind,  and  cannot  see  afar  off, 
md  hath  forgotten  that  he  was  purged 
from  his  old  sins."  2  Pet.  1  :  9.  As 
f  the  apostle  had  said:  Christ  by  his 
jieath  has  indeed  taken  away  our  sins, 
and  blotted  them  out;  not  that  we 
fihould  continue  in  the  service  of  sin, 
j3ut  that,  dying  to  sin,  and  living  to 
phrist,  we  should  show  forth  the 
[Tuctifying  power  of  the  death  of 
Christ.  Without  this  order  practically 
[ipplied  to  the  mind,  it  is  manifest, 
:hat  the  purging  away  of  our  old  sins, 
ind  the  atonement  made  for  them, 
ban  profit  us  nothing.  Our  sin  is 
aever  forgiven  until  we  entirely  quit 
t,  repent  of  it,  and  embrace  Christ 
fcvith  an  unfeigned  belief.  If  we  pre- 
Urve  but  one  sin  alive,  the  mortifying 
f)f  all  the  rest,  if  that  were  possible, 
would  avail  nothing;  but  vre  should 
pe  condemned  to  eternal  death,  with- 
out any  hope  of  expiation  or  forgive- 
less.  Thus,  a  man  may  be  damned 
or  the  sin  of  w^rath  alone;  whereas, 
f  he   had   seriously  corrected  and 


quitted  it,  he  would  have  obtained 
pardon  not  only  for  that,  but  even  for 
other  sins  of  wdiich  he  stood  guilty. 
But  neglecting  to  do  this,  he  is  one  of 
those  that  arc  "blind,"  and  "he  for- 
gets that  he  was  purged  from  his  old 
sins!"  2  Pet.  1  :  9. 

20.  B}^  this  we  are  given  to  under- 
stand the  necessity  of  repentance,  and 
a  thorough  change  of  life:  for  al- 
though Christ  died  for  our  sins,  and 
abolished  them  wMth  the  price  of  his 
blood,  yet  can  we  never  partake  of 
that  merit,  unless  we  repent.  Without 
repentance  this  precious  blood  profits 
nothing.  And  though  every  man  has 
a  promise  of  pardon  for  his  sin  through 
the  merit  of  Christ,  yet  that  promise 
belongs  not  to  the  unbeliever,  nor  to 
the  impenitent,  but  to  those  only  who 
truly  repent  and  reform  their  lives. 
Those  sins  shall  not  be  remitted, 
which  a  man  will  not  leave;  but  those 
only  which  he  is  willing  to  quit,  and 
for  which  he  heartily  grieves.  And 
here  the  word  of  the  Lord  is  verified, 
"  The  poor  have  the  Gospel  preached 
to  them;"  that  is,  remission  of  sin, 
and  life  everlasting  consequent  upon 
it.  Matt.  11  :  5.  Let  us  suppose  a 
man,  who,  for  many  years,  has  been 
the  servant  of  covetousness,  after  the 
example  of  Zaccheus;  or  of  lust,  as 
Mary  Magdalene;  or  of  wrath  and 
revenge,  as  Esau.  Let  us  also  sup- 
pose that  this  man,  as  soon  as  he 
heard  that  either  these  sins  were  to 
be  entirely  left,  or  that  the  death  and 
blood  of  Christ  would  else  profit  him 
nothing,  becomes  a  true  suppliant  to 
God,  and  cries  out  to  him  :  "  Oh  God! 
how  am  I  grieved  for  this!  O  Lord, 
be  merciful,  be  merciful!"  and  then 
forms  a  new  resolution,  desists  from 
his  sin,  craves  pardon  and  grace,  and 
believes  in  Christ.  Then  all  his  former 
ofi'ences  are,  of  grace,  freely  remitted 


128 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY'. 


[Book  I. 


to  liim.  No  merit  of  his  own  is  re- 
garded, but  solely  the  death  and  the 
blood  of  Christ  shed  for  him.  This  is 
the  only  way  in  which  a  returning 
Binner  is  to  obtain  merc}^  Whereas, 
he  that  does  not  fully  resolve  to 
abandon  liis  former  sins,  his  eovetous- 
ness,  wrath,  usury,  pride,  lust,  etc., 
will  hope  forever  in  vain  for  a  remis- 
sion of  sin,  being  condemned  to  ever- 
lasting confusion  and  anguish.  He 
shall  be  obliged  to  satisfy  for  himself 
the  justice  of  God,  and  yet  will  never 
be  able  to  perform  it.  On  earth  he 
was  destitute  of  that  faith  which  puri- 
fies the  heart  (Acts  15  :  9) ;  and  so  his 
sin  and  lust,  which  have  not  been 
mortified  here,  shall  forever  torment 
him  there.  It  is  for  this  reason,  that 
St.  Paul  so  earnestl}^  inculcates,  "that 
they  which  do  such  things,  shall  not 
inherit  the  kingdom  of  God."  Gal. 
5  :  21.  And  therefore  either  the  loss 
of  this  heavenly  kingdom  must  cer- 
tainly follow,  or  the  narrow  way  of 
self-denial  must  be  heartily  chosen. 

21.  Wherever  this  unfeigned  con- 
version to,  and  faith  in,  God,  are 
wrought  in  the  soul,  there  pardon  and 
divine  grace  are  freely  bestowed.  And 
where  these  are,  there  is  Christ  also; 
Avithout  whom  no  grace  can  be  ob- 
tained. Where  Christ  is,  there  are 
likewise  his  precious  merit,  and  the 
full  ransom  which  he  has  paid  for  our 
sins,  and  which  is  appropriated  to  the 
penitent  soul.  Again,  where  these  are, 
there  is  righteousness;  and  with  right- 
eousness, is  peace;  and  with  peace, 
sweet  serenity  of  conscience.  It  is 
then,  that  righteousness  and  peace  kiss 


each  other  in  the  soul.  Ps.  85:10. 
This  clearness  of  conscience  isattei)de(l 
with  the  Spirit  of  God  himself;  who 
being  a  Spirit  of  joy,  will  surely  pour 
forth  the  "oil  of  gladness"  (Ileb.  1 
9),  and  quicken  the  soul  with  a  for. 
taste  of  life  eternal  itself,  which  shall 
be  joy  and  glory  without  end. 

22.  This  is  that  light  of  eternal  hfe, 
that  eternally  triumphant  joy,  with 
which  those  only  are  crowned  that 
live  in  Christ,  and  exercise  dail}^  w 
pentance.  This  is  the  beginning  cj 
spiritual  life,  as  the  death  of  Christ  - 
the  basis  and  foundation  on  which  it 
is  raised.  On  the  contrarj-,  wher 
there  is  no  repentance,  there  is  no  pur 
don  of  sin;  where  there  is  no  inward 
remorse  or  spiritual  sorrow,  ther^ 
grace  cannot  have  a  place.  Wher 
these  are  wanting,  there  Christ  him- 
self is  wanting,  together  with  the  whole 
extent  of  his  merits  and  satisfaction, 
be  the  pretences  o^  th.Q  false  Christian 
ever  so  fair  and  specious.  Where  this 
satisfaction  is  not  thoroughly  applied 
to  the  soul,  there  is  no  righteousnet^^ 
and  consequently  no  peace,  no  goou 
conscience,  no  comfort.  AVhere  there 
is  no  comfort  of  heart,  there  is  no 
Holy  Ghost,  no  joy,  no  calmness  of 
mind,  and  no  life  eternal;  but  death, 
hell,  condemnation,  and  everlasting 
darkness. 

23.  Behold,  O  man !  how  true  it  i  v 
that  none  of  those  vrho  refuse  to  fol- 
low Christ  in  their  lives,  by  an  un- 
feigned repentance,  can  ever  get  rid 
of  the  blindness  of  their  hearts,  and 
of  everlasting  darkness. 


,Chap.  XXXVIIL] 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


129 


CHAPTER  XXXVIIL 


jSHOWING  THAT  AN  UNCHRISTIAN  LIFE  LEADS  TO  FALSE  DOCTRINE,  HARDNESS  OF 
HEART,    AND    BLINDNESS  ;    ALSO,    TREATING    OF    THE    ETERNAL    ELECTION  OP 

GRAcr:. 


}':t  a  liitle  vhi/e  is  i/te  light  with  yuu.     Walk  while  ye  have  the  light,  lest  darkness  covie  upon 
you:  J'o7-  he  that  walkeih  in  darkness  knoweth  ytot  wJdther  lie  goeih. — John  12  :  3o. 


INCE  Christ,  and  faith  in  him  are 
(kJ  denied,  and  almost  wholly  extir- 
Ipated  b}"  an  ungodly  life,  what  shall 
ihis  doctrine  profit  us?  For  his  doc- 
jtrine,  with  the  Word  and  Sacraments, 
is  delivered  to  us  for  no  other  end, 
tlian  that  it  be  inwardly  digested,  and 
iconvcrted,  as  it  were,  into  our  very 
jlifc  and  spirit.  As  from  a  good  seed 
jsprings  up  good  fruit,  so  from  the 
Word  and  Sacraments  should  spring 
up  within  us  the  noble  life  of  regener- 
ation, or  the  new  birth;  the  new, 
holy,  and  spiritual  man ;  or,  to  speak 
all  in  one  word,  a  true  and  real  Chris- 
tian. For  he  that  is  a  Christian,  must 
needs  be  born  again  of  the  Spirit,  the 
jWord,  and  the  Sacraments,  and  be- 
|lieve  and  live  in  Christ,  as  in  the  pri- 
Iraary  principle  of  the  life  of  grace.  As 
[certainly  as  a  child  is  begotten  by  his 
ifather,  so  trul}"  must  the  Christian  be 
^begotten  of  God  and  of  Christ,  through 
.faith.  James  1  :  18 ;  1  Peter  1  :  23  ; 
John  3:3,5;  Titus  3:  5. 

2.  When,  therefore,  we  do  not  re- 
solve to  strive  against  the  depraved 
:bent  of  our  flesh,  and  to  digest  the 
(doctrine  of  Christ  into  our  life  and 
[nature  ;  nay,  when  we  contradict  the 
Christian  doctrine  by  an  anti- Christian 
llife,  by  irreligion  and  profaneness  ;  is 
(it  not  plain  that  we  are  not  begotten 
W  God.  nor  born  of  Christ  ?  What  w'ill 
Christ'  s  doctrine  profit  us,  when  w^e  are 
sure  that  our  life  does  not  correspond 


wnth  it  at  all  ?  Will  our  vain  boasts  of 
the  light  of  the  Gospel  do  any  good, 
when  w^e  evidently  walk  in  darkness? 
It  is  on  this  account  that  the  light  de- 
servedly retires  fj'om  us,  and  the  world 
begins  to  be  overspread  with  darkness 
and  false  doctrines,,  with  errors  and 
with  seducing  spirits.  And  that  we 
might  beware  of  these,  our  blessed 
Saviour  hath  left  us  this  warning: 
"  While  ye  have  the  light,  walk  in  the 
light,  lest  darkness  come  upon  you" 
(John  12:35);  that  is,  lest  ye  be  led 
away  into  all  kinds  of  errors  and  de- 
lusions, into  blindness  and  hardness 
of  heart,.into  darkness  and  prejudices, 
wiiich  indispose  the  mind  for  the  very 
reception  of  the  light  of  the  Gospel. 
This  was  the  case  with  Pharaoh,  tho 
Jews^  and  also  of  Julian  the  Apostate , 
who,  being  in  the  end  convicted  h\ 
the  reproaches  of  his  own  conscience, 
exclaimed  openly,  and  to  his  own  con 
fusion,  that  Christ  both  lived  and 
reigned,  and  was  both  Lord  and  God; 
saying,  "  Thou  hast  overcome,  O  Gal- 
ilean ;  thou  hast  overcome."  It  would 
have  been  better  for  him  to  have  said, 
"Lord,  have  mercy  upon  me!"  But, 
alas  I  this  was  entirely  out  of  his  reach, 
in  consequence  of  the  hardness  of  his 
heart,  contracted  by  an  uni'.iterrupted 


course  of 


and   by  having 


rejected  and  despised  the  mercy  of 
Christ. 

3.  This  hardness  of  heart,  is  that 


130 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  I. 


teri'ible  darkness  which,  in  the  end, 
overtakes  all  such  as  refuse  to  walk  in 
the  light  whilst  they  have  it.  It  is 
the  just  punishment  inflicted  on  those 
that  blaspheme  the  truth,  as  Pharaoli 
did,  when  he  asked:  "Who  is  the 
Lord,  that  I  should  obey  his  voice,  to 
let  Israel  go?  I  know  not  the  Lord." 
Exodus  5: 2.  Therefore  it  was  but  just 
that  he  should  the  moi-e  grievously 
feel  the  overruling  power  of  God,  hy 
being  made  an  example  to  the  whole 
world,  and  a  lasting  monument  of  the 
indignation  of  the  Lord,  and  of  the 
weakness  of  men  who  vainly  presume 
to  oppose  him. 

4.  In  like  manner  were  the  Jews  of 
old  struck  with  blindness  and  hard- 
ness of  heart,  when  they  refused  to 
hearken  to  the  voice  of  the  Lord, 
having  been  warned  by  Moses  long 
■before,  that  this  would  certainly  come 
to  pass.  The  Lord,"  says  he,  '-shall 
«mite  tht^e  with  madness,  and  blind- 
ness,  and  astonishment  of  heart." 
Beut  28:28.  This  actually  did  befall 
thcTfi,  lis  may  be  seen,  Isaiah,  chap. 
0  :'B-12,  Whereby  it  is  manifest,  that 
such  hardness  of  heart  is  the  most 
righteous  punishment  of  unbelief,  of 
contempt  of  God,  and  the  heavenly 
ti-uth  decliired  by  him;  according  to 
the  words  of  ^t.  Paul :  "  With  all  de- 
ceivableness  of  unrighteousness  in 
them  that  perish ;  because  they  re- 
ceived not  the  love  of  the  truth,  that 
they  might  be  saved.  And  for  this 
cause,  God  shall  send  them  strong  de- 
lusion, that  they  should  believe  a  lie." 
2  Thess.  2  :  10,  IL  Whence  it  plainly 
appears,  why  God  is  u.sed  to  strike 
men  with  such  terrible  blindness  and 
hardness  of  heart;  namely,  because 
they  "receive  not  the  love  of  the 
truth." 

5.  And,  indeed,  the  man  from  whom 
God  takes  away  his  offered  grace,  is 


surely  most  wretched  and  miserable; 
neither  can  lie  of  himself  at  any  tirao 
return  into  the  right  way.  As  a  proof 
of  this,  we  have  the  examples  of  Pha- 
raoh and  Julian.  He  from  whom  the 
Lord  removes  his  light,  must  of  neces- 
sity live  in  darkness.  God  removes  it, 
however,  from  those  only  who  refuso 
to  walk  in  it;  neitlicr  does  he  take  A. 
graee  from  any,  but  from  those  that 
boldly  reject  it. 

6.  It  is  in  this  sense  that  the  words 
of  St.  Paul  are  to  be  taken  :  "'I 
have  mercy  (saith  he)  on  whom  I 
will  have  mercy.'    Therefore  hath  h 
merc}^  on  whom  he  will  have  mercv 
and  whom  he  will   he  hardeneth. 
Rom.  9  :  15,  18.    But  truly  the  Lord 
hath  pity  on  all  them  who  freel}^  rc 
ceive  his  mercy;  as,  on  the  contrary 
he  hardeneth  those  that  reject  and 
blaspheme  the  otfer  of  his  grace.  And 
it  is  this  wilful  resistance  for  which 
St.  Paul  reproves  the  Jews:  "  It  was 
necessary,"  says  he,  "that  the  word 
of  God  should  first  have  been  spoken 
to  3'ou  ;  but  seeing  ye  put  it  from  you, 
and  judge  yourselves  unworthy  of 
everlasting  life,  lo,  we  turn  to  tin 
Gentiles."    "And  when  the  Gentilc^ 
heard  this,  they  were  glad,  and  gloi-i 
tied  the  word  of  the  Lord:  and  a 
man}"  as  were  ordained  to  eternal  lit'o. 
believed"  (Acts  13  :  46,  48)  :  that  is, 
many  as  did  not  resist  and  obstinate!; 
cast  awa}''  the  word  of  grace,  as  tlu 
means  of  faith.    It  was  because  the 
Jews  were  guilty  of  this,  that  th' ; 
could  not  believe:  for  the  Lord  hatii 
not  ordained  any  one  to  eternal  sal- 
vation, Avho  disdainfully  rejects  hi 
word,  and  proves  disobedient  to  tin 
offer  of  his  grace. 

7.  The  ordination  to  life  eternal,  or 
the  election  of  grace  (Rom.  11:5),  is 
fully  brought  to  pass  in  Jesus  Christ, 
with  this  promise  annexed,  that  God 


Chap.  XXXYIII] 


TRUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


offers  his  grace  to  all  b}^  the  Gospel; 
those  who  receive  it  are  ordained  to 
.  eternal  life;  and  whosoever  reject  it 
'  thereby  "judge  themselves  unworthy 
[  of  eternal  life,"  as  St.  Paul  expresses 
'  it.    That  is,  by  their  own  fault  they 
make  themselves  unworthy  of  that 
!  blessing,  and  debar  themselves  from 
that  universal  grace  which   is  dis- 
played in  the  Gospel;  and  so  putting 
their  own  names  out  of  the  book  of 
■  life,  which  is  Christ,  they  resist  the 
!  good  work  of  God  by  their  own  con- 
tumacy, and,  consequently,  cannot  ob- 
'  tain  that  true  saving  faith,  which  the 
AVord  begets. 

8.  And  here  let  us  not  deceive  our- 
;  selves,  by  vainly  supposing  that  they 

only  reject  the  word  of  God,  who  do 
not  outwardly  embrace  the  faith  and 
,  doctrine  of  Christ  (such  as  Mahom- 
etans and  Jews);  and  that  those  who 
profess  the  Christian  faith,  and  adhere 
!  to  the  doctrine  of  the  Gospel,  cannot 
I  possibly  be  deemed  wilful  despisers  of 
the  offer  of  mercy.    Certain  it  is,  that 
all  who  will  not  follow  the  footsteps 
I  of  Christ,  nor  take  his  life  upon  them, 
'  nor  walk  in  the  light,  fall  under  this 
heavy  charge.    And  for  this  cause 
I  God  is  moved  to  take  from  them  the 
light  of  his  word,  and  of  pure  doc- 
'  trine.  "  I,"  saith  Christ,  "  am  the  light 
'  of  the  world:  he  that  followcth  me, 
'  shall  not  Avalk  in  darkness,  but  shall 
have  the  light  of  life."    John  8  :  12. 

9.  Hence  we  learn  that  whoever  fol- 
lows the  example  of  Christ,  and  lives 
his  life,  shall  be  in  no  danger  of  being 

;  misled  by  any  delusion  and  error.  Ke 
shall  also  escape  that  blindness  and 
hardness  of  heart,  which  an  empty 

!  confessor  of  the  Christian  faith  draws 
upon  himself  Consider  here,  on  the 
one  hand,  the  many  proud,  noble, 
learned,  ingenious,  and  mighty  men 
of  this  world ;  and,  on  the  other,  the 


errors,  blindness,  and  delusions,  into 
which  they  are  plunged.  Truly,  those 
delusions  arise  from  no  other  source, 
than  because  men  do  not  live  in  Christ, 
but  are  averse  to  the  imitation  of  his 
holy  life;  and  therefore  cannot  have 
the  light  of  life. 

10.  From  the  same  source  also  pro- 
ceed those  "  workings  of  Satan,"  and 
those  "strong  delusions,"  together 
with  all  the  "lying  wonders"  men- 
tioned by  St.  Paul  (2  Thess.  2  :  9-11), 
and  which  more  and  more  increase 
upon  us,  because  the  world  is  not  wil- 
ling to  follow  Christ,  and  by  this 
means,  to  be  preserved  from  delusion 
and  error.  "For  what  communion 
hath  light  with  darkness?  and  what 
concord  (therefore)  hath  Christ  with 
Belial  ?"  2  Cor.  6  : 14,  15.  That  is  to 
say.  Purity  of  doctrine,  and  divine 
knowledge,  cannot  remain  with  those 
that  live  in  the  devil,  in  darkness,  in 
pride,  in  covetousness,  and  filthy 
pleasure.  How  should  the  pure  doc- 
trine dwell  w\th  those  who  exhibit  im- 
purity of  life  and  manners  ?  Nothing, 
certainly,  can  be  more  irreconcilable, 
than  purity  of  doctrine  and  an  impure 
life. 

11.  If,  therefore,  we  would  preserve 
pure  doctrine,  we  must  be  wholly 
changed  in  our  minds,  and  have  no 
part  with  the  world,  and  with  un- 
christian actions.  We  must  "awake" 
(Eph.  5  :  14)  from  the  letharg}'  of  sin, 
and  shake  off  the  works  of  darkness, 
that  so  Christ  may  enlighten  us  again 
with  the  light  of  true  faith.  Whence 
it  is  plain,  that  whosoever  does  not 
follow  the  footsteps  of  Christ,  nor 
imitate  him  in  his  love,  humility, 
meekness,  patience,  and  obedience,  he 
must  necessarily  be  deceived,  and 
stray  from  the  knowledge  of  God ; 
since  he  does  not  walk  in  the  way 
w^hich  leads  to  truth. 


i 


132 


TRUE  CHRLSTTANITY. 


[Book  I. 


12.  On  the  contrary,  if  we  but  lived 
in  Christ,  if  wq  walked  in  his  love  and 
humility,  and  directed  all  our  endeav- 
ors and  studies  purely  to  this  one  ob- 
ject, that  the  flesh  be  mortified,  and 
the  life  of  Christ  raised  within  us; 
that  through  him  we  might  overcome 
ourselves,  and  triumph  over  the  flesh, 
the  world,  and  the  devil ;  if  this  were 
but  once  effected,  there  would  then 
remain  very  little  contention  and 
strife  about  the  doctrine,  and  heresies 
would  of  themselves  fall  to  the  ground. 

13.  We  have  an  example  of  most 
strange  delusion  in  Ahab,  who,  on  ac- 
count of  his  wicked  and  tyrannical 
life,  was  seduced  by  four  hundred 
fiilse  prophets.  1  Kings  22.  It  was 
by  their  encouragement  that  he  un- 
dertook that  fatal  expedition  against 
the  Syrians,  in  contempt  of  the  true 
prophet  Micaiah,  who  positively  fore- 
told his  death  in  that  battle.  But  be- 
ing led  by  a  false  light,  he  rejected  the 
truth,  and  gave  credit  to  lying  proph- 
ets, w'ho  prophesied  nothing  but  peace 
and  prosperity  to  him.  Hence  the 
justice  of  God  met  him,  according  to 
the  word  of  the  true  prophet,  and  by 
due  desert  the  dogs  licked  his  blood. 


14.  In  this  is  verified  the  word  of 
St.  Paul :  The  god  of  this  world  hath 
blinded  the  minds  of  them  which  be- 
lieve not,  lest  the  light  of  the  glorious 
gospel  of  Christ  should  shine  unto 
them."  2  Cor.  4:4.  And  is  not  the 
same  judgment  threatened  against  all 
hypocrites,  who  boast  of  Christ  and  his 
doctrine,  but  deny  him  in  their  life 
and  actions  ?  For  thus  saith  the  Lord 
through  the  prophet :  "  Forasmuch  as 
this  people  draw  near  me  with  their 
mouth,  and  with  their  lips  do  honoi 
me,  but  have  removed  their  heart  fur 
from  me;  therefore  the  wisdom  of 
their  wise  men  shall  perish,  and  the 
understanding  of  their  prudent  men 
shall  be  hid.''  Isa.  29 :  13,  14.  Con- 
cerning the  prophets  in  particular,  the 
Lord  has  plainly  declared,  that  he  has 
"covered  the  prophets,  the  rulers,  and 
seers."  Hence  the  vision  shall  become 
as  a  "  sealed  book,"  etc.  Verse  10,  11. 
And  as  for  the  Jews  themselves,  th^ 
apostle  has  told  us,  that  there  is  a 
"vail  upon  their  heart,"  preventing 
their  eyes  from  beholding  the  true 
Messiah;  which,  however,  shall  l;e 
"  taken  aw^ay  when  they  turn  to  the 
Lord."  2  Cor.  3  : 15,  16. 


CHAPTER  XXXIX. 

SHOWING  THAT  THE  PURITY  OP  THE  DOCTRINE  OF  THE  DIVINE  WORD  IS  MAIN- 
TAINED NOT  ONLY  BY  DISCUSSIONS  AND  PUBLICATIONS,  BUT  ALSO  BY  TRUE 
REPENTANCE  AND  HOLINESS  OF  LIFE. 

Hold  fast  the  form  of  soiind  words,  which  thou  hast  heard  of  me,  in  faith  and  love  which  is  in 
Christ  Jesus.  That  good  thing  which  was  committed  unto  thee,  keep  by  the  Holy  Ghost  which 
dwelleth  in  us.— 2  Tim.  1  :  13,  14. 


IT  is  very  necessary,  that  the  purity 
of  doctrine,  and  the  truth  of  the 
holy  Christian  faith,  should  be  main- 
tained and  defended  against  all  false 


teachers.  For  this  we  have  the  ex- 
ample of  the  holy  prophets,  who,  with 
great  zeal,  preached  against  false  and 
idolatrous  prophets  under  the  old  law; 


Chap.  XXXIX.] 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


133 


of  the  Son  of  God,  who  sharply  dis- 
puted against  the  Pharisees  and  scribes 
at  Jerusalem;  of  St.  John,  the  Evan- 
gelist, who  wrote  his  Gospel  against 
the  heretical  Ebionitcsand  Cerinthus, 
and  the  Eevelation  (chap.  2 :  G,  15), 
against  the  false  church  of  the  Nico- 
laitans  and  others. 

2.  Thus,  too,  St.  Paul  vigorously  de- 
fended the  doctrine  of  justification  by 
faith  (Rom.  3  :  20,  etc.),  of  good  works 
(2  Cor.  9  :  8,  etc.),  of  the  resurrection 
of  the  dead  (1  Cor.  15:1,  etc.),  of 
Christian  liberty  (1  Cor.  9 ;  10— Gal. 
5:1,  etc.),  etc.,  against  certain  false 
apostles  who  had  intruded  into  the 
Church.  We  have,  further,  the  exam- 
ple of  the  holy  bishops  and  fathers  of 
the  primitive  church,  Avho,  following 
the  example  set  them  by  the  apostles, 
strenuously  opposed  in  their  public 
controversial  writings,  the  Pagan  su- 
perstitions, and  the  heresies  of  those 
times.  Nay,  for  the  same  purpose 
General  Councils  were  gathered  by  the 
Christian  emperors,  who  condemned 
the  chief  heretics  that  infested  the 
church  at  that  time;  such  as  the 
Arians,  Macedonians,  Nestorians,  and 
Eutychians;  not  to  mention  the  ex- 
ample of  Martin  Luther,  by  whose  po- 
lemical books  and  writings,  the  papa- 
cy, and  other  sects,  have  in  these  latter 
days  been  successfully  assailed. 

3.  It  remains,  therefore,  that  preach- 
ing, writing,  and  disputation  against 
heretics,  must  be  continued,  to  the 
preserving  of  the  purity  of  doctrine, 
and  of  true  religion.  For  this  reason, 
the  apostle  will  also  have  "  a  bishop 
to  be  able  both  to  exhort  and  convince 
the  gainsayers."  Titus  1  :  9.  Though 
this  in  itself  is  both  lawful  and  com- 
mendable, yet  it  has  so  fallen  out  by 
the  abuse  of  it,  that  disputations  and 
controversies  are  increased  to  such  an 
extent  in  these  days,  that  the  Chris- 


tian life,  true  repentance,  love,  and  god- 
liness, are,  as  it  were  forgotten  ;  as  if 
the  sum  and  substance  of  the  Christian 
religion  consisted  in  arguing,  and  writ- 
ing books  of  controversy,  rather  than 
in  that  unfeigned  holiness  of  life,  and 
purity  of  manners,  which  the  Gospel 
requires. 

4.  For  consider  the  examples  of  the 
holy  Prophets  and  Apostles,  as  also 
of  the  Son  of  God  himself.  They  did 
not  barely  dispute  against  false  proph- 
ets and  apostles,  and  the  superstitions 
maintained  by  them;  but  also  with 
great  zeal  and  vigor  exhorted  to  true 
repentance,  and  a  holy  life.  Their  ser- 
mons were  accompanied  with  power 
and  energy  ;  and  they  made  it  appear, 
that  by  wickedness  and  impenitence, 
true  religion  and  worship  were  de- 
stro^^ed,  the  Church  laid  waste,  and 
kingdoms  and  countries  visited  with 
the  plague,  war,  and  famine.  And  all 
this  exactly  came  to  pass  even  as  they 
said.  Of  this  complexion  is  that  dec- 
laration of  the  Prophet,  where  he  de- 
nounces to  the  Jews,  "that  because 
the  vinej^ard  of  the  Lord  did  not  bring 
forth  grapes,  but  wild  grapes,  the  Lord 
had  decreed  to  lay  it  waste.'*  Isaiah 
5:4,  6.  Whence  it  appears,  that  im- 
piety is  the  cause,  why  God  takes 
avv^ay  his  Word  from  us.  And  does 
not  the  Lord  speak  to  the  same  etfect, 
in  the  words  recorded  by  St.  John? 
"  Walk  while  ye  have  the  light,  lest 
darkness  come  u2:>on  you."  John  12  :  35. 
But  what  is  it  to  walk  in  the  light,  ex- 
cept it  be  to  imitate  Christ  in  his  life, 
and  to  have  the  same  mind  which  was 
in  him?  And  what  does  the  Lord  in- 
timate by  the  "  darkness  coming  upon 
us,"  but  the  loss  of  the  Gospel,  and  of 
the  purity  of  the  Christian  doctrine? 
All  this  may  abundantly  convince  us, 
that  without  repentance  and  holiness 
of  life,  no  soul  can  be  illuminated 


134 


TEUE  CllEISTIANITY. 


[Book  I. 


with  the  saving  light  of  the  Gospel. 
For  the  Holy  Ghost,  Avho  is  the  true 
cnlightener  of  hearts,  flees  from  the 
ungodl}',  and  chooses  holy  souls  only, 
to  make  them  friends  of  God.  And 
if  the  beginning  of  wisdom  is  the  fear' 
of  God  (Ps.  Ill  :  10),  who  can  doubt 
that  impiety  and  carnal  security  are 
the  beginning  of  folly,  ignorance,  and 
blindness  ? 

5.  The  true  knowledge  of  Christ, 
and  profession  of  his  doctrine,  consist 
not  in  words  only,  but  in  deeds  and  a 
holy  life,  as  St,  Paul  says:  "They 
profess  that  they  know  God;  but  in 
works  they  deny  him,  being  abomin- 
able, and  disobedient,  and  unto  every 
good  work  reprobate."  Titus  1  :  16. 
And  again;  "They  have  a  form  of 
godliness,  but  deny  the  power  thereof." 
2  Tim.  3:5.  By  this  we  are  taught, 
that  Christ  and  his  Gosj^el  are  denied 
by  a  wicked  life,  as  well  as  by  words; 
and  that  he  has  not  the  true  knowl- 
edge of  Christ,  who  puts  it  not  into 
practice.  A  man  who  never  tasted  in 
his  heart  the  humility,  meekness,  pa- 
tience, and  love  of  Christ,  cannot  know 
Christ  himself;  and,  consequently,  in 
the  time  of  trouble,  cannot  freely  con- 
fess him.  Wlioever  confesses  the  doc- 
trine of  Christ,  and  rejects  him  in  his 
life,  confesses  him  only  in  -part;  and 
whoever  preaches  the  doctrine  of 
Christ  without  his  life,  preaches  Christ 
only  in  part.  The  world  abounds  with 
books  of  controversy,  written  in  de- 
fence of  the  doctrine,  but  very  few  liv- 
ing books  are  extant  concerning  a 
Christian  life.  Now  what  is  doctrine 
without  life,  but  a  tree  without  fruit  ? 
Or  how  should  he  follow  the  doctrine 
of  Christ,  who  refuses  to  follow  him 
in  his  life  ?  For  the  sum  and  substance 
of  the  doctrine  of  Jesus  Christ  is  "  char- 
ity, out  of  a  pure  heart,  and  of  a  good 
conscience,  and  of  faith  unfeigned." 


1  Tim.  1  : 5.    But  we  live  in  an  lU'e 
wherein  tliere  is  so  vast  a  number  of  j 
disputants  and  reasoners  in  matters  ! 
of  doctrine,  that  one  would  think 
they  had  nothing  more  at  heart  than 
the  promotion  of  religion  and  piety: 
whereas,  upon  a  closer  search,  they  ij 
are  found  to  be  inwardly  full  of  mal- 
ice and  pride,  envy  and  avarice.  For 
this  reason  the  apostle  hath  joined  to- 
gether faith  and  love,  when  he  com-  ^ 
mands  us  to  "  hold  fast  the  form  of  | 
sound  words."  2  Tim.  1  :  13.   Life  and 
doctrine,  as  he  intends  to  show,  mufst 
go  hand  in  hand  together,  and  never 
be  put  asunder  in  the  great  work  of 
salvation. 

6.  Though  we  do  not  in  the  slightest 
degree  affirm,  that  by  our  own  efforts  ii 
and  piet}^,  eternal  life  is  obtained  (for  I 
"we  are  kept  by  the  power  of  God 
through  faith  unto  salvation,"  1  Pet, 
1  :  f>) :  yet  it  is  certain,  that  by  an  un- 
godly life,  the  Spirit  of  God,  with  all  his 
gifts, is  banished;  amongst  which  gifts, 
faith,  knowledge,  understanding,  and 
wisdom,  are  not  the  least.  Therefore 
it  follows  again,  that  without  a  holy 
life,  purity  of  doctrine  cannot  be  pre- 
served; and  that  the  wicked  who  will 
not  follow  Christ  in  his  life,  cannot  be 
enlightened  with  the  true  light  of  the 
Gospel.    On  the  contrary,  those  that 
walk  in  the  light,  that  is,  who  perse- 
vere in  the  blessed  footsteps  of  Chrie' 
are  illuminated  by  the  true  light  (John 
1  :  9),  which  is  Christ,  and  are  hereby 
preserved  from  the  danger  of  delii 
sions  and  errors.    To  this  effect,  that 
holy  and  enlightened  writer,  Tauler,  j 
has  said:  "As  soon  as  a  man  dedi- 
cates and  yields  himself  up  to  God, 
and  denies  his  own  will  and  flesh,  then 
immediately  the  good  Spirit  of  God  j 
beii'ins  to  illuminate  him,  and  to  endue 
him  with  solid  and  sound  knowledge; 
because  this  man  truly  keeps  in  his 


I  CiiAP.  XXXIX  ] 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


185 


heart  the  true  B])iritLial  sabbath,  and 
!  rests  from  all  sinful  lusts,  and  from 
I  his  own  will  and  works."  This  sen- 
jtence  is  to  be  understood  of  the  state 
1  after  conversion,  and  of  daily  illumi- 
I  nation  and  growth  in  divine  gifts  and 

graces. 

7.  Not  without  cause,  then,  doth  the 
I  Lord  say,  "I  am  the  way,  and  the 
[truth,  and  the  life."  John  14:6.  lie 
I  calls  himself  the  way,  as  showing  the 
1  way  unto  us.  And  how  did  he  show 
}it?    Truly,  not  in  his  doctrine  only, 

■  but  also  in  his  most  holy  life.  This 
i  life  of  our  blessed  Redeemer  consisted 
I  in  a  true  and  unfeigned  devotedness  to 
I  God,  leading  us  in  the  Avay  to  truth 
I  and  to  life,  as  the  substance  of  our 
•  whole  religion,  and  the  summary  of 

all  the  commandments  of  God.  This 
book  of  life  contains  in  it  many  great 
and  arduous  lessons,  to  learn  Avhich 
I  were  sufficient  to  take  up  our  whole 
time.    Here  is  inculcated  the  exercise 
i  of  true  repentance,  and  of  that  living 
I  practical  faith  which  attends  it;  here 
i  the  practice  of  love,  hope,  meekness, 
;  patience,  and   humility,   are   to  be 
I  studied;  iiere  the  duty  of  prayer,  and 
'  of  the  fear  of  God,  is  explained  :  all 
j  which  taken  together,  make  up  the 
'  whole  life  of  Christ,  set  us  as  a  pat- 
!  tern  to  follow.    This  is  that  "strait 
gate,"  and  that  "narrow  w^ay,"  which 
;  few  can  find.  Matt.  7  :  14.  This  is  the 
!  book  of  life,  which   but  few^  read, 
though  all  things  are  comprised  in  it 
which  a  Chriscian  ought  to  know  and 

■  to  practise ;  so  that  we  shall  need  no 
'  other  book  in  order  to  our  eternal  sal- 
vation.   Here  is  the  reason  why  also 
the  Holy  Scripture  is  contained  in  a 

:  few  books,  that  it  might  appear  that 
Christianity  does  not  consist  in  a  mul- 
I  titude  of  volumes,  but  in  a  living  faith, 
i  and  in  a  serious  imitation  of  Christ. 
For  the  wise  man  says :  "  Of  mak- 


ing many  books  there  is  no  end  ;  and 
much  study  is  a  weariness  of  the  flesh." 
Wherefore,  let  us  hear  the  conclusion 
of  the  whole  matter:  "  Fear  God,  and 
keep  his  commandments."  Ecclcs.  12: 
12,  13. 

8.  We  are  told  in  the  paral)le,  that 
the  devil,  when  men  are  asleep,  com- 
eth  and  soweth  tares  among  the  wheat, 
and  goeth  his  way.  Matt.  13  :  25.  This 
teaches  us,  that  when  men  lay  aside 
the  works  of  repentance,  and  indulge 
themselves  in  the  sleep  of  sin,  of  carnal 
security,  of  love  of  the  world,  and  of 
temporal  care  and  concerns;  then  the 
devil  gradually  scatters  his  seed  of 
false  doctrine  in  the  field  of  pride 
(Gen.  3:5):  whence  arise  various  sects, 
schisms,  and  heresies.  For  by  the  sin 
of  pride  both  angels  and  men  lost  the 
true  light  with  which  they  were  at 
first  endued.  Pride  is  the  oi'iginal 
source  of  all  delusions  and  errors, 
which  have  been  most  urdiappily 
brought  into  the  world.  If  Satan,  and 
Adam,  the  fii'st  man,  had  continued  in 
a  state  of  humility,  as  did  Christ  when 
he  conversed  among  men,  then  never 
had  any  error  or  temptation  invaded 
this  world.  But  now  there  is  no  other 
means  for  our  recovery  left,  except 
that  which  is  taught  by  St.  Paul : 
"  xiwake,  thou  that  sleepest,  and  Christ 
shall  give  thee  light"  (Eph.  5 : 14) :  con- 
vincing us  thereby,  that  no  man  can 
be  divinely  enlightened,  who  has  not 
shaken  off  his  sinful  lethargy ;  that 
is,  his  carnal  security,  profaneness,  and 
impiety.  The  same  is  attested  by  St. 
Peter:  "Repent,  and  ye  shall  receive 
the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost"  (Acts  2  : 
38);  and  by  the  Lord  himself,  in  that 
saying:  "The  world  cannot  receive 
the  Spirit  of  truth,  because  it  seetli 
him  not,  neither  knoweth  him."  John 
14  :  17.  And  what  is  the  icorld,  but  a 
life  passed  without  God  ? 


l.SG 


9.  Again,  when  theLoi'd  sa^'s  :  "By 
their  fruits  jesluill  know  them"  (Matt. 
7:20);  does  ho  not  signify  the  fruits 
of  a  good  and  holy  life,  as  the  proper 
marks  whereby  true  and  false  Chris- 
tians may  be  discerned  ?  A  naked, 
empty  profession  of  the  Christian  faith, 
will  be  no  safe  foundation  upon  which 
to  rely.  Any  false  Christian  may  cover 
himself  with  the  sleep's  clothing  of  a 
verbal  profession  of  the  Christian  faith; 
when  inwardly  and  in  his  heart  he  is 
anything  but  a  true  Christian.  How- 
ever, be  the  lives  of  the  professors  of 
Christianity  ever  so  vain  and  wicked, 
it  does  not  follow  hence,  that  the  whole 
doctrine  is  also  false  and  corrupted, 
as  some  would  insinuate,  vainly  con- 
demning our  doctrine  on  account  of 
the  wickedness  of  some  of  its  pro- 
fessed adherents.  If  this  were  true, 
the  doctrine  of  Christ  and  of  his  apos- 
tles would  not  escape  the  charge  of 
error  and  falsehood;  because  even  in 
their  days  many  impious  characters 
intruded  into  the  church,  and  made  a 
fair  profession  of  the  Christian  faith. 
A  profane  life  is  no  sufficient  proof  of 
false  doctrine  in  general,  though  it 
may  give  us  an  insight  into  the  indi- 
vidual himself,  whether  he  be  a  true 
or  a  false  Christian.  Truly,  he  can- 
not believe  aright,  who  leads  a  life  op- 
posed to  the  nature  and  properties  of 
a  divine  faith.  Such  a  man  is  no  more 
a  believer,  or  a  Christian,  than  a  dead 
body  is  a  man.  As  many,  therefore, 
as  are  of  the  number  of  such  corrupt 
and  unfruitful  trees,  are  fit  for  nothing 
but  to  be  hewn  down  and  cast  into  the 
fire.  Matt.  7  :  19. 

10.  In  order  to  understand  this  the 
better,  we  ought  to  inquire  into  the 
nature  of  a  sound  and  saving  faith, 
and  the  peculiar  properties  that  at- 
tend it.  And  in  the  first  place,  a  true, 
saving  faith,  works  by  love.  GaL  5:6. 


[Book  I. 


By  faith  man  is  made  "a  new  crea- 
ture "  (Gal.  G  :  15)  ;  he  is  thereby  born 
again,  and  united  w^ith  God.  By  faith. 

Christ  dwells"  and  operates  "  in  hi 
heart."  Eph.  3: 17.  By  faith  the  whole 
kingdom  of  God  is  established  in  the 
soul,  and  the  divine  Spirit  "purifies 
and  enlightens  the  heart."  Acts  15:9. 
And  trul}^,  the   Scripture  copiously 
sets  forth  these  and  similar  properti* 
that  accompany  true  faith.    Thus  th. 
apostle  says:  "  lie  that  is  joined  unto 
the  Lord  (by  faith)  is  one  spirit."  1  i 
Cor.  6  :  17.    And  what  is  it  to  be  one  | 
spirit  with  Christ,  but  to  have  the  1 
same  mind,  the  same  heart  and  will 
which  are  in  him?    And  this  onenciss 
of  spirit  must  needs  suppose  that  new, 
holy,   and   heavenly   life   of  Christ 
which  is  to  be  raised  within  us.  To 
the  same  purpose  it  is  said:  "If  any 
man  be  in  Christ,  lie  is  a  new  crea-  'i 
ture  "  (2  Cor.  5:17);  where  to  be  in  ' 
Christ,  is  not  only  to  believe  in  him, 
but  also  to  live  in  him.     Again,  "I 
will  betroth  thee  unto  me  forever;  I 
will  even  betroth  thee  to  me  in  faith-  | 
fulness."  Hos.  2:19,  20.  This  sentence 
can  signify  no  less,  than  that  a  man 
by  faith   is  wholly  and  spiritually 
united  to  Christ:  so  that  where  faith 
is,  there  Christ  is;  where  Christ  is, 
there  a  holy  life  abides  in  man ;  where 
the  life  of  Chi'ist  is,  there  also  is  his 
love;  and  w^hero  love  is,  there  is  God 
himself,  who  "  is  love  "  (1  John  4  :  8), 
and  there  is  also  the  Holy  Ghost.  And 
in  this  divine  order  all  these  heavenly 
transactions  combine  ;   even  as  the 
head  is  one  with  the  members,  and  as 
the  cause  is  linked  with  the  effect. 
And  this  connection  of  faith  and  life, 
St.  Peter  admirably  enforces,  when  he 
bids  us  to  ''give  all  diligence  to  add 
to  faith,  virtue;  and  to  virtue,  knowl- 
edge; and  to  knowledge,  temperance; 
and  to  temperance,  patience;  and  to 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


;  Chap.  XL.] 

i 

\  ■ — ^  

[patience,  godliness;  and  to  godliness, 
j  brotherly  kindness  ;  and  to  brotherly 
I  kindness,  eharity."  "For  if  these 
; things,"  says  he,  "be  in  you  and 
j  abound,  they  make  you  that  ye  shall 
(neither  be  barren  nor  unfruitful  in 
I  the  knowledge  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
I  Christ.  But  he  that  lacketh  these 
(things  is  blind,  and  cannot  sec  afar 
Jeff,  and  hath  forgotten  that  he  was 
purged  from  his  old  sins."  2  Pet.  1  : 


137 


5-9.  Here  the  apostle  evidently  de- 
clares, that  in  whomsoever  this  union 
of  faith  and  of  life  is  not  to  be  i'<)ui\<\, 
he  is  destitute  of  all  saving  knowledge 
of  Christ,  and  walks  in  darkness.  For 
it  is  the  property  of  true  faith  to 
change  a  man  wholly,  to  renew,  and 
to  quicken  him  in  Christ;  so  that 
hencelbrth  man  may  live  and  dv/ell  in 
Christ,  and  Christ  again  may  live  and 
dwell  in  man. 


I^EUE  CIIPJSTIANITY. 


CHAPTER  XL. 


SUNDRY  RULES  FOR  LEADING  A  HOLY  LIFE. 


i  Exercise  thyself  unto  godliness.  For  godliness  is  profitable  unto  all  t/iings,  having  promise  of  the 
j  life  that  now  is,  and  of  that  which  is  to  come. — 1  Tim.  4:7,  8. 


IN"  this  apostolical  sentence  is  con- 
tained a  brief  description  of  a 
I  Christian's  life,  and  of  the  main  study 
i about  which  he  is  employed,  namely, 
!the  study  of  godliness,  or  of  Christian 
j  piety,  which  comprehends  in  it  the 
i  whole  train  of  Christian  virtues.  The 
;  apostle  makes  use  of  two  motives  to 
j  recommend  this  heavenly  stud^^,  and 
5  the  constant  practice  of  it.   First,  says 
'he,  "Godliness  is  j^rofitable  unto  all 
things."    Godliness  is  of  most  admir- 
I  able  service,  as  soon  as  our  words  and 
I  actions  are  influenced  by  it.    It  ren- 
ders the  whole  life  acceptable  to  God, 
and  useful  to  our  neighbor.    The  sec- 
ond motive  is,  because  godliness  is  ac- 
•  companicd  with   a  gracious  reward 
both  in  this  life,  as  appears  from  the 
,  examples  of  Joseph,  of  Daniel,  and  of 
!  others,  as  well  as  in  that  which  is  to 
,  come ;  where  we  shall  reap  without 
I  ceasing,  provided  we  do  not  faint  while 
I  we  dwell  here.  Gal.  6  :  9.  For  our  bet- 
i  ter  encouragftmeut  in  the  jDractice  of 


2)iety,  let  us  endeavor  to  keep  in  re- 
membrance the  following  rules  and 
considerations. 

I.  If  thou  even  canst  not  live  up  to 
that  degree  of  holiness  which  the  w^ord 
of  God  requires,  and  wdiich  thou  thy- 
self desirest,  yet  thou  must  never  cease 
ardently  to  wish  for  it;  for  such  holy 
breathings  are  ahvays  acceptable  to 
God.  God  does  not  so  much  regard 
the  outward  action  of  a  man,  as  the 
heart  whence  the  action  proceeds.  But 
after  all,  never  neglect  to  crucifj'  thy 
flesh,  and  never  permit  it  to  rule  over 
thee. 

II.  In  all  that  thou  thinkest  and 
doe«t,  be  careful  to  preserve  the  purity 
of  thy  heart.  Set  a  watch  over  it,  lest 
thou  be  defiled  with  proud  thoughts, 
w^ords,  or  actions ;  'with  wrath,  or 
other  such  works  of  the  flesh,  and  of 
the  devil.  Sin  opens  the  door  to  the 
devil,  and  shuts  the  heart  against  God. 

III.  Study  continually  to  maintain 
the  Christian  liberty  of  thy  soul,  and 


138 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  1. 


do  not  suffer  thyself  to  be  enslaved, 
or  broui^iit  intf)  bondage,  by  any  inor- 
dinate lov^e  of  tlie  creature,  or  of  the 
things  of  this  world,  whose  lord  and 
master  thou  onghtest  to  be.  Consider 
the  value  of  thy  soul,  which  certainly 
is  of  a  more  noble  nature  than  this 
present  perishing  world.  Why  sliould- 
est  thou  degrade  it  so  far,  as  to  sub- 
ject it  to  the  Irail,  base,  and  frivolous 
things  of  this  lii'e  ? 

IV.  Beware  of  the  care  and  sorrow 
of  this  world,  because  it  worketh  death. 
2  Cor.  7  :  10.  As  worldly  sorrow  bc- 
getteth  death,  so  godly  sorrow  beget- 
tcth  life,  and  laj'S  up  an  eternal  treas- 
ure !  Worldly  sorrow  springs  from 
avarice  and  envy;  from  excessive 
care;  from  unbelief  and  impatience; 
and  other  temporal  sources.  Godly 
sorrow  proceeds  from  a  knowledge  of 
thy  sins,  and  those  eternal  punish- 
ments which  follow  them.  This  sor- 
row produces  many  salutarj^  effects  in 
a  penitent  soul,  and  "worketh  i-epent- 
ance  to  salvation,  not  to  be  repented 
of;"  being  attended  with  spiritual  joy, 
and  solid  peace  or  tranquillity  of 
mind.'  No  loss  of  a  temporal  kind 
ought  to  afflict  thee  so  much  as  the 
remembrance  of  thy  sins,  b}'  which 
thou  hast  offended  the  infinite  good- 
ness of  God. 

V.  If  thou  canst  not  bear  thy  cross 
with  joy  and  cheerfulness,  yet  take  it 
at  least  with  i)atlcncc  and  humility,  and 
acquiesce  calmlj^  in  the  divine  will  and 
providence.  For,  truly,  the  will  of 
God  is  always  good ;  nor  does  it  intend 
anything  but  thy  benefit  and  salva- 
tion. Whatsoever,  therefore,  God  shall 
be  pleased  to  appoint  thee  in  his  wis- 
dom, do  thou  gratefully  accept  it,  and 
be  either  joyful  or  sorrowful,  poor  or 
rich,  high  or  low,  vile  or  excellent,  as 
Ho  orders  thy  lot.  Let  this  saying  j 
always  be  in  thy  mind:    '-Thus  it  | 


seemeth  good  unto  God,  and  so  it  must 
needs  be  expedient  and  useful  for  me 
also.    His  will,  not  mine,  be  done." 
Let  not  that,  therefore,  which  pleas 
God,  displease  thee;  but  rather  rojoicu 
that  all  things  are  ordered  accordincr 
to  His  pleasure  and  thy  salvatioji. 
Remember  that  "the  Lord  is  right- 
cous  in  all  his  wa3's,  and  holy  in  all  his  J 
works."  Ps.  145:17.    Hence  it  is  but  i 
just  that  the  will  of  God  should  be  ^ 
done,  because  it  is  always  good  and  l| 
profitable;  and  that  thy  own  will  should 
be  subdued  and  unaccomplished,  be- 
cause it  is  always  evil  and  hurtful. 

YI.  Whenever  the  Lord  visits  thy 
soul  with  heavenly  joy,  accept  the 
same  with  gratitude  and  hurnility.    But  | 
when  he  is  pleased  to  withdraw  the 
comfortable  light  of  his  presence,  then 
consider  that  the  mortification  of  the  i 
flesh  must  needs  be  of  greater  profit 
to  thee  than  exalted  joy  in  the  spirit. 
Through  overmuch  spiritual  joy,  many  ^ 
fall  into  spiritual  pride.    But  what- - 
ever  causes  mortification  and  sorrow,  |i 
is  i'ar  more  useful  in  subduing  the  flesh,  ' 
than  that  which  isdelightlul  and  pleas- 
ing to  nature.    Tlie  Lord  best  knows  | 
whom  to  lead  in  a  pleasant  and  agree- 
able path,  and  who  are  to  be  brought 
through  an   unpleasant,  stony,  and 
difficult  way.    Always  esteem  it  best 
to  arrive  at  thy  journey's  end  by  that 
way  which  divine  \Yisdom  has  chosien 
for  thee,  however  different  it  may  be 
from  thine  own  choice,  or  from  the 
devices  of  thine  own  heart.  Eemein- 
ber,  that   "  sorrow    is    better  than 
laughter;"  and  that  "by  the  sadness 
of  the  countenance  the  heart  is  made 
better."    And  if  thou  wilt  bo  wise, 
trust  to  the  experience  of  the  wise 
maU;  who  tells  thee  furthermore,  that 
"  the  heart  of  the  wise  is  in  the  house 
of  mourning;  but  the  heart  of  fools 
is  in  the  house  of  mirth."  Eccl.  7  :  3,  -1. 


CuAP.  XL  ] 


TRUE  ClIRISTIAXITY. 


139 


1  VII.  Make  an  offering  to  God  of  all 
^thatsihou  hast,  and  undertakest.  If  Ihou 
rcanst  not  bring  offerings  of  a  high  and 
icxalted  devotion,  of  praj  er,  of  thanks- 
giving, and  of  other  similar  acts  of 
Ireh'gion,  offer  at  least  what  thou  hast, 
jvvith  a  good  will,  and  a  fervent  desire. 
.Wish,  at  least,  that  it  may  prove  ac- 
.ceptablc  unto  the  Lord;  for  to  have 
Isucb  a  desire,  or  to  be  willing  to  have 
it,  is  no  contemptible  offering,  but  is 
jvery  agreeable  to  the  kindness  of  God. 
jin  what  measure  thou  desirest  to  ofiPer 
up  thy  devotion,  thy  pi-ayer,  and 
praise;  in  that  measure  God  accepts 
;the  same.  He  requires  do  more  at 
■thy  hands  than  he  himself  works  in 
:thee  by  his  grace :  nor  canst  thou  re- 
turn him  more  than  lie  has  first  con- 
ferred on  thee.  In  the  meantime, 
;entreat  the  Lord  Jesus,  that  he  would 
jirraciously  please  to  supply  what  is 
jiefcctive  in  thee,  by  his  own  more 
iperfect  oblation  and  sacrifice  :  because 
ho,  and  he  only,  is  the  perfection  of 
pur  imperfect  worship  and  service. 
jSay,  therefore,  in  faith  :  "O  my  God, 
and  my  Father,  I  beseech  thee,  let  my 
jJevotion,  my  prayer,  and  thanks- 
giving, together  with  all  the  acts  of 
by  faith  and  worship,  be  graciously 
accepted  by  thee  in  thy  beloved  Son, 
pesus  Christ.  Esteem  them,  not  ac- 
cording to  what  thc}^  are  in  them- 
selves, but  according  to  what  they  are 
jraade  by  the  merit  of  the  all-suf- 
'Scient  sacrifice  offered  up  by  thy  Son. 
0  look  upon  that,  and  upon  all  that 
iho  has  wrought  for  me  in  the  flesh  ; 
land  as  his  most  perfect  works  must 
jaeeds  be  pleasing  to  thee,  so  let  mine 
also  be  acceptable  to  thee  for  his  sake. 
]He,  0  my  God,  shall  abundantly  make 
iap  whatsoever  is  defective  in  me."  By 
i^his  means,  our  devotion,  our  prayer, 
l-ind  thanksgiving,  how  imperfect, 
'weak,  and  obscure  soever  they  may  be 


in  themselves,  acquire  a  certain  lustre, 
worth,  and  dignity  derived,  from  the 
merit  of  Christ,  whereby  our  works 
are  rendered  acceptable  to  the  Lord. 
As  a  naked  and  unclean  infant  is 
offensive  to  every  one  that  sees  it,  but 
becomes  sweet  and  lovely  when  it  is 
thoroughly  cleansed,  and  covered  with 
fine  linen  :  in  like  manner,  all  the 
woi'ks  which  thou  doest  in  thy  natui-al 
state,  are  polluted  with  sin,  and  of  no 
account  before  God  ;  but  no  sooner 
art  thou  covered  with  the  pei'fection 
of  Christ  (Isa.  Gl  :  10),  than  thy  works 
arc  acceptable  to  God.  As  fruit, 
which  is  not  valuable  in  itself,  sur- 
prises the  spectator  into  a  love  of. it, 
when  served  up  in  vessels  of  precious 
gold  :  so  our  praj'ers  and  acts  of  de- 
votion, though  of  no  account  in  them- 
selves, are  exalted  in  Jesus  Christ,  in 
w^hom,  as  in  the  beloved ^  we  are  made  ac- 
cejjted  with  God.  Eph.  1  :  6. 

VIII.  If  thy  sins  and  manifold  frail- 
ties (as  they  should  do),  make  thee 
sad,  yet  let  them  not  lead  tJcee  to  despair. 
If  they  be  many  in  number,  remember 
that  there  is  yet  more  mercy  with 
Christ,  and  "plenteous  redemption 
with  him."  Ps.  130  :  7.  If  thy  imper- 
fections be  ever  so  great,  remember 
that  Christ's  merits  are  yet  greater, 
and   say  with  the   royal  penitent: 

Have  mercy  upon  me,  O  Lord,  ac- 
cording to  the  multitude  of  thy  tender 
mercies!"  Ps.  51:1.  And  when,  by  the 
grace  of  God,  thou  truly  repentest, 
and  beholdest  Christ  Jesus,  that  great 
sacrifice  for  sin,  then  God  himself  re- 
pents of  the  evil  which  was  to  be  in- 
flicted upon  thee  ;  and  absolution  and 
remission  of  sin  instantly  follow  so 
good  and  salutary  a  sorrow.  Ezek. 
18:23;  33:11.  As  the  leper,  upon 
his  application  to  Christ,  was  immedi- 
ately delivered  from  his  evil,  so  is  also 
the  penitent  sinner.   No  sooner  did  he 


I 


110 


[Book  I. 


eay,  '"Lonl,  if  thou  wilt,  Ihou  canst 
make  mc  clean;"  than  Christ  freely 
replied:  '-I  will;  be  thou  clean." 
Matt.  8  :  2,  n.  So  also  the  merciful  God, 
inwardly  and  in  the  spirit,  makes  thee 
clean,  comforts  thee,  and  says:  "Be 
of  good  cheer;  thy  sins  are  forgiven 
thee."  Matt.  9  :  2.  This  wonderful 
mercy  of  the  Lord  in  cleansing  and 
absolving  thee  of  thy  sins,  as  it  is  for- 
cibl}^  re]iresented  by  the  example  of 
that  leper,  so  it  ought  by  no  means  to 
give  thee  an  occasion  to  sin  the  more; 
but  to  love  God  the  more,  and  to  say, 
"Bless  the  Lord,  O  my  soul;  and  all 
that  is  within  me  bless  his  holy  name." 
Ps.  10:3:1. 

IX.  Let  not  injuries^  reproaches,  and 
revilings,  provoke  thee  at  any  time  to 
wrath,  indignation,  or  revenge;  but 
rather  take  them  as  so  many  trials  of 
thy  heart,  and  of  the  inward  state 
of  thy  soul.  Hereby  God  designs  to 
jyroce  thee,  that  it  may  appear  what  is 
hidden  within  thee,  and  whether  meek- 
ness and  humility,  or  w^rath  and  pride, 
8w\ay  thy  mind.  For  that  w^iich  lies 
concealed  in  a  man,  is  stirred  up  and 
made  manifest  by  reproaches  and  pro- 
vocations. If,  therefore,  thy  heart  be 
endued  with  meekness  and  lowliness, 
thou  wilt  easily  bear  contempt  and  in- 
juries; nay,  thou  wilt  accept  them  as 
so  many  paternal  chastisements  de- 
signed for  the  good  of  thy  soul.  More- 
over, thou  must  consider,  that  con- 
tempt and  reproaclies  are  part  of  the 
chastisements  which  the  Almighty 
sends,  and  thou  shouldst  patiently 
bear  whatever  the  Lord  shall  be 
pleased  to  allot  to  thee.  "  Let  us  go 
forth,"  says  the  apostle,  '^unto  him^ 
bearing  his  reproach."  Ileb.  13  : 18. 
Behold  with  what  lowliness  of  heart 
did  he  undergo  the  affronts  of  a  pro- 
fane world  I  And  should  not  we  submit 
to  the  same  with  meekness,  and  with 


an  unshaken  evenness  of  mind  ?  Sav 
not  then,  "  Should  I  suffer  these  tliiii; 
from  so  contemptible  a  fellow  as  this: 
but  rather  submit,  in  consideration  of 
that  patient  and  meek  spii'it  whif 
was  in  Christ,  and  displayed  itself  ' 
his  whole  life  and  conduct.  Last! 
consider  the  kindness  of  God  towar<. 
those  that  suffer  lor  his  sake.   So  fail 
ful  is  he,  and  so  kind  to  those  th 
bear  any  disgrace  on  his  account,  that  , 
he  confers  the  greater  marks  of  honor'' 
and  favor  upon  them.     Thus  David, 
when  Shimei  vented  his  malice  u\iu 
him,  took  it  for  a  pledge  that  Gu 
would  bestow  a  token  of  great  honor 
upon  him;  and  this  accordingly  came 
to  pass.    "  It  may  be,"  says  he,  "that'l 
the  Lord  will  look  on  mine  affliction 
and  that  the  Lord  will  requite  rac 
good  for  his  cursing  this  day,"  andl 
turn  his  curse  into  a  blessing.  2  Sam 
10  :  12.    Be  not,  therefore,  at  all  dis- 
turbed at  the  evil  report  that  wicked 
men  may  raise  against  thee;  but  i  - 
joice  rather,  since  the  Spirit  of  glory 
rests  on  those  that  are  reproached  for 
the  name  of  Christ.  1  Peter  4  :  14. 

X.  Study  to  overcome  and  to  pacif  - 
thine    enemies,  b}^   bestowing  u]n: 
them  tokens  of  love  and  kindness,  y 
man  will  ever  be  reconciled  by  wrati 
or  revenge,  or  returning  evil  for  evil, 
for  victory  consists  in  virtue,  not  in 
vice.    And  as  one  devil  does  not  driv; 
out  another,  so  it  cannot  be  expect< 
that  one  evil  should  be  subdued  by  a: 
other;  or  that  enmity  against  tb< 
should  be  extinguished  by  affronts  atnl 
provocations  offered  by  thee.    A  map 
that  is  full  of  sores  and  bruises,  is  n' 
likely  to  be  healed  by  the  addition  oi 
more  blows;  and  if  he  be  so  mad  as  to 
beat  and  to  cut  himself,  he  is  to  be 
pitied,  and  to  be  treated  with  the 
greater  kindness  and  lenity.    In  like 
manner,  if  a  man  be  full  of  spiritual 


hiAV.  XL.] 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


14/ 


[istempcr,  and  of  hatred,  he  is  to  be 
iandled  with  the  more  love  and  gen- 
leiicss;  if,  perhaps,  by  such  lenient 
acans  as  these,  he  may  be  softened 
into  a  better  temper.  Consider  the 
nethod  vvhich  God  liimself  uses  for 
Ivercoming  our  natural  obstinacy, 
pocs  he  not  conquer  our  malice  with 
|»is  goodness,  and  our  wrath  with  his 
(ovo?  And  docs  he  not  invite  us  to  re- 
i)entance  by  many  endearing  marks  of 
jove  and  benignity?  Rom.  2:  4.  Tins 
nethod  is  prescribed  by  St.  Paul :  "Be 
!iot,"  says  he,  "overcome  of  evil,  but 
;»verconie  evil  with  good."  Rom.  12  : 
111..  This  is  victory  indeed, 
i  XL  When  thou  observest  that  God 
iias  adorned  thy  neighbor  with  gifts 
ibove  thee,  take  heed  not  to  envy  Mm 
j»n  that  account;  but  rather  rejoice 
ind  give  thanks  to  God  for  the  same, 
'onsider,  that  since  all  true  believers 
iiake  up  together  but  one  body,  it 
lust  needs  follow,  that  the  beauty  of 
jvery  member  is  communicated  to  the 
jrhole  body,  and  to  every  member 
Ihereof  On  the  other  hand,  when 
hou  perccivest  the  misery  of  thy 
leighbor,  lament  over  it  as  if  it  were 
^hine  own ;  considerino;  that  the  con- 
jition  of  all  men  is  equally  subject  to 
jvil,  and  that  misery  and  affliction  are 
|lie  lot  of  mankind.  Christ  hath  also 
'et  thee  here  an  example.  And,  truly, 
i7hoever  does  not  commiserate  and 
jympathize  with  the  misery  of  his 
eighbor,  let  him  pretend  to  be  what 
e  may,  he  is  no  living  member  of  the 
ody  of  Christ.  For  did  not  Christ 
pok  upon  our  misery  as  his  ow^n,  and 
\Y  compassionating  our  deplorable 
late,  deliver  us  from  all  our  miseries? 
'his  mutual  love  and  sympathy,  are 
jicuicatcd  by  St.  Paul :  "  Bear  ye  one 
jnother's  burdens,"  says  he,  "  and  so 
iilfil  the  law  of  Christ."  Gal.  6  : 2. 
I  XII.  As  for  love  and  hatred  in  rela- 


tion to  thy  neighbor,  make  the  follow- 
ing distinction.  It  is  but  fit  that  thou 
shouldest  hate  his  vices  and  crimes  as 
the  very  works  of  the  devil;  but  then, 
beware  of  hating  the  person  whilst 
thou  abhorrest  his  sin.  On  the  con- 
trary, it  is  thy  duty  to  bewail  the  case 
of  thy  neighbor,  who,  being  carried 
away  by  so  many  irregular  passions, 
enjoys  no  solid  rest  in  his  soul.  Offer 
up  his  cause  to  God,  and  pray  for  him, 
as  Christ  did  for  his  enemies,  when  he 
was  nailed  to  the  cross.  Luke  23  :  34. 
Do  not,  therefore,  hate  any  man^  but 
hate  his  vices  only  ;  for  whosoever 
hates  a  man,  and  seeks  his  ruin,  can 
in  no  wise  be  j^leasing  to  God;  since 
it  is  the  very  nature  of  God  to  be 
kind,  and  to  desire  that  "all  men 
should  be  saved,  and  come  unto  the 
knowledge  of  the  truth."  1  Tim.  2  :  4. 
This  was  also  the  end  for  which 
Christ  took  our  flesh  upon  him.  He 
came  into  the  world,  "  not  to  destroy 
men's  lives,  but  to  save  them."  Luke 
9  :  56. 

XIII.  Consider  all  men  as  being 
frail  and  imperfect,  but  none  as  more 
frail  and  imperfect  than  thyself;  for 
before  God,  all  men  stand  equallj" 
guilty,  and  there  is  no  difference.  We 
have  all  sinned,  and  have  thereby 
been  deprived  of  the  image  of  God, 
and  of  all  the  glory  which  attended 
it.  Rom.  3  :  23.  How  great  a  sinner, 
therefore,  thy  neighbor  may  be,  nevei' 
fondly  persuade  thj'self,  that  thou  art 
better  before  God.  Remember  this 
warning  of  the  apostle:  "Let  him 
that  thinketh  he  standeth,  take  heed 
lest  he  fall."  1  Cor.  10 :  12.  He  that 
makes  himself  the  lowest  of  all  men, 
is  in  the  fairest  way  of  being  pre- 
served, hy  the  grace  of  God,  unto  sal- 
vation. And  certain  it  is,  that  thou 
standest  no  less  in  need  of  the  grace 
and  mercy  of  God,  than  the  greatest 


142 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  I. 


of  Biniiers.  Where  there  is  a  great 
measure  of  humility,  there  is  also  a 
great  measure  of  grace.  Wherefore 
St.  Paul  accounted  himself  the  "chief 
of  sinners"  (1  Tim.  1  :  15);  and  it  was 
in  this  order  he  obtained  mercy,  and 
had  so  much  long-suffering  bestowed 
upon  him.  And  in  another  place  he 
declares  that  he  will  glory  in  nothing 
but  in  "his  infirmities,  that  the  power 
of  Christ  might  rest  upon  him."  2 
Cor.  12:9. 

Xiy.  True  illumination  is  always 
accompanied  with  a  contempt  of  the 
things  of  the  world.  As  the  children 
of  the  world  have  their  inheritance 
here  upon  earth;  so  the  children  of 
God  have  theirs  laid  up  above  in 
heaven.  The  treasures  which  the 
children  of  this  world  have  chiefly  at 
heart,  are  temporal  honors,  perishing 
riches,  earthly  splendor  and  glory. 
But  the  treasures  of  the  children  of 
God  are  poverty  and  contempt,  per- 
secution and  reproach,  the  cross  and 
death,  trouble  and  sorrow.  Thus  did 
Moses  prefer  "  the  reproach  of  Christ 
before  the  treasures  in  Egypt;"  and 
the  afl^iction  of  the  people  of  God, 


before  the  pleasures  of  sin.  Ileb.  11 : 
25,  26. 

XY.  Remember,  that  by  the  name 
of  a  Christian  written  in  heaven,  is  in- 
timated that  solid,  practical  knowUd 
of  Christ  which  is  grounded  in  fait 
and  by  which  we  are  transplanted  in' 
Christ.    From  this   knowledge  flow 
all  the  living  virtues  which  the  Lor ' 
will  praise  in  the  great  day  of  rclr 
bution.  Matt.  25  :  34,  etc.    lie  will 
then  also   bring  to  light  all  those!| 
treasures  which  we  have  laid  up  in 
heaven  (1  Tim.  6  :  19).  together  wilh 
all  such  works  as  have  been  wrought 
in  God.  John  3:21.   Never  has  a  saint 
lived  upon  earth,  but  he  has  been  par- 
ticularly eminent  in  one  virtue  oi- 
other;  and  this  virtue  shall  never  ! 
forgotten.  Ps.  112  :  6.    Whether  it  !- 
faith,  love,  mercy,  patience,  or  an;, 
other  virtue  in  the  practice  of  which 
he  has  been  so  conspicuous,  it  sh;i: 
make  up  that  eternal  name  which 
written  in  heaven.  Rev.  2:  17;  3:  1_' 
This  will  be  the  note  and  character 
of  the  saints,  and  their  eternal  me- 
morial before  God.    But  of  this,  moreii 
shall  be  said  in  Book  II.  I 


CHAPTER   XL  I. 


THE  WHOLE   OF  CHRISTIANITY  CONSISTS  IN  THE  RESTORATION  OP  THE  IMAGE  OF 
GOD  IN  MAN,  AND  THE  DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  IMAGE  OF  SATAN. 

But  we  all^  with  open  face  beholding  as  in  a  glass  the  glory  of  the  Lord^  are  changed  into  the  same 
image  from  glorg  to  glory  ^  even  as  by  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord. — 2  Cor.  3  ;  18. 


IN  the  true  knowledge  of  Christ, 
wherein  is  comprehended  that  of 
his  Person,  offices,  benefits,  and  heav- 
enly and  eternal  gifts,  consists  life 
everlasting.  John  17  :  3.  This  knowl- 
edge is  kindled  in  our  hearts  by  the 


Divine  Spirit,  and  is  a  new  Hglit 
shining  forth  with  increasing  brighv- 
ness,  and  passing  on  from  glory  to 
glory.  It  is  like  a  metallic  body, 
which,  by  constant  polishing,  be- 
comes every  day  more  brilliant;  or 


Chap.  XLI.] 


TEUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


143 


like  a  tender  infant,  which,  by  a  daily 
supply  of  food,  grows  up  in  vigor  and 
iitrength.  No  sooner  is  the  righteous- 
icss  of  Christ,  through  faith,  con- 
ferred upon  a  returning  sinner,  than 
,10  is  also  really  born  again,  and  the 
mage  of  God  is  daily  renewed  within 
lim.  His  spiritual  growth,  or  the 
'cnovation  of  his  mind,  goes  on,  how- 
iver,  in  a  successive  manner,  from 
)no  degree  to  another,  for  he  has  not 
j'et  become  a  "perfect  man  in  Christ." 
I^ph.  4  :  13.  lie  is  a  child  for  some 
■ime;  but  is  continually  nourished  by 
ihe  Divine  Spirit,  and  daily  brought 
jo  a  greater  conformity  with  the  Lord 
I'esus  Christ. 

1  2.  For  the  whole  life  of  a  Christian 
jipon  earth,  is  properly  nothing  else 
ban  a  continual  renewing  of  tliQ \mnge 
if  God  in  his  soul :  so  that  he  may 
onstantly  live  in  the  new  birth,  and 
aily  mortify  that  which  is  old  and 
orrupt,  till  the  body  of  sin  be  event- 
jally  destroyed.  Eom.  6  :  4.  This  life 
j.iust  be  begun  in  this  world,  that  so  it 
bay  be  perfected  in  that  which  is  to 
jome.  Whereas,  in  whomsoever  the 
lenewal  of  this  divine  life  shall  not  be 
egun  before  his  departure  from  this 
j/orld,  in  him  it  never  shall  be  accom- 
pshed.  Wherefore  I  have  thought 
nright  be  well  briefly  to  repeat  what 
!^  here  meant  by  the  image  of  God, 
irhich  is  to  be  revived;  and  what  by 
jhe  image  of  the  devil,  which  is  to  be 
bliterated  and  destroyed  in  man's 
3ul:  for  in  the  right  knowledge  of 
jhese  two,  the  substance  of  our  whole 
pligion  consists.  It  is  the  main  point 
pon  which  all  turns,  and  from  which 
(lany  other  articles  (as  that  of  Orig- 
iial  Sin,  free-will,  repentance,  conver- 
ion,  faith,  justification,  prayer,  the 
ew  birth,  sanctification,  and  lastly, 
bedience,  and  the  whole  practice  of 
religious  life),  borrow  no  small  light. 


Of  this,  the  following  remarks  will 
give  an  account. 

3.  The  soul  of  man  is  an  immortal 
spirit,  endowed  of  God  with  excellent 
faculties;  as  the  understanding,  will, 
memory,  and  other  powers  and  affec- 
tions. 

4.  See  that  thou  turn  all  these  to- 
w^ards  thy  God,  in  order  to  behold  him 
therein  as  in  a  mirror ;  and,  by  behold- 
ing him,  to  have  his  image  gradually 
formed  in  thy  soul.  In  this  sense  the 
apostle  speaks  of  '-the  glory  of  the 
Lord,"  which  we  behold  "  with  an 
open  face,"  without  vail  and  shadows. 
2.  Cor.  3  : 18. 

5.  As  God  is  a  truly  good  and  holy 
Being;  so  also  were  the  substance  of 
the  soul,  and  its  true  nature  and  es- 
sence, originally  good  and  holy.  And 
as  in  God  there  is  nothing  of  evil; 
even  so  was  the  soul  of  man,  in  the 
beginning,  free  from  all  manner  of 
evil.  As  in  God  there  is  nothing  but 
what  is  right ;  so  in  the  soul  there  was 
nothing  at  first  but  what  was  i-ight 
also.  For  lie  is  the  rock,  whose  "  work 
is  perfect;"  even  "a  God  of  truth,  and 
without  iniquity,  just  and  right  is  he." 
Deut.  32:4;  Ps.  92:15.  As  God  is 
wise,  so  was  also  the  human  soul  full 
of  divine  and  spiritual  knowledge,  of 
heavenly  and  eternal  wisdom.  And 
as  the  divine  wisdom  ordered  all 
things  in  number,  weight,  and  meas- 
ure, and  knew  the  powers  of  all  crea- 
tures, as  well  in  heaven  as  in  earth  : 
so  also  was  the  mind  of  man  possessed 
of  the  same  light  and  knowledge. 

6.  And  as  it  was  with  the  under- 
standing, so  it  was  with  the  will :  for 
as  the  one  was  the  image  and  reflec- 
tion of  the  divine  understanding,  so 
was  the  other  of  the  divine  will,  in 
everj^thing.  It  was  holy  as  the  pat- 
tern was  holy,  and  conformed  to  the 
will  of  God.    Hence,  as  God  himself 


144 


TEUE  CHEISTIAXITY. 


[Book  I. 


is,  BO  \vas  the  human  sonl;  righteous, 
loving,  merciful,  long-suffering,  pa- 
tient, meek,  gentle,  true,  and  pure. 
Exod.  34  :G;  Ps.  103:8;  Joel  2:13. 
Yea,  all  the  passions  or  affections,  all 
the  appetites,  and  motions  of  the  heart, 
being  made  most  perfectly  confcrm- 
able  to  the  motions  and  affections  of 
the  divine  mind,  partook  of  this  con- 
formity of  the  will  of  man  to  that  of 
God.  As,  therefore,  God  is  love,  so 
all  the  affections  and  motions  of  man, 
in  his  first  state,  breathed  nothing  but 
pure  love.  As  God,  the  Father,  the 
Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  are  one  in 
an  unspeakable  and  eternal  bond  of 
love;  60  all  the  affections  and  desires 
of  man.  burned  with  a  most  perfect 
and  ardent  love,  and  he  cleaved  unto 
God  fully  with  all  the  powers  and  fac- 
ulties which  he  had;  "with  all  his 
heart,  and  w^ith  all  his  soul,  and  with 
all  his  might"  (Pent.  6:5);  so  that  man 
verily  loved  God  more  than  himself, 
and  preferred  God  and  His  honor,  to 
himself  and  his  own. 

7.  But  as  the  image  of  God  shone 
forth  in  the  soul,  so  the  image  of  the 
soul  again  shone  forth  in  and  from  the 
body.  This,  therefore,  was  holy,  chaste, 
and  pure  throughout,  not  subject  to 
any  unclean  motion  or  lust.  It  was 
nndefiled  and  without  blemish.  It 
was  in  every  respect,  beautiful,  well 
proportioned,  and  graceful;  of  vigor- 
ous health,  and  possessed  of  a  consti- 
tution even  out  of  the  very  danger  of 
sickness.  It  w^as  such  as  death  itself 
had  no  j^ower  over,  and  it  was  per- 
fectly free  from  pain,  listlessness,  pas- 
sion, grief,  and  old  age,  now  the  com- 
mon attendants  and  warnings  of 
man's  mortality.  In  a  word,  the  whole 
man,  botli  in  soul  and  bod}^,  was  pure, 
lioly,  righteous,  and  every  wa}"  ac- 
ceptable to  God.  For,  in  order  that 
man  might  be  the  image  of  God,  it 


was  necessary  that  his  body  should  be 
ho]y,  and  conformable  to  God,  as  well 
as  his  soul.     Accordingly,  St.  Paul 
both  exhorts  and  pi-ays,  that  the  bodij. 
together  with  the  spirit  and  soul,  1 
sanctified  wholly;   and  be  preservi. 
holy  and  blameless  unto  the  comi' 
of  our  Lord.  1  Thess.  5  :  23.  For  sine 
man  is  made  up  of  soul  and  body,  and 
exercises  both    bodil}'  and  spiritual 
functions,  there  was  a  necessity  that 
the  instrument  through  which  the  sou! 
was  to  act;  should  be  pliable  and  oh 
dient,  adapted  to  the  nature  of  t! 
soul,  and  holy  as  the  soul  was  hoi\ 
to  the  end  that  the  holy  and  righteo; 
soul,  might  finish  her  work  throu^ 
the  body  without  any  obstacle  or  r 
sistance.  As,  therefore,  the  soul  burned 
W'ith  the  pure  love  of  God  :  so  did  all" 
the  powers  of  the  body  manifest  and 
exert  themselves  in  the  love  of  Go'l 
and  man.    As  the  soul  was  altogether 
merciful ;  so  also  the  body  was,  wi' 
its  whole  might,  and  all  its  faculti^ 
impelled  to  tenderness  and  compa- 
sion.    As  chastity  shone  forth  from 
the  soul,  wdiich  was  altogether  pure 
so  the  wiiole  body,  in  like  manne. 
with   all   the  inward   and  outward 
senses  and  powers  thereof,  visibly  si" 
forth  the  most  perfect  purity  and  cha 
tity.    To  conclude,  the  virtues  no  k\^- 
gloriously  shone  in  the  body,  than  in 
the  soul  itself;  so  that  the  body  vas 
the  holy  instrument  of  the  soul,  iu 
everything  suited  to  it,  and  worked 
together  with  it.    And  hence  man  in 
the  state  of  innocency,  w^as  able  to  lo'. 
God  toith  all  his  heart,  with  all  his  sou 
loith  all  his  strength,  and  with  all  h 
7nindj  and  to  love  his  neighbor  as  hini.se  f: 
which  is  the  very  substance  both  of 
the  old  and  new  law  given  to  man. 
Deut.  G:5;  Matt.  22:37,39;  U\kc 
10  :  27.    Hence,  as  often  as  God  call^ 
for  the  heart  of  man,  we  are  to  under- 


Chap.  XLL] 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


145 


|6tancl  the  loliole  man^  both  as  to  body 
and  8011I,  and  the  powers,  faculties, 
and  operations  of  both.  In  this  sense, 
[the  word  heart'''  is  frequently  taken 
in  Scripture  ;  so  that  under  it  are  com- 
prehended all  the  powers  of  the  soul, 
|as  the  understanding,  will,  and  meni- 
!ory,  together  with  all  the  desires  and 
uft'cctions  attendant  on  them.  So  when 
God  demands  a  man's  soul,  he,  under 
that  name,  requires  not  a  part,  but  the 
,\vhole  of  a  man.  He  must,  in  all  his 
ipowers,  be  conformed  to  God,  and  re- 
inewed  in  Christ  Jesus:  and  thus  man, 
|liaving  put  off  the  old  nature,  and 
ibeing  renewed  in  the  spirit  of  his 
•mind,  must  also  iDalk  in  newness  of 
[ife,  and  in  the  spirit  by  which  he 
was  begotten  again.  Gal.  5  :  16 ;  Eph. 
1 :  23. 

8.  Moreover,  there  was  a  perfect  joy 
in  God,  which  accompanied  this  perfec- 
tion of  holiness,  righteousness,  and 
jlivine  love,  in  man.  By  this,  all  the 
'acuities  and  S2:)rings,  both  of  soul  and 
jody,  were  most  powerfully  aiiected  : 
jbr  wherever  divine  holiness  resides, 
■here  also  divine  joy  must  be  present. 
These  two  are  knit  together  with  an 
pverlasting  bond,  and  make  up  the 
:ery  image  of  God.  Yet,  as  in  this 
ife,  the  divine  righteousness  and  holi- 
iiess  are  but  imperfect  in  us,  so  we  but 
jaste,  while  here,  only  the  first  fruits 
i)f  that  joy  which  shall  be  fully  re- 
pealed hereafter.  However,  as  the 
•ighteousness  of  Christ  is  verily  begun 
jn  sincere  believers,  so  it  follows  that 
hey  also  enjoy  a  iral  beginning  and 
bretaste  of  divine  joy  and  comfort; 
<s  those  Christians  can  abundantly 
ttest,  that  have  learned  religion  by 
jxperience.  John  16  :  22 ;  2  Cor.  1 :  5 ; 
I'hil.  4  :  4.  Whatever  progress,  there- 
pre,  any  one  makes  in  the  love  of 
Jod,  be  it  more  or  less,  so  much  of 
ivine  joy  does  he  also  perceive  in  his 


soul.  And  this  holy  and  divine  love, 
as  it  shall  in  the  next  life  attain  its 
full  perfection,  so  in  that  day  the  Chris- 
tian's 70?/  (arising  from  love)  shall  also 
be  full,  as  the  Lord  liimself  declares. 
John  1.5:11;  16:22.  For  divine  love 
is  the  only  true  life,  and  the  only  true 
joy:  but  where  this  love  of  God  is 
wanting,  there  is  neither  joy  nor  life; 
but  death  itself,  and  the  everlastinf"- 
portion  of  wicked  men  and  devils. 
Whence  has  a  father  joy?  Is  it  not 
from  the  love  of  his  childi-en  ?  Whence 
has  a  bridegroom  joy  ?  Is  it  not  from 
the  love  of  the  bride  ?  Isaiah  61 :  10  ; 
62  :  5.  But  infinitely  sweeter  must 
that  joy  be,  which  is^  derived  from  the 
love  of  our  Creator  !  He  not  only  em- 
braces us  as  a  father  does  hischildren, 
but  he  rejoices  overus  as  over  his  bride ; 
nay,  most  tenderly  kisses  us^  "with 
the  kisses  of  his.  mouth"  (Cant.  1  :  2.), 
(that  is,  in  Christ,  who  is  hi»  mouth 
and  word),  and  coming  to*  us,  through 
Christ  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  makes 
his  abode  with  us.  John  14  :  23.  Take 
heed,  however,,  concerning  this  image 
of  God,  which  consists  in  a  conformity 
with  God,  that  you  do  not  therefore 
think,  asiif  man  were  made  equal  with 
God  in  holiness.  JSTot  by  any  means. 
For  God  is  infinite  as  to  his  essence, 
virtues,  and  properties;  he  is  incom- 
prehensible, and  without  bounds;  so 
that  nothing  in  the  world  can  be  com- 
pared Avith  him.  Man  therefore,  even 
in  his  first  state,  could  not  properh'  be 
said  to  bear  God  in  him;  being  de- 
signed only  to  bear  his  image,  as  it  has 
been  already  explained  in  Chapter  I. 
of  this  Book. 

9.  That  which  has  now  been  stated 
concerning  the  image  of  God,  is  plain, 
true,  and  beyond  all  doubt.  It  cannot 
be  denied,  that  God  created  man,  to 
be  a  brio'ht  mirror  of  himself :  so  that 
if  man  had  been  desirous  to  know  the 


10 


146 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  I. 


nature  of  God,  lie  might,  by  looking 
into  himself,  have  beheld  God  there, 
as  in  a  glass,  and  clearly  perceived  the 
image  of  the  Deity  within  his  own 
breast. 

10.  This  image  w^as  the  life  and 
blessedness  of  man;  but  the  devil, 
looking  with  envious  eyes  upon  this 
image  of  God  in  man,  exerted  all  his 
art  and  cunning  to  efface  it,  by  raising 
in  man  a  spirit  of  disobedience  and 
enmity  against  God.  Gen.  3  :  1,  etc. 
This  he  accordingly  effected  with  a 
subtility  and  luiste,  that  never  were 
since  seen.  He  was  not  ignorant,  that 
if  man  had  continued  in  that  state,  he 
Avould  have  been  the  master  :  but  that 
if  he  could  be  induced  to  fall  froni  it, 
that  the  devil  would  thereby  become 
the  lord  (or  rather  the  tyrant)  of  fallen 
man.  AYlien,  therelbre,  with  all  the 
powers  of  his  cunning  and  malice,  he 
could  devise  nothing  more  likely  to  ac- 
complish his  design  than  that  by  which 
he  himself  lost  his  first  state  or  prin- 
cipality, he  began,  in  a  seductive  man- 
ner, to  insinuate  into  the  imagination 
of  the  woman,  no  less  than  an  affec- 
tation of  the  Divine  Majest}^.  AVhat 
can  aj)pcar  more  divine,  or  what  is 
there  moi'e  noble  to  be  wished  for, 
than  to  be  as  God"  ?  Gen.  3  :  5.  By 
this  cunningly  contrived  method,  man 
being  therefore  circumvented,  he  lost 
the  divine  image  at  once;  and  the  im- 
age of  Satan,  consisting  in  an  affecta- 
tion of  the  Divine  Majesty,  was  im- 
pressed upon  him. 

11.  This  aspiring  thought,  by  which 
man  threw  off  all  his  dependence  on 
God,  being  thus  begotten  in  the  mind; 
and  this  haughty  arrogance  having 
once  seized  the  imagination,  there  fol- 
lowed immediately  apostasy  from  God, 
disobedience,  and  transgression  of  the 
commandment  concerning  the  forbid- 
den tree.    Hereupon  the  image  of  God  | 


was  extinguished,  the  Holy  Spirit  dr 
parted  from  man,  and  the  image  ot 
Satan  was  imprinted  instead  of  that 
which  was  effaced.    Hence  now  there 
are  so  many  men,  so  many  slaves  of 
the  devil.    The   devil    having  thn 
gained  his  object  in  subjecting  man  to 
his  dominion,  most  cruelly  tyrannized 
over  him;  just  as  a  giant  may  be  sup- 
posed to  do  over  a  little  infant.  Hence 
the  understanding  in  man  is  darkened 
and  blinded  ;  the  will  is,  by  acomplet 
disobedience,  turned  from  God;  and 
all  the  springs  and  powei'sof  the  heart 
are  stirred  up  against  God  in  utter 
malice.    In  a  word,  the  whole  image 
of  God  lieth  now  slain  in  man,  and 
the  whole   race  of  mankind,  being 
swaj^ed  by  the  satanical  nature,  have 
a  seed  sown  in  them  full  of  the  deepest 
malignit}^.    Hence  men  became  tli 
offspring  of  Satan,  and  his  living  like- 
ness, being  poisoned  with  all  mauner 
of  sin  and  enmity  against  God.  Th.. 
died  man  !  Thus  died  he  the  death  ev 
erlastiuiT !  For  as  the  image  of  God  i 
the  life  and  salvation  of  man,  so  the 
departure  of  this  image  is  the  death 
of  man,  even  death  eternal,  and  hi 
damnation,  which  is  also  called  a  deatii 
"in  trespasses  and  sins."  Eph.  2:1, 
Col.  2:  13. 

12.  They  best  understand  this  death, 
who,  having  been  cast  into  deep  spir- 
itual temptations,  sensibly  feel  the  de- 
vil's rage  and  tyranny  over  them.  B\ 
this  he  torments  the  soul  beyond  wh;i 
it  is  in  the  ordinary  power  of  sin  to 
effect.  Now,  unless  the  Holy  Ghost 
shine  in  upon  the  soul  under  this  ter- 
rible affliction,  and  by  darting  in  some 
ray  of  his  light  comfort  it;  the  devil 
slays  the  man  with  this  death,  autl 
racks  the  soul  wnth  the  very  anguish 
of  hell  itself  Hence  all  the  natural 
force  of  the  body  sinks,  the  strength 
fails,  the  heart  withers  and  pants,  and 


Chap.  XLI.j 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


147 


the  very  marrow  in  the  bones  con- 
sumes away,  so  that  there  is  no  sound- 
ness left  in  the  body.  This  state  is 
described  at  large,  in  Psalms  G  and 
38.  The  word  of  God  itself,  to  such 
a  one,  seems  dead  and  lifeless  :  he  finds 
in  it  no  manner  of  devotion,  no  savor 
of  spiritual  life.  This  is  the  spiritual 
death,  into  which  the  soul  is  fallen  : 
and  while  the  soul  remains  thus  spir- 
itually dead,  all  human  holiness,  right- 
eousness, excellency,  might,  power, 
glory,  honor,  arts,  and  wisdom,  can 
avail  nothing.  And,  truly,  man  would 
undoubtedly  perish  in  this  grievous 
condition,  if  he  were  not  supported  by 
divine  grace :  for  nothing  but  this  is 
able  to  succor  him. 

13.  Learn,  therefore,  O  man,  duly 
to  look  into,  and  rightly  to  consider 
the  abominable  filthiness  of  Original 
Sin,  as  the  sink  of  all  abomination. 
For  by  this  the  hereditar}'  righteous- 
ness of  God  was  lost,  and  the  heredi- 
tary unrighteousness  of  the  devil 
transplanted  into  men.  Hence  the 
sinner  was  cast  away  from  God,  and 
doomed  to  an  eternal  death  :  and  this 
he  must  certainly  undergo,  except  he 
obtain  forgiveness  of  sin  for  Christ's 
sake  through  faith. 

14.  But  to  set  the  state  of  fallen 
man,  both  as  to  soul  and  body,  in  as 
clear  a  light  as  possibly  I  can,  I  think 
it  well  to  give  a  fuller  description 
thereof  in  this  place;  most  earnestly 
entreating  every  one,  for  the  sake  of 
God  and  of  his  own  eternal  salvation, 
to  ponder  again  and  again,  and  seri- 
ously to  revolve  in  his  mind  that  orig- 
inal depravity  which  has  corrupted  our 
nature.  The  consequence  of  this  will 
be,  that  as  a  man  beholds  his  bodily 
face  in  a  glass,  and  knows  it,  so  he 
may  also  behold  in  himself  his  own 
wretchedness,  and  original  sin.  This 
will  daily  influence  him  to  lament  his 


own  distressed  condition,  and  to  sigh 
after  Him,  who  alone  is  able  to  heal 
us. 

15.  For  the  whole  Christian  life  is 
indeed  nothing  else,  than  a  constant 
wrestling  with  original  sin,  and  a  con- 
tinual purging  away  of  the  same  by 
the  aid  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  by 
true  repentance.  For,  in  proportion 
as  any  one  mortified  his  natural  pro- 
pensity to  evil,  in  that  degree  is  he  re- 
newed after  the  image  of  God,  even 
day  by  day;  and  they  who  are  not  in- 
wardly mortified  by  the  Holy  Ghost, 
are  at  best  no  more  than  hypocrites, 
let  them  make  ever  so  great  a  show 
with  an  external  profession  of  the 
Christian  faith.  Neither  can  they  ex- 
pect to  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God, 
since  they  are  not  renewed  into  his 
image :  for  whatsoever  is  not  dead  to 
itself,  nor  renewed  into  the  image  of 
God  by  his  Spirit,  is  altogether  unfit 
for  that  glorious  state. 

16.  From  all  this,  there  may  evi- 
dently be  inferred  the  absolute  neces- 
sity of  the  new  birth,  and  of  the  daily 
renovation  of  our  mind  into  the  image 
of  God.  This  necessity  will  yet  more 
fully  appear,  when  we  consider  the 
image  of  the  devil  according  as  the 
law  describes  it.  For  as  the  devil  not 
only  does  not  love  God,  but  rather 
hatts  him  with  his  whole  heart;  so  he 
has  infected  man's  soul  with  the  same 
contagion,  and  transfused  into  it  mal- 
ice against  God;  so  that  now  man  by 
nature  neither  loves,  honors,  believes, 
calls  upon,  nor  trusts  in  God ;  but  as 
he  is  filled  with  enmity  against  him, 
so  he  flees  from  him,  and  shuns  him. 
As  the  devil  is  hurried  on  with  a  blind 
fury,  and  lives  without  God  and  his 
will;  so  in  like  manner,  the  soul  of 
man  being  corrupted  by  him,  leads  a 
godless  life,  unmindful  of  God  and  of 
his  will.  This  inward  darkness  of  the 


148 


TEUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


[Book  I. 


mind,  is  attended  with  ii  frightful  de- 
struction of  the  divine  light  and  im- 
age;  and  brings  forth  that  aboniina- 
ble  sin,  in  which  man,  left  to  himself, 
saith:  "There  is  no  God."  Ps.  14:1. 
And  by  reason  of  this  blindness  of 
heart,  all  mankind  are  become  an 
abomination  bclbre  God,  in  all  their 
ways. 

17.  But  notwithstanding  so  dreadful 
a  night  of  apostasy,  there  still  remains 
a  spark  of  natural  light  in  man's  un- 
derstanding, by  which  he  might  come 
to  know  that  there  is  a  God  (Eom.  1 : 
20)  J  as  also,  that  this  God  must  be 
just,  according  as  all  the  heathen 
philosophers  teach :  but  as  for  the 
spiritual  life,  w^hich  is  after  God  and 
his  righteousness,  it  was  wholly  ex- 
tinguished in  man.  For  conscience, 
which  is  the  law  of  God  written  in 
every  man's  heart  w^hen  it  was  first 
formed  by  him,  teaches  every  one 
what  is  good  and  right.  Thus  if  you 
look,  for  instance,  upon  a  person  that 
is  unchaste,  there  is  not  one  that  so 
much  wallows  in  the  filth  of  the  flesh, 
but  he  now  and  then  thinks  with  him- 
self, "  Surely  there  is  a  God,  and  this 
God  is  most  pure  and  undefiled;  and 
so  not  like  to  me  by  any  means."  He 
cannot  but  reflect  further:  ''This  holy 
and  pure  God,  must  abhor  every  sort 
of  pollution  and  uncleanness;  and, 
therefore,  if  I  would  be  acceptable  to 
him,  I  ought  to  live  chastely,  and  to 
abstain  from  all  impurity."  But  this 
spark  of  light  is  soon  put  out  by  the 
filthy  lusts  of  the  flesh  which  crowd 
in  upon  the  mind;  these  overw^helm 
all  good  impressions,  just  as  a  spark 
of  fire  is  swallowed  up  by  a  flood  of 
water.  The  lust  of  the  flesh  is  kept 
within  the  heart,  and  the  conviction, 
which  began  to  reprove  it,  is  soon 
stifled. 

18.  From  this  it  plainly  appears. 


that  the  spiritual  life,  consisting  in 
holy  love  and  truth,  is  in  the  carnal 
or  natural  man  utterly  abolished.  And 
thus  tlie  wiser  sort  of  heathens,  how- 
ever they  might  sometimes  by  the 
light  of  nature  maintain  both  the  be- 
ing of  a  God,  and  his  providence  over 
human  affairs,  were  soon  carried  away 
with  the  darkness  of  their  own  hearts, 
and  again  called  in  question  that  prov- 
idence which  they  had  before  asserted : 
so  that  very  little  is  to  be  made  of 
what  they  say  on  this  head.  This 
their  books  sufficiently  declare.  From 
this  hereditary  blindness  of  heart,  and 
this  natural  inbred  darkness,  spring 
unbelief  and  doubts.  And  because  all 
men  are  by  nature  in  this  degenerate 
state,  they  are  an  abomination  in  the 
sight  of  God ;  since  there  is  no  faith 
in  them,  nor  any  filial  reliance  upon 
the  23aternal  goodness  of  God.  To 
this  spiritual  life,  and  to  the  various 
operations  that  proceed  from  it,  the 
natural  man  is  an  utter  stranger; 
consequently  he  does  not  call  upon 
God,  but  trusts  to  his  own  wisdom, 
power,  and  strength.  This  is  the 
greatest  blindness  and  darkness  of 
mind  possible. 

19.  From  this  blindness  of  heart, 
further  arise  both  a  contempt  of  God, 
and  a  state  of  carnal  security.  As  the 
devil  does  not  humble  himself  before 
God,  but  is  hardened  in  pride;  so  has 
he  infected  the  soul  of  man  with  tlie 
same  vice,  and  poisoned  it  with  con- 
tempt of  God,  security,  and  presump- 
tion. Hence  he,  like  his  father  the 
devil  (John  8  : 44),  w^ill  not  humble 
himself  before  God ;  but  is  stout  and 
insolent,  haughty  and  self-willed,  and 
would  do  everything  after  his  own 
will,  without  the  least  fear  of  the  Lord 
to  keep  him  awe.  As  the  devil  relies 
on  his  own  strength  and  wisdom,  and 
thereby  entirely  governs  himself;  so 


Ceiap.  XLL] 


TEUE  CHRISTIA^^ITY. 


149 


fallen  man,  being  infected  with  the  con- 
tagion ofSatan,  acts  in  conformity  with 
him;  and  will  always  be  his  own  coun- 
Bcllor  and  master.  Moreover,  as  the 
devil  seeks  his  own  honor,  so  does  the 
natural  man,  who  bears  his  image. 
He  is  in  pursuit  of  self-honor,  without 
any  regard  to  his  Maker,  whose  honor 
be  was  designed  to  promote.  As  the 
devil  blaspliemes  the  name  of  God,  and 
is  ungrateful  to  his  Creator;  so  it  is 
with  man,  transformed  into  his  image. 
As  the  devil  is  unmerciful,  wrathful, 
and  revengeful,  so  is  the  soul  of  man, 
which  he  has  soured  with  the  same 
leaven  of  malice.  As  the  devil  delights 
to  lord  it  over  men,  and  to  please  him- 
self with  vainglory,  so  man,  tainted 
with  the  same  t^'rannical  ambition, 
haughtily  lifts  himself  up  above  othei's. 
He  lau^jhs  at  his  neio:hbor,  and  shuns 
his  company,  as  if  he  were  a  worthless, 
pitiful  person,  and  too  great  a  sinner 
to  be  conversed  with.  But,  O  man  ! 
thou  art  to  consider  over  and  over 
again,  that  in  these,  and  all  other 
cases,  the  method  of  God  is  not  to 
charge  or  accuse  the  outward  mem- 
bers of  a  man,  but  the  heart  o\\\y.  The 
heart  is  the  murderer  and  the  liar,  not 
the  hand  nor  the  mouth.  It  is  the 
soul  that  is  guilty ;  and  this  is  there- 
fore everywhere  arraigned  in  Scrip- 
ture. So  when  God  commands  men 
to  call  upon  him  in  the  time  of  trouble 
(Ps.  50  :  15),  he  gives  this  command  to 
the  soul,  not  to  the  lips.  And  it  is  the 
\Gvy  same  in  every  other  case.  Who- 
soever does  not  observe  this  necessary 
rule  in  reading  the  Scriptures,  is  blind 
indeed.  He  can  never  have  a  rij^ht 
apprehension  of  original  sin,  repent- 
ance, or  regeneration  :  nay,  he  cannot 
attain  to  a  sound  know^ledge  of  any 
one  article  of  the  Christian  reliffion. 

20.  Wc  have  daily  before  our  eyes 
the  extreme  wickedness  of  men,  their 


horrid  pride,  savage  hatred,  barbarous 
enviousness,  and  other  impious  quali- 
ties, with  w^hich  they  tear  one  another, 
after  the  manner  of  wild  beasts.  Many 
are  transported  to  such  a  degi-ec  of  • 
malice,  as  to  be  unconcerned  about 
their  own  lives,  provided  they  can  but 
hurt  or  destro}^  another.  Their  neigh- 
bor must  submit  to  their  pleasure,  or 
expect  to  have  a  snare  laid  for  his 
ruin.  Thus,  as  the  devil  himself  is  a 
"  murderer  from  the  beginning"  (John 
8  : 44);  so  he  stirs  up  the  soul  of  man 
to  thirst  after  the  blood  of  others. 
For  all  these  inhuman  qualities  of  the 
heart,  this  envy  and  wrath,  this  bit- 
terness of  mind,  this  rancor  and 
malice,  what  are  they  but  the  seed  of 
the  devil  sown  in  man,  and  liis  express 
image  engraven  upon  the  soul?  Alas! 
how  the  devil  has  pjortrayed  himself 
in  man  ! 

21.  God  had  implanted  in  man  a 
conjugal  affection,  that  was  pure  and 
honorable ;  that  thence  children  might 
be  beo:otten  after  the  divine  imaije. 
Nor  could  there  have  been  a  love  more 
holy  and  heavenly,  than  that  by  which 
man,  in  his  blessed  estate,  would  have 
thus  propagated  the  image  of  God 
and  mankind  at  the  same  time.  All 
would  have  been  for  the  glory  of  his 
Creator,  and  the  salvation  of  man. 
Kay,  if  man  in  the  state  of  innocency 
could  have  begotten  a  vast  multitude 
of  children,  and  have  thus  propagated 
the  honor  and  image  of  God  ;  nothing, 
certainly,  could  have  been  more  grate- 
ful to  him  than  this;  nothing  more 
delightful,  more  full  of  holy  joy  and 
satisfaction.  For  these  acts  would 
then  have  proceeded  from  pure  love 
to  God  and  to  men,  as  so  many  images- 
of  the  Supreme  Good.  As  God  found 
in  the  creation  of  man,  a  holy  pleas- 
ure, and  delighted  in  him,  as  in  his 
image;  so  also  man  would,  in  like 


150 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  I. 


manner,  have  been  Rcnsible  of  a  most 
pure  and  exquisite  joy  in  the  procrea- 
tion of  his  like,  for  it  would  have  been 
the  propagation  of  God's  image.  But, 
alas!  Satan  has  polluted  this  chaste 
flame  of  conjugal  love  with  all  unclcan- 
iiess.  Men  and  women,  actuated  with 
a  blind  transport  of  lust,  beget  chil- 
dren in  their  own,  not  in  God's  like- 
ness. Gen.  5  :  3.  How  is  the  holy  bond 
of  matrimony  trampled  upon  and  pro- 
faned! How  wholly  defiled  is  it  with 
spots  of  the  flesh,  and  what  a  multi- 
tude of  vices  and  impurities  now  shel- 
ter themselves  under  the  sacred  name 
of  matrimony ! 

22.  As  God  is  just,  the  devil  is  un- 
just. The  devil  is  therefore  a  thief,  a 
plunderer;  and  being  soin  himself,  has 
instilled  into  man's  soul  the  same  un- 
just disposition,  the  same  ravenous 
nature.  The  devil  is  a  false  accuser 
(Eev.  12  :  10),  a  fallacious  reasoner 
(2  Cor.  11  :  3),  and  a  treacherous  in- 
former (Job  1  :  9,  10),  as  well  as  a 
scornful  mocker  of  God  and  man. 
Job  2:3,4,  5.  He  misrepresents  both 
words  and  actions,  and  wrests  them  to 
a  wrong  sense.  Of  this  artful  contriv- 
ance he  gave  a  striking  instance  when 
he  beguiled  our  first  parents  by  his 
craft  and  subtlety.  Gen.  3  :  5-7.  Thus 
the  soul  of  man,  corrupted  by  Satan, 
has  received  from  him,  as  by  inherit- 
ance, a  perverse  and  lying  nature. 
John  8  :  44.  This  poison,  conveyed 
into  the  soul,  is  so  horrible  and  so 
manifold,  as  to  render  it  altogether 
impossible  to  declare  at  large  the  sub- 
tile contrivances,  and  the  different 
kinds  of  diabolical  art  and  cunning 
that  proceed  from  it.  Eph.6: 11.  Read 
Psalm  5  :  9,  Romans  3  :  13,  and  James 
3  :5,  6;  and  thou  shalt  find  described 
therein  in  the  most  lively  terms,  that 
world  of  wickedness,  Avhich  by  a  de- 
ceitful tongue  is  drawn  forth  from  the 


diabolical  venom  that  lurks  within, 
and  that  thence  spreads  itself  through 
the  whole  man.  For  God  does  not 
blame  the  tongue,  or  the  hands  alone, 
but  in  his  law,  charges  the  fault  upon 
the  whole  man,  yea,  upon  the  heart, 
as  the  chief  cause  of  all  the  evils  com- 
mitted. See  the  Commandments,  in 
Exodus  20  :  16,  17.  This  ought  to  be 
particularly  observed  in  the  whole 
course  of  a  religious  life. 

23.  And  th  is  is  that  image  of  tlio 
devil,  which  now,  instead  of  the  im- 
age of  God,  is  so  deeply  engraven  on 
the  soul.  Hereby  man  is  made  to  de- 
light in  sinning,  and  in  slandering  an- 
other, even  as  the  devil's  name  im- 
ports. Rev.  12  :  10.  How  many,  alas! 
are  there,  that  reckon  themselves  very 
good  Christians,  and  yet  will  not  hesi- 
tate to  slander  their  neighbor  upon 
any  occasion  that  offers;  and  after 
they  have  discharged  their  venom 
against  him,  will  applaud  themselves 
for  what  they  have  done.  Such  a  man 
will  say:  "This  is  just  what  1  have 
sought  for  a  long  while;  I  am  now 
eased  of  a  great  bui-dcn;  I  seem  to  be 
alive  again,  as  I  have  so  finely  treated 
such  a  one."  Ah !  poor  man,  thou  art 
to  be  pitied!  How  great  is  thy  blind- 
ness, that  thou  dost  not  discern  who 
it  is  that  has  transformed  thee  into 
such  a  devil  and  slanderer;  and  whoso 
image  it  is  thou  carriest  about  thee! 
Seest  thou  not  that  this  is  the  very 
nature  of  the  devil,  the  unhappy  seed 
of  Satan  ?  Discernest  thou  not  this  to 
be  his  true  temper,  w' hich  he  has  im- 
planted in  the  soul  of  man,  that  it 
might  there  display  itself,  in  all  sorts 
of  vices,  but  more  particularly  in 
pride,  covetousness,  lust,  and  slander; 
even, as  daily  experience  abundantly 
witnesses?  Alas,  is  this  thy  wit,  and 
cunning,  and  wisdom  ? 

24.  Behold,  O  man  1  the  foul,  the 


Chap.  XLT.] 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


151 


horrible,  the  profound  corruption  of 
Original  Sin!    O  how  filthy,  how  un- 

i searchable  it  is!  Consider  this  again 
and  again  ;  and  descending  into  thy- 

jsclf,  learn  there  to  know  the  image 
and  nature  of  Satan,  which,  like  a 

; gangrene,  is  spread  through  thy  whole 
soul,  together  with  all  the  dangerous 

I  symptoms  that  attend  it.    And  learn 

I  how  thy  soul  is  hence  become  an 
abomination  before  God,  and  is  laid 

1  waste  in  so  dreadful  a  manner,  that 

ino  creature  is  able  thoroughly  to 
search  out  the  malignity  of  the  heart 
of  man.  Neither  art  thou  thyself 
able  sufficiently  to  explore  it,  or  to 
explain  in  words,  that  detestable 
venom  which  is  as  rottenness  in  thy 
innermost  parts.  Wherefore,  I  earn- 
estly beseech  and  entreat  every  one, 
that  he  ponder  with  himself^  and  seri- 
ously reflect  on  those  things  that  have 
been  said  concerning  the  depravity  and 
corruption  of  man's  heart ;  even  as  if 
they  had  been  inculcated  a  thousand 
and  thousand  times,  over  and  over 
again.  For  so  great  is  this  virulence, 
so  malignant  and  pestilential,  as  to 
put  it  beyond  the  power  of  any  crea- 
ture, either  angel  or  man,  ever  to  root 
it  out,  or  to  cleanse  or  free  our  nature 
from  it.  All  the  powers  of  men  come 
short  of  so  great  a  performance.  For 
how  should  any  one  be  able  to  work 
out  his  salvation  with  his  own  natural 
powers,  since  they  all  without  ex- 
ception are  utterly  depraved,  and  dead 
to  spiritual  things?  Man,  therefore, 
must  be  forever  miserable,  and  eter- 
nally lost  in  this  corruption,  unless 
there  come  to  his  help  one  that  is  able 
to  succor,  and  to  apply  a  healing  med- 
icine to  so  dreadful  a  disease.  This 
must  be  a  lord  over  sin  and  death, 
able  to  subdue  so  obstinate  an  evil, 
and  by  his  divine  virtue,  to  renew, 
transform,  and  purify  again  the  de- 


filed nature  of  man.  All  this  is  a  con- 
vincing proof,  ihixt  justification  cannot 
be  the  work  of  man,  but  is  the  work 
of  God  only ;  and  likewise  that  re- 
generation^  or  the  being  born  again  by 
the  Spirit,  is  indispensably  needful  to 
the  restoring  of  fallen  nature.  For  in 
conformity  to  the  inward  principle  of 
corruption,  there  is  now  a  sort  of  ne- 
cessity that  the  soul  should  live  a  per- 
verse and  impious  life.  Man  docs  not 
now  hesitate  openly  to  transgress  all 
the  commandments  of  God  ;  and  this 
is  enmity  against  God.  The  under- 
standing and  will  are  now  so  dead, 
and  so  much  enslaved  by  sin,  that  ac- 
cording to  their  natural  bent,  they  are 
incapable  of  any  love,  fear,  or  rever- 
ence for  God.  They  cannot  call  upon 
him,  honor  him,  praise^  or  worship 
him;  the^^  cannot  put  the  least  trust 
in  him,  or  turn  themselves  towards 
him.  Many  of  the  heathens  have,  in- 
deed, been  illustrious  for  their  good 
and  virtuous  deeds,  and  gained  no 
small  credit  by  their  morality.  But 
it  is  utterly  impossible  for  nature  to 
change  the  hearty  to  turn  it  to  God,  and 
to  cleanse  it  from  those  sinful  affec- 
tions that  lurk  within.  This  work  is 
to  be  accomplished  only  b}^  a  divine 
power.  For  notwithstanding  all  this 
glittering  show  of  morality  which 
some  make,  there  still  remains  the  in- 
ward root  of  the  tree  of  evil,  whose 
fibres  stick  so  fast  in  the  soul,  that  no 
human  power  can  ever  destroy  them. 
The  utmost  that  a  man  can  do  in  so 
sad  a  case,  is  to  prevent  the  fire  from 
breaking  out  into  flames,  so  as  to  con- 
sume all  that  comes  near  it ;  but  not- 
■\vithstanding  this  damp  which  is  cast 
upon  it,  the  evil  fire  still  keeps  in,  and 
secretly  burns  as  much  as  ever. 

25.  Were  not  human  life,  and  the 
management  of  civil  and  social  afl'airs 
under  some  check,  the  whole  race  of 


152 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  I. 


miinkiiKl  would  be  destroyed  at  once, 
and  rooted  uj)  from  off  the  face  of  the 
earth.  But  though  the  devil  has  ex- 
ercised an  exceedingly  great  cruelty 
over  man,  yet  God  lias  not  suffered 
him  to  ])luclv  up  all  the  natural  powers 
and  affections  from  man's  soul,  or  to 
extinguish  the  spark  of  free  will  which 
remains  in  the  soul.  There  still  re- 
main the  \ii\v  of  nature  and  the  nat- 
ural love  subsisting  betwixt  husband 
and  wife,  parents  and  children.  With- 
out this  it  would  have  been  impossible 
for  mankind  to  have  long  subsisted 
upon  earth.  For  he  who  obeys  the 
unbridled  lusts  and  desires  of  his  cor- 
rupt nature,  must  be  looked  upon  as 
the  very  bane  of  all  society.  He  cn- 
tirel}^  ruins,  as  much  as  in  him  lies,  all 
commerce  and  dealings  betwixt  men. 
It  is,  therefore,  an  effect  both  of  God's 
mercy  and  wisdom,  that  he  has  pre- 
served in  fallen  man  this  little  fiame 
of  natural  love:  the  design  of  which 
is,  that  by  the  sense  of  this  love,  we 
might  know  in  some  degree  the  excel- 
lency of  that  spiritual  and  divine  love 
which  w^e  have  lost  by  the  fall  of  man; 
and  that  from  feeling  the  one,  w^e 
might  be  brought  to  consider  the 
worth  of  the  other,  and  to  breathe  af- 
ter the  recovery  of  the  same.  But  as 
to  spiritual  matters,  and  such  things  as 
more  immediately  concern  the  happi- 
ness of  the  soul,  and  the  kingdom  of 
God,  nothing  can  be  more  true  than 
that  saying  of  the  apostle,  "The  nat- 
ural man  receiveth  not  the  things  of 
the  Spirit  of  God  ;  for  they  are  fool- 
ishness unto  him:  neither  can  he  knovv 
them,  because  they  are  sj^iritually  dis- 
cerned." 1  Cor.  2  :  14.  That  is,  man 
in  his  natural  state,  has  not  so  much 
as  one  spark  of  spiritual  and  divine 
light;  but  is  wholly  blind  in  the  things 
that  appertain  to  the  heavenly  life, 
and  that  constitute  the  image  of  God 


in  the  new  creature.  Man,  neverthe- 
less, was  created  for  this  only  eud, 
that  by  means  of  this  spiritual  light 
he  might,  with  the  inward  eye  of  tLi 
soul,  contemplate  the  gracious  pres- 
ence of  God,  and  his  sincere  love  to- 
wards him;  and,  continually  walking 
with  and  before  the  Lord,  absolutely 
depend  upon  Ilim,  and  submit  him.self 
to  be  governed  by  His  will  and  pleas- 
ure. 

26.  The  natural  man  not  having  so 
much  as  one  spark  left  of  this  spirit- 
ual light,  it  cannot  but  bo  that  all  mci 
must  abide  in  their  natural  blindne.-.. 
unless  they  be  enlightened  by  God 
himself.  This  is  that  hereditary  spir- 
itual blindness,  which  utterly  incapac- 
itates us  for  the  knowledn-e  of  such 
concerns  as  relate  to  the  kingdom  ot 
God.  But  if  it  happen,  as  too  often  it 
does,  that  a  man  besides  this,  indulge 
in  evil  practices,  then  that  spiritual 
blindness  is  followed  still  by  another, 
even  natural  blindness,  which  pro- 
duces mournful  effects  in  the  fallen 
soul.  For  by  so  prevailing  a  wicked- 
ness, that  w^eak  glimmering  light 
w^hich  yet  sparkles  in  man,  and  would 
reason  him  into  outward  honesty  of 
life,  is  at  last  totally  extinguished; 
and  the  soul  is  struck  with  utter 
blindness  and  darkness  of  heart,  and 
must  forever  continue  so,  unless  Christ 
enlightens  it. 

27.  What  art  thou,  then,  O  man, 
unless  Christ  by  his  Spirit  regenerate 
thee,  make  thee  a  new  creature,  and 
transform  thee  into  the  image  of  God  ? 
This  new  creation,  necessary  as  it  is, 
is,  however,  only  begun  in  this  life, 
and  must  struggle  under  the  weight 
of  many  infirmities.  If  thou  dost  but 
look  into  thyself,  even  after  thou  art 
become  a  new  creature  through  the 
Holy  Ghost,  it  will  plainly  appear 
that  the  image  of  God  is  but  slightly 


bnAP.  XLII.]  TEUE  CHRISTIANITY.  153 


delineated,  and,  as  it  were,  shadowed 
Dut  in  thee.  Dost  thou  not  see,  that 
'faith,  hope,  charity,  and  the  fear  of  the 
jLord,  are  as  yet  but  weak,  and  hardl}^ 
\xh\G  to  advance  beyond  the  first  priii- 
biplcs  of  the  Christian  life?  Dost  thou 
iiiot  sec  how  slender  thy  humility  is, 
|tiiid  how  deeply  the  sin  of  distrust, 
ipride,  and  impatience,  is  rooted  in  thy 
i)reast?  Dost  thou  not  find  thy  devo- 
ion  weak  and  languid  ;  and  thy  char- 
ty  towards  thy  neighbor  compara- 
tively cold  ?  IIow  tender  a  spark  of 
oure  chastity  remains  in  the  heart; 
ind  how  vast  a  fire  of  cai-nal  desire 
3urns  within  !  IIow  faint  the  one,  how 
'iolent  the  other!  How  great  still  are 
Ihy  self-love,  self-honor,  and  interest, 
liins  that  lurk  within,  and  do  not  al- 
vays  outwardly  appear!  And  how 
ierce  is  the  tide  of  evil  concupiscence 
vhich  flows  in  upon  thee,  and  disturbs 
hy  inward  repose !  Whence  it  follows, 
hat  to  the  very  last  moment  of  our 
ives,  w^e  must,  by  the  Spirit  of  God, 
lontinually  w^-estle  with  the  old  Adam, 
,nd  with  the  image  of  Satan.  All 
his  urges  us  incessantly  to  pray,  sigh, 


and  seek,  till  the  Divine  Spirit  be  be- 
stowed upon  us,  in  order  to  destroy 
the  image  of  Satan  daily,  and  to  re- 
store the  image  of  God  to  us. 

28.  From  all  this,  thou  canst  easily 
understand,  O  man  !  that  thou  art  never 
to  rely  on  thine  own  strength  ;  but  en- 
tirely to  cleave  to  the  grace  of  God, 
which  alone  is  able  to  work  all  this  in 
thy  soul.  All  things  are  to  be  sought 
and  obtained  from  and  by  Christ 
through  faith.  From  Him  thou  art  to 
receive  divine  knowledge  and  wisdom, 
against  thy  own  blindness;  his  right- 
eousness, against  all  thy  unrighteous- 
ness; his  holiness  against  all  thy  im- 
purity; a  full  redemption,  power,  and 
victory,  against  death,  hell,  and  the 
devil.  From  Christ  thou  must  obtain 
remission. of  all  thy  sins,  against  the 
kingdom  of  sin  and  Satan,  and  against 
all  the  combined  powers  thereof;  and, 
lastly,  everlasting  happiness,  against 
all  spiritual  and  bodily  adversities 
and  troubles.  In  this  order,  life  eternal 
is  to  be  derived  from  Christ.  But  of 
this,  more  shall  be  said  in  the  Second 
Book  of  this  volume. 


CHAPTER  XLII. 

p  THIS  CONCLUDING  CHAPTER  THE  REASONS  FOR  ADOPTING  THE  METHOD  OB- 
SERVED  IN    BOOK    I.    ARE    EXPLAINED  ;    THE    DUTY    OF    GUARDING  AGAINST 

'  SPIRITUAL  PRIDE  IS  DESCRIBED,  AND  THE  TRUTH  IS  SET  FORTH  THAT  TRUE 
SPIRITUAL  GIFTS  CANNOT  BE  OBTAINED  WITHOUT  PRAYER. 

Vhat  hast  thou  that  thou  didst  not  receive  ?  now  if  thou  didst  receive  it,  why  dost  thou  glory,  as 
if  thou  hadst  not  received  it  ? — 1  CoR.  4  :  7. 


r  REGAED  it  as  necessary,  before 
K  I  conclude  this  Book,  to  call  the 
leader's  attention  to  several  jDoints. 
1  2.  In  this  Book,  repenta?ice  and  its 
jruits,  have,  for  various  reasons,  been 


explained  at  large,  and  in  different 
ways.  Most  of  the  Chapters  in  this 
Book,  accordingly,  treat  upon  the 
fruits  of  true  repentance  ;  such  as  our 
renovation  in  Christ,  the  daily  morti- 


I 


154 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  I. 


fication  of  the  flesh,  tlie  practice  of 
8elf  denial,  contempt  of  the  world,  the 
exercise  of  charity,  etc.  For  therein 
we  find  the  heginning  and  foundation 
of  true  Chi'istianity,  of  a  holy  life, 
and  of  salvation  itself,  through  true 
faith.  So,  too,  no  solid  comlbrt  can 
ever  be  tasted  in  the  heart  of  man, 
unless  he  be  thoroughly  acquainted 
with  the  nature  of  Original  Sin,  that 
dreadful,  mortal,  and  diabolical  evil, 
which  is  like  an  infernal  poison  (ah, 
it  is  impossible  sufficiently  to  describe 
and  deplore  it!)  and  has  proved  the 
seed  of  a  multitude  of  iatal  and  per- 
nicious fruits.  All  the  books  of  com- 
fort, and  all  the  in-omises  with  which 
the  Gospel  abounds,  afford  no  substan- 
tial consolation  to  a  man,  except  he 
be  first  thoroughly  humbled  by  a 
sense  of  his  misery,  and  of  that  awful 
evil.  Original  Sin.  Man,  in  this  fallen 
state,  is  too  apt  to  flatter  himself,  and 
to  look  for  comfort,  before  a  thorough 
search  has  been  made  into  his  own 
sinful  condition,  degeneracy,  and  apos- 
tasy from  God.  Nature  is  concerned 
for  comfort  more  than  tor  a  cure. 

3.  But  this  is  very  preposterous, 
and  altogether  against  the  tenor  of 
Scripture,  and  the  method  of  salvation 
therein  explained.  Our  Lord  says, 
"  The  whole  need  not  a  physician,  but 
they  that  are  sick."  Matt.  9  :  12.  No 
cure  can  be  expected,  no  medicine  can 
be  prescribed,  no  comfort  can  be  ap- 
plied, nor  can  Christ  himself,  the  great 
Physician  of  souls,  be  of  any  benefit 
at  all,  so  long  as  a  man,  thinking  him- 
self well,  is  not  sensible  of  those  deep 
distempers  that  rage  in  his  soul. 
Hence  a  true  Christian's  life  consists 
in  a  daily  crucifixion  of  the  flesh,  and 
of  all  its  sinful  j^ropensities.  O  that 
every  one  might  lay  this  earnestly"  to 
heart !  No  man  can  belong  to  Christ, 
or  have  a  share  in  his  merits,  but  he 


that  regulates  his  life  according  to 
this  rule.    Now,  such  a  soul  shall  not 
be  left  comfortless  in  the  end  ;  but,  ■ 
shall  be  refreshed  with  divine  consola-' 
tion.    No  sooner  is  a  soul  thoroughlv 
humbled  by  a  lively  sense  of  inbr^ 
corruption,  and  the  infectious  influeiii 
it  hath  on  all  the  actions,  than  it  is 
raised  again  by  those  suitable  grounds , 
of  comfort  which  the  Gospel  aftbrds.' 
In  all  this,  the  operation  of  the  Divii 
Spirit,  and  man's  meditation  on  tLv, 
word  of  promise,  concur,  and  bringj 
over  the  soul  to  Christ,  who  is  both 
willing  and  able  to  heal  her,  and  to 
turn  her  mourning  into  permanei 
gladness.     He  who  will  enter  upon 
this  course  of  true  and  sincere  repent- 
ance, must  be  careful,  at  the  same  time, 
not  to  be  shaken  by  the  foolish  judg-,i 
ment  which  this  impious  world  will' 
be  apt  to  pass  upon  the  whole  desi^ 
of  true  Christianity.    Let  the  profane 
worldling  think  ever  so  much  of  his 
own  natural  parts  and  wisdom,  it 
certain  that  he  is  altogether  blind  in 
the  things  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  and|; 
most  ignorant.    And  though  he  inayj 
exercise   his   reasoning    facally  on' 
things  that  are  far  above  his  reach 
and  capacity,  yet  while  he  has  i 
knowledge  of  the  wretchedness  of  L 
own  nature,  and  of  those  spiritual  di 
eases  that  spring  from  it,  he  contiiuu.- 
an  utter  stranger  to   spiritual  con- 
cerns.   He  does  not  understand  Avbiii 
Adam  and  Christ  are^  or  how  Adam  is 
to  die,  and  Christ  to  live  in  us  agaii! 
And  as  he  disdains  to  learn  what  1. 
knows  not,  he  must  forever  ronia;n 
in  darkness  and  ignorance.    Nor  will 
he  ever  be  able  in  that  state  to  obtain 
any  insight   into   the  grounds  and 
properties  of  true"  repentance,  faith  in 
Christ,  and  the  new  birth,  wherein  tnn 
Christianit}^  consists,  and  whereby  he 
might  be  rescued  from  everlasting  ruin. 


!nAP.  XLII.] 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


155 


4.  The  next  thing  which  I  would 
jiention  at  the  close  of  this  Book,  and 
'bich  thou  art  carefully  to  avoid,  is 
[le  Bin  of  spiritual  pride,  after  God  has 
pgun  to  implant  in  thee,  by  his  grace, 
!)iritual  gifts,  new  virtues,  new  habits 
f  mind,  and  new  knowledge.  See 
jiat  thou  ascribe  these  attainments 
bt  to  thy  own  power,  wisdom,  or  in- 
,istry,  but  to  the  grace  of  God.  Care- 
illy  avoid  taking  up  thy  rest  in  those 
irtues  and  good  dispositions  that  are 
•rmed  within  thee;  and  never  con- 
pe  in  them  as  means  of  thy  justifica- 
f^n  before  God.  For  as  they  are  ^^et 
larked  by  various  defects  and  imper- 
ictions,  so  they  can  never  pass  for 
je  perfect  righteousness  of  God. 
jever  seek  thy  own  honor  and  glory 
\  the  gifts  which  God  has  been 
jeased  to  bestow  upon  thee.  On  the 
•Intrary,  use  them  with  humility  and 
iir,  divesting  thyself  of  all  selfish 
Jsigns,  and  returning  all  thou  hast 
ijito  Him,  who  is  the  true  Disposer 
.•Id  Author  thereof  Do  not  say  in 
{y  heart:  "I  have  now  a  strong 
ith,  .fervent  charity,  much  knowl- 
<'ge,  many  gifts;"  for  these  sugges- 
Vns  are  the  tares,  which  the  enemy 
(|  thy  soul  sows  among  the  wheat 
'  lile  thou  sleepest. 

For,  (a)  none  of  these  gifts  are 
tjine,  but  God's  only,  without  whose 
i'umination  and  all-quickening  power, 
tiou  art  but  a  lifeless  lump  of  clay. 
-Iiese  gifts  are  no  more  thine,  than 
tie  light  and  heat  of  the  sun  are  the 
(jrth's,  which  is  warmed  and  pen- 
t-ated  by  them.  Thou  art,  at  the 
Ijst,  but  the  casket  to  hold  the  jew- 
;  and  the  glory  of  these  no  more 
blongs  to  thee,  than  the  lustre  of  a 
IjSeious  stone  belongs  to  the  box  in 
M'ieh  it  is  kept.  Is  it  not,  therefore, 
^bat  folly  to  boast  of  the  goods  of 
aother,  which  are  laid  up  in  thee? 


(b)  Thou  art  to  consider,  that,  as 
the  lord  of  a  treasure  may  lodge  his 
treasure  wherever  he  jjleases,  and  re- 
move it  as  he  thinks  fit;  so  God,  in 
like  manner^  may  deposit  his  heavenly 
treasure  in  thee,  and  take  it  away 
again,  as  he  sees  proper.  Him,  there- 
fore, thou  oughtest  to  fear  with  holy 
reverence,  and  at  the  same  time  care- 
fully beware  of  spiritual  pride  and 
presumption  :  for  this  would  issue  in 
the  inevitable  loss  of  the  celestial 
jewel  committed  to  thy  trust.  "Be 
not  high-minded^  but  fear."  Rom. 
11  :  20. 

(c)  Thou  art,  further,  to  consider, 
that  the  righteous  God  will  call  thee 
to  an  exact  account  of  all  he  has  in- 
trusted to  thy  care.  The  more  thou 
hast  received,  the  more  will  he  re- 
quire at  thy  hands. 

(d)  In  the  midst  of  all  thy  gifts,  do 
not  think  that  thou  hast  received  all 
that  the  Lord  has  in  store  for  his  chil- 
dren. Ah!  beloved  Christian  !  be  thy 
attainments  ever  so  hio-h  and  excel- 

o 

lent,  the}'  are  hardly  the  beginning; 
there  is  yet  much  which  thou  lackest. 

(e)  Seriously  consider,  that  no  good 
and  perfect  gifts  are  obtained  or  pre- 
served except  by  prayer:  for  every 
good  and  perfect  gift  descendeth  from 
God.  James  1  :  17.  Whatever  thou 
seemest  to  possess  without  this,  is  but 
a  lifeless  shadow,  a  seed  bearing  no 
fruit,  but  withering  away.  For  with- 
out prayer,  no  heavenly  gift  can  de- 
scend into  the  heart  of  man.  The 
reader  is  desired  to  peruse  what  is 
said  on  the  subject  of  Pra3'er  in  the 
Second  Book  of  this  Work.  There  are 
two  things  which  thou  must  chiefly 
regard  in  thy  prayers  and  application 
to  the  Lord :  fii'st,  That  the  Image  of 
Satan  be  destroyed  in  thee;  as  unbelief, 
pride,  covetousness,  lust,  wrath,  etc.; 
secondly,  That  the  Image  of  God  be  re~ 


156 


TRUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


[Book 


stored  in  thee:  in  which  are  contained 
faitli,  love,  hope,  humility,  patience, 
meekness,  and  the  tear  of  the  Lord. 
These  two,  that  is,  the  destruction  of 
the  Satanic,  and  the  restoration  of  the 
divine  image,  are  illustrated  in  the 
Lord's  Prayer.  This  j^raj-er  makes 
both  against  thee,  and  /or  thee.  If  the 
name  of  God  alone  is  to  be  hallowed, 
then  th}^  name  must  be  debased  and 
thy  haughtiness  be  pulled  down.  If 
the  kingdom  of  God  shall  come,  then 
certainly  the  devil's  kingdom  must  be 
overthrown  in  thee.  If  thou  desirest 
that  the  will  of  God  should  be  done, 
then  truly  thine  own  must  be  re- 
nounced. 


These  are  the  two  parts  into  whii 
any  useful  prayer-book  or  metboi  ( ' 
prayer  may  be  fitly  digested  ;  an  o 
der  which  is  clearly  exhibited  in  tl 
prayer  of  our  Lord,  so  far  as  it  respec 
those  heavenly  and  eternal  benefii 
and  gifts  which  we  are  directed  * 
seek.    Nay,  in  the  Lord's  Prayer,  n 
the  treasures  both  for  soul  and  bod  . 
and  all  the  things  which  we  needboi 
for  this  life  and  that  which  is  to  e( 
are  summed  up.    And  there  is  no  que 
tion,  but  that  the  Father  in  heave' 
according  to  his  paternal  compass 
will  readily  grant,  what  the  Son 
his.  love  has  so  strongly  comman-it 
us  to  ask. 


PEEFACE  TO  THE  SECOND  BOOK 


'i  S  in  nature,  my  dear  Christian 
;jL  reader,  the  destruction  of  one 
ting  is  the  production  of  another; 
<|en  so  is  it  in  a  true  Christian  life, 
'lie  old,  carnal  man  must  be  destroyed 
id  pass  away;  that  so  the  new  spir- 
iml  man  may  be  produced  in  his 
•ace.  And  as  our  carnal  life  is  di- 
;ctly  contrary  to  the  holy  life  of 
^,irist  (which  in  the  preceding  Book 

sufficiently  declared) ;  it  is  abso- 
'tely  needful  that  we  renounce  this 
♦rnal  life,  before  w^e  can  attain  the 
((iritual  life  of  Christ,  or  follow  him 
ij  those  steps  w^hich  he  has  been 
],eaeed  to  leave  us.  Thus,  for  in- 
t.mce,  thou  must  put  an  end  to  thy 
jlide,  before  thou  canst  be  truly  hum- 
Ije;  thou  must  cease  from  w^rath,  be- 
Jre  thou  canst  possess  the  virtue  of 
:teekness.  And  this  is  the  reason 
hy  the  spiritual  Christian's  life  ought 
";  proceed  from  true  repentance.  This 
:1  also  the  design  and  substance  of 
,e  preceding  Book,  as  plainly  appears 
i'th  from  the  order  in  which  the  chap- 
irs  are  arrano;ed,  and  from  the  Con- 
asion  appended  to  the  whole  Book. 

2.  Since,  however,  there  will  be  oc- 
•;8ion  to  treat  of  the  doctrine  of  re- 
;  ntance  in  some  chapters  of  this  Sec- 
'id  Book,  I  shall  now  give  some  ac- 
nintof  the  w^hole  method  into  which 
liis  Book  is  digested.  As  the  main 
•jsign  of  the  First  Book  was  to  lay 
oen  the  nature  of  Original  Sin,  and 
]Q  deadly  influence  which  it  has  upon 
.i  our  actions;  so  it  is  but  fit  that 
'je  Second  Book  should  bep-in  with 


Jesus  Christ,  that  everlasting  well- 
spring  of  man's  salvation,  in  whom 
alone  w^e  find  help  and  a  remedy 
against  the  destructive  poison  of  Orig- 
inal Sin,  and  against  that  flood  of  ca- 
lamities and  miseries  which  thence 
proceeds.  All  this  on  man's  side,  is 
effected  by  faith,  apprehending  that 
salvation  which  is  merited  by  Christ. 
This  matter  is  explained  in  the  first 
three  chapters  of  this  Book.  As,  how- 
ever, ihut  faith  which  leads  the  soul  to 
this  fountain,  and  draws  thence  effects 
so  excellent  and  good,  also  brings 
forth  living  and  sound  fruits;  the  next 
three  chapters  (lY-YI),  are  spent  in 
describing  the  same  more  at  large. 
But,  even  as  the  fruits  of  righteous- 
ness and  of  the  Spirit  are  to  grow  up 
in  us  and  wax  strong,  so  must  the 
fruits  of  the  flesh,  in  proportion,  decay 
and  decrease.  And  this  is  the  daily, 
effectual,  and  unfeigned  repentance, 
w^herein  a  Christian  ought  constantly 
to  be  employed,  if  ever  the  flesh  be 
mortified,  and  the  Spirit  be  restored 
to  dominion.  It  was,  therefore,  judged 
expedient,  to  give  here  a  clear  de- 
scription of  the  difference  betwixt  the 
flesh  and  the  Spirit,  and  of  the  proper- 
ties of  a  daily  repentance.  Here  con- 
sult Chapters  Yll-X.  But  inasmuch 
as  from  this  habitual  repentance,  and 
the  mortification  of  the  old  man  (the 
life  of  a  true  Christian  being  nothing 
else  but  a  constant  crucifixion  of  the 
flesh),  the  new  man  is  daily  to  come 
forth,  it  is  impossible  to  find  a  more 
perfect  pattern,  than  that  which  our 

(  157  ) 


158 


PEEFACE  TO  THE  SECOND  BOOK. 


Lord  Jesus  Christ  bimself  has  left  us. 
And  for  this  reason,  the  life  of  Christ 
ought  to  be  a  mirror  unto  us,  in  which 
to  view  ourselves  and  him ;  and  by  be- 
holding him,  to  embrace  the  more 
freely  his  poverty  and  reproach,  his 
contempt  and  sorrow,  his  cross  and 
passion,  his  agony  and  death.  And 
this  holy  life  of  Christ  is  the  death  of 
the  flesh,  and  is  accompanied  with  the 
exercise  of  prayer,  love,  and  humility. 
This  is  set  forth  at  large  in  Chapters 
XI-XXV. 

3.  Thus  are  the  humih'ty  and  lowli- 
ness of  Christ  a  true  ladder  of  ascen- 
sion for  a  penitent  soul;  by  means  of 
which  w^e  ascend  into  the  heart  of 
God,  as  of  a  loving  Father,  and  calmly 
repose  in  his  paternal  affection.  It  is 
the  liuman  nature  of  Christ  with  which 
we  begin  our  spiritual  life,  and  rising 
up  higher  and  higher,  arrive  at  last  at 
his  divine  nature.  It  is  then  that  we 
contemplate  in  Christ  the  heart  of  our 
Father  in  heaven.  It  is  then  that  we 
behold  him  as  the  sublime,  the  ever- 
lasting, essential,  and  infinite  Good; 
we  behold  him  as  the  immeasurable 
omnipotence,  as  the  unfathomable 
mercy,  the  unsearchable  wisdom,  the 
purest  holiness,  the  unspotted  and 
endless  righteousness,  the  most  per- 
fect goodness^  the  noblest  beauty,  the 
most  perfect  graciousness,  and,  at  last, 


as  the  most  joyful  salvation.  Thes 
points,  as  they  chiefly  make  up  Chri' 
tian  contemplation,  so  they  are  c> 
plained  in  Chapters  XXVI-XXXII. 
But  because  no  one  can  ever  arrive  m 
this  state  without  prayer,  hence  tl, 
ensuing    ten     Chapters  (XXXIV 
XLIII),  treat  upon  the  nature  o 
prayer,  and  the  exercise   of  divin 
praise.    And  since  this  life,  grouuf! 
on  maxims  of  sound  and  unfcigin 
religion,  will  soon  be  attended  wii 
crosses  and  tribulations,  there  follovv  fi! 
teen  Chapters  (XLIY-LVIII),  whov, 
in  are  considered  the  cross  of  Chi 
tians,  and  the  virtue  of  patience,  th  i 
practice  of  w^hicli  is  thereby  escecrl 
ingly  promoted.    To  all  this,  soi 
thing  is  added  of  the  nature  and  cod 
quest  of  those  deep  spiritual  tempt n 
tions,  v^^'ith  which  Satan  harasses  tb< 
that  adhere  to  the  Lord,  and  who  iii 
deavor  to  be  faithful  to  the  end. 

God  grant  that  w^e  may  all  be  tru 
followers  of  Christ,  not  ashamed  oi 
his  holy  life;  but  follow  the  Lamlf 
whithersoever  he  goeth,  and  be  led  u 
last  to  the  living  fountains  of  waters 
w^here  the  Lord  will  wipe  away  all 
tears  from  our  eyes  !  Amen. 

John  Arndt, 
General  Superintendent  in  the  Principality 
of  Luneburg. 


BOOK  II. 


CHAPTER  1. 


jiJESUS  CHRIST,  THE  SON  OF  GOD,  IS  GIVEN  TO  US  BY  OUR  HEAVENLY  FATHER 
AS  OUR  HELP  AGAINST  THE  DAMNABLE  AND  DEADLY  POISON  OF  ORIGINAL 
SIN,  AND  THE  PERNICIOUS  FRUITS  THEREOF,  AS  WELL  AS  A  PROTECTOR 
AGAINST  ALL  THE  CALAMITIES  AND  EVILS  BOTH  OP  THE  BODY  AND  THE 
SOUL. 

With  joy  shall  ye  draw  water  out  of  the  wells  of  salvation. — IsA.  12  :  3. 


AS  our  distemper  is  exceedingly 
great,  mortal,  damnable,  and  out 
|of  the  power  of  any  creature  to  re- 
'move  ;  therefore  it  is  needful  that  we 
should  have  a  remedy  proportioned  to 
jthe  disease;  a  high,  a  divine,  an  ever- 
Oasting,  remedy  and  help,  entirely  de- 
jrived  from  the  pure  mercy  of  God.  As 
iOur  original  disease  was  caused  by 
jthe  wrath,  hatred,  and  envy  of  the 
jdevil  (Gen.  3:1):  so  God,  in  tender 
|Compassion,  was  moved  to  heal  the 
,mortal  wound  of  our  sin  by  his  infinite 
jmercy.  And  as  Satan  had  used  his 
utmost  endeavors  and  subtlety,  in 
order  to  infect,  slay,  and  condemn  us, 
*God  was  pleased,  in  his  infinite  wis- 
rdom,  to  give  us  his  beloved  Son,  in 
order  to  restore  us  to  that  life,  happi- 
ness, and  salvation  which  we  had  lost. 
Hence  he  has  made  the  precious  blood 
of  Christ  to  be  the  grand  restorative 
|of  our  nature,  and  the  cleanser  from  all 
(the  contagion  of  sin.  He  hath  given 
lus  his  quickening  flesh,  to  be  our 
[bread  of  life ;  his  holy  wounds,  as  a 
sovereign  balsam  to  heal  our  wounded 
condition;  and  his  precious  death,  to 
be  an  abolition  of  our  death,  both 
temporal  and  eternal.  1  John  1:7; 
Acts  20  :  28 ;  John  6  :  32,  etc. ;  Isa. 


5;  2 


0  : 


2.  But  so  disabled,  so  weak,  and  un- 
done, is  fallen  man,  that  he  cannot  so 
much  as  apply  this  precious  medicine 
even  when  it  is  freely  offered  :  so  little 
health,  so  much  weakness  is  there  in 
him.  Nay,  we  even,  by  nature,  strive 
against  our  cure,  and  reject  the  rem- 
edy which  should  help  us.— Where- 
fore, O  Lord,  unless  thou  shouldst  draw 
me  after  thee  (Cant.  1  : 4),  and,  as  a 
faithful  physician,  administer  to  me 
what  thou  hast  ordered,  the  best  pre- 
scriptions will  avail  me  nothing.  Take 
me.  therefore,  entirely  into  thine  own 
hands,  and  trust  me  not  to  myself. 
If  I  be  left  to  myself,  the  eternal  ruin 
of  my  soul  will  be  my  lot.  Therefore 
"turn  thou  me,  and  I  shall  be  turned 
heal  me,  O  Lord,  and  I  shall  be  healed 
for  thou  art  my  praise."  Jer.  31  :  18 
17  :  14.  As  long  as  thou  keepest  back 
thy  mercy,  and  hidest  thy  face  f  rom  my 
sorrow,  I  shall  remain  in  a  diseased  con- 
dition. Ps.  30  :  3.  Whilst  thou  forbear- 
est  to  quicken  me,  I  am  tied  down  by 
the  chains  of  death.  Therefore  I  cry 
with  David,  "I  am  poor  and  needy; 
make  haste  unto  me,  O  God.  Thou 
art  my  help,  and  my  deliverer;  O  Lord, 
make  no  tarrying."  Ps.  70  :  5. 

3.  O  blessed  Lord !  shall  not  thy 
mercy  be  strong  enough  to  raise  a 

(  159  ) 


160 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  II. 


sick  poul  from  her  languishing  ill- 
ness? a  soul  that  is  not  able  to  raise 
herself?  Wilt  thou  not  condescend  to 
come  to  me,  since  it  is  not  possible 
that  I  should  come  to  thee  ?  Didst 
thou  not  love  me,  even  before  I  had 
so  much  as  a  thought  of  loving  thee 
again  ?  Thy  mercy  is  so  prevailing 
and  so  strong,  that  it  has  even  over- 
come thyself  Was  it  not  mercy  that 
nailed  thee  to  the  cross,  and  gave  thee 
up  to  death  ?  What  is  so  strong  as  to 
encounter  and  conquer  thee,  if  it  be 
not  the  strength  of  thy  own  mercy? 
What  has  might  sufficient  to  appre- 
hend thee,  and  to  bind  and  conduct 
thee  to  death,  but  thy  love  only, 
wherewith  thou  hast  loved  and  quick- 
ened us,  when  we  were  dead  in  tres- 
passes and  sins  ?  Eph.  2  :  1.  For  thou 
wouldst  thyself  undergo  the  pangs  of 
death,  rather  than  suffer  us  to  be  for- 
ever bound  over  to  death  and  eternal 
damnation ! 

4.  Thy  merc}^,  O  Lord,  has  made 
thee  all  our  own,  and  put  a  title  to  all 
thy  merits  into  our  hands.  When 
thou  becamest  a  tender  infant,  it  was 
wholly  for  our  sakes,  unto  whom  thou 
art  born  a  child."  Isa.  9  :  6.  When 
thou  wast  made  an  offering  for  our 
sins,  and  when  thou  wast  slain  as  an 
innocent  lamb  on  the  cross,  it  was  to 
give  up  thyself  unto  us,  and  freely  to 
impart  unto  us  all  things  beside.  O 
excellent  gift  of  God!  a  good  wholly 
appropriated  to  us,  even  our  own  pe- 
culiar good  and  treasure  ! 

(a)  Behold  I  beloved  Christian,  the 
wisdom  of  God  !  God  has  by  means 
of  this  everlasting  good  made  himself 
our  own  property,  that  he  might 
thereby  in  return  make  us  his  oivn. 
For  having  purchased  us  ''with  a 
f)rice,"  we  are  no  longer  our  own,  but 
his  who  hath  bought  us.  1  Cor.  6  :  19, 
20.    For  whosoever  receives  so  excel- 


lent a  gift,  receives  also  the  Giver 
himself,  from  whom  it  proceeds.  AikI 
again,  whosoever  possesses  any  goo*! 
as  his  own,  he  makes  it  his  own  to  all 
intents  and  purposes,  and  to  the  be-' 
advantage  he  can.  Thus,  likewise,  i 
Christ  become  thy  own  and  prop*  !• 
GOOD.  Thou  canst  apply  him  in  such 
a  manner,  as  to  obtain  by  him  ever- 
lasting life  and  sah^ition. 

{b)  Christ  is  become  the  true  me-d 
cine  of  thy  soul,  to  restore  thee — thv 
meat  and  thy  drink,  to  refresh  thop- 
thy  fountain  of  life,  to  quench  thy  thir 
— thy  light,  in  darkness — thy  joy,  i 
sadness — thine  advocate,  against  tlj\ 
accusers — wisdom,  against  thy  folly — 
righteousness,  against  thy  sin — sancl 
fication,  against  thy  unworthinesj?- 
redemption,  against  thy  bondage — tl 
mercy-seat,  against  the  judgment-seal 
— the  throne  of  grace,  against  thy  con 
demnation — thy   absolution,  again- 
thy  fearful  sentence — thy  peace  and 
rest,  against  an  evil  conscience — thv 
victory,  against  all  thine  enemies — 
thy  champion,  against  all  thy  perse- 
cutors— the  bridegroom  of  tby  soul 
against    all    rivals — thy  mediatoi 
against  the  wrath  of  God — thy  pro- 
pitiation, against  all  thy  trespasses— 
thy  strength,  against  thy  weakness— 
thy  way,  against  thy  wandering — thy 
truth,  against  lying  and  vanity — thy 
life,  against  death.    He  is  tliy  counsel, 
when  thou  hast  none  to  advise  thee— 
thy  power,  in  the  midst  of  thine  in- 
firmities— thy    Everlasting  Father, 
when  thou  art  forsaken  and  father- 
less— thy  Prince  of  Peace,  against  the 
adversary — thy  ransom,  against  thv 
debt — thy  crown  of  glory,  against  ih  \ 
reproach — thy  teacher,  against  thy  ig- 
norance— thy  Judge,  against  thy  op 
pressor — thy  King,  to   destroy  tbr 
kingdom  of  Satan — thine  everlasting 
High  Priest,  to  intercede  for  thee. 


Chap.  T.] 


TRUE  CIIEISTIANITY. 


161 


5.  (a)  Consider  now,  O  Christian, 
what  an  excellent  gift  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  is.   Let  it  be  thy  daily  prayer 
and  supplication  to  make  a  trne  sav- 
ing use  of  all  those  lieavenly  benefits, 
and  to  improve  all  the  offices  of  Christ 
to  the  end  for  which  they  are  de- 
signed.   If  he  be  thy  Medicine  (Matt. 
9 :  12),  fear  not  but  thou  shalt  be 
healed  :  since  he  is  thy  Bread  (John 
6:51),  thy  soul  shall  bo  filled.    Is  he 
to  thee  a  Fountain  of  Life  (Tsai.  12  : 
3),  then  truly  thou  shalt  thirst  no 
'  more.    Is  he  to  thee  a  Light  (John  8  : 
12),  then  thou  shalt  remain  no  longer 
[in  darkness.    Is  he  thy  Joy  (Luke  2  : 
1 10),  what  then  shall  afflict  thee  ?  Is  he 
!  the  Advocate  (1  John  2  : 1)  that  pleads 
'thy  cause,  what  adversary  shall  cast 
'thee?   Is  he  thy  Truth,  who  shall  de- 
'  ceive  thee  ?   Is  he  thy  Way,  who  shall 
'make  thee  to  err?    Is  he  thy  Life 
I  (John  14  :  6),  who  shall  slay  thee  ?  Is 
jhethy  Wisdom,  who  shall  seduce  thee? 
ils  he  thy  Eighteousness,  w^ho  shall 
condemn  thee?    Is  he  thy  Sanctifica- 
tion,  who  shall  reject  thee  ?   Is  he  thy 
Eedemption,  who  shall  imprison  thee? 
|l  Cor.  1 :  30.    Is  he  thy  Peace  (Eph. 
12:14),  who  can  disturb  thee  ?    Is  he 
'thy  Mercy-Seat  (Eom.  3  :  25),  who  can 
arraign  thee?    Is  he  thy  Throne  of 
i  Grace  (Heb.  4  :  16),  w^ho   can  give 
sentence  against  thee  ?   Is  he  thy  Dis- 
;  charge  and  Absolution  (Colos.  2:14), 
I  who  then  dares  impeach  thee  ?    Is  he 
I  the  Champion  and  the  Captain  of  thy 
■  Salvation  (Ileb.  2  :  10),  who  shall  be 
able  to  stand  against  thee  ?   Is  he  thy 
Bridegroom  (John  3  :  29),  who  then 
shall  snatch  thee  from  him  ?  Is  he  thy 
I  Eansom  (1  Tim.  2  :  6),  who  will  arrest 
thee?  Is  he  thy  Crown  of  Glory  (Heb. 
2:7),  who  then  shall  reproach  thee? 
Is  he  thy  Master  (John  13  :  13),  and 
Teacher,  who  then  shall  correct  thee? 
If  he  be  thy  Judge  (2  Thess.  1  :  9), 


who  shall  oppress  thee?  If  he  be  thy 
Eropitiation  (1  John  2:2),  who  shall 
accuse  thee?  If  he  be  thy  Mediator 
(1  Tim.  2 : 5),  who  shall  set  Gfxl  against 
thee  ?  If  he  be  thy  Advocate  (1  John 
2  : 1),  who  shall  prosecute  thee  ?  Is  he 
thy  Immanuel  (Isai.  7  :  14),  who  shall 
be  against  thee?  Is  he  th}-  King  (John 
12:  15),  who  shall  expel  thee  out  of 
his  kingdom?  Is  he  thy  High  Priest 
(Heb.  7  :  25),  who  can  refuse  his  inter- 
cession and  sacrifice?  Is  he  thy  Sa- 
viour (Matt.  1:  21),  who  shall  destroy 
thee  ? 

(b)  How  canst  thou  have  a  more  ex- 
cellent, a  more  valuable  present?  It 
is  a  present  of  greater  worth  than  thou 
thyself,  than  all  mankind,  and  all  the 
world  besides.  It  is  a  present  that 
infinitely  surpasses  all  the  sins,  miser- 
ies, and  calamities  of  the  whole  world. 
Christ  hereby  is  all  our  own,  both  as 
to  his  divine  and  his  human  nature. 
It  was  by  sin  we  had  forfeited  the 
richest  of  all  treasures,  the  Sovereign 
Good,  even  God  himself:  and  it  is  b}'' 
Christ,  that  all  is  made  up  again,  and 
God  himself  given  to  us  as  our  prop- 
erty. And  for  this  reason,  Christ  is 
called  Immanuel  (Isai.  7  :  14),  (which 
being  interpreted  is,  God  with  us),  that 
in  him  we  might  have  both  a  God  and 
a  Brother. 

6.  (a)  Consider  now,  O  Christian  ! 
what  an  immense,  what  an  infinite  good 
thou  hast  in  Christ  thy  Eedeemer,  and 
to  what  spiritual  benefits  thou  art  en- 
titled by  him.  If  people  were  but 
better  acquainted  with  the  sources  of 
this  heavenly  comfort,  then  no  cross, 
no  afiliction,  w^ould  seem  any  longer 
insupportable  to  them  ;  because  Christ 
would  be  all  in  all,  and  by  his  pres- 
ence alleviate  the  miseries  of  this  life. 
Christ  himself  is  ours  not  onl}-  as  a 
crucified  Christ,  but  also  as  he  is  glo- 
rified, together  with  all  the  majesty 


11 


1G2 


TEUE  CHPJSTIANITY. 


[Book  II. 


that  resides  in  him.  "  All  things  arc 
yours,  whether  Paul,  or  Apollos,  or 
Cephas,  or  the  world,  or  life,  or  death, 
or  things  present,  or  things  to  come; 
all  are  yours;  and  ye  are  Christ's; 
and  Christ  is  God's."  1  Cor.  3  :  21-23. 

(b)  Alas  !  poor,  miserable,  accursed, 
and  condemned  sinners,  that  we  by 
nature  all  are  !  How  came  we  to  be 
favored  and  honored  with  so  high  and 
inestimable  a  gift  ?  For  thou,  O  Lord 
Jesus,  art  to  us — Jehovah  our  Eight- 
eousness — a  Mediator  between  God 
and  man — our  everlasting  Priest — the 
Christ  of  God — a  Lamb  without  spot 
— our  pro])itiatory  oblation — the  ful- 
filment of  the  law — the  Desire  of  the 
patriarchs — the  Inspirer  of  the  proph- 
ets— the  Master  of  the  apostles — the 
teacher  of  the  evangelists — the  light 
of  the  confessors — the  crown  of  the 
martyrs — the  Praise  of  all  the  saints — 
the  resurrection  of  the  dead — the  first- 
born from  the  dead — the  glory  of  the 
blessed — the  consolation  of  the  mourn- 
ers— the  righteousness  of  sinners — 
the  ho-pG  of  the  afi3icted — the  refuge 
of  the  miserable — the  entertainer  of 
strangers — the  fellow-traveller  of  pil- 
grims— the  way  of  them  that  were 
mistaken — the  help  to  them  who  were 
forsaken — the  strength  of  the  weak 
— the  health  of  the  sick— the  protector 
of  the  simple — the  reward  of  the  just 
— the  flaming  fire  of  charity — the  Au- 


thor of  faith — the  anelior  of  hope — the 
flower  of  humility — the  rose  of  meek- 
ness— the  root  ®f  all  the  virtues — the 
exemplar  of  patience — the  enkindler  of 
devotion — the  incense  of  prayer — tl; 
tree  of  health — the  fountain  of  blcis> 
edness — the  bread  of  life— the  Hea  l 
of  the  church — the  bridegroom  of  the 
soul — the  precious  pearl — the  ix)ck  of 
salvation — the  living  stone — the  heir 
of  all  things — the  redemption  of  the 
world — the  triumphant  Conqueror  of 
Hell — the  Prince  of  Peace — themiirhiv 
lion  of  Judah — the  father  of  the  wor!  ' 
to  come — the  guide  to  our  heavenl. 
country — the ^ sun  of  righteousness — 
the  morning  star — the  inextinguish- 
able light  of  the  celestial  Jerusalem— 
the  brightness  of  the  everlasting  glory 
— the  unspotted  mirror — the  splendor 
of  the  divine  majesty — the  image  of 
the  paternal  goodness — the  treasu; 
of  wisdom — the  abyss  of  eternity — tl. 
be^xinnino;    without  be2:innin<x — tL 
word  upholding  all  things — the  hi 
quickening  all  things — the  light  en- 
lightening all  things — the  truth  judg- 
ing  all  things — the  counsel  moder- 
ating all  things — the  rule  directing  ali 
things — the  love  sustainino;  all  i\nn(i 
— the  whole  comprehension  of  all  thai 
is  good. 

(c)  This  is  the  great  and  infinite  gift, 
which  God  has  so  freely  bestowed  upon 
mortal  men. 


Chap.  II.] 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


163 


CHAPTER  II. 

THE  MANNER  IN  WHICH  THE  CHRISTIAN  SHOULD  APPLY  AND  APPROPRIATE  TO 
HIMSELF  THE  CONSOLATION  NOTICED  IN  CHAPTER  I. 

TJie  Son  of  man  is  come  to  seek  and  to  save  that  which  was  lost. — Luke  19  :  10. 


THE  first  or  chief  foundation  on 
^vhich  the  Christian  depends, 
when  he  derives  consolation  from  the 
doctrines  of  the  remission  of  sin,  and 
of  the  merit  of  Christ,  consists  in  the 
universal  extent  of  the  divine  promises; 
of  which  that  mentioned  above  is  not 
the  least  considerable.  For  if  Christ 
came  to  save  those  that  are  lost,  who 
can  possibly  doubt,  that  he  w^ill  also 
seek  and  save  thee,  since  thou  art  of 
the  number  of  the  lost.  It  is  also 
said,  that  God,  "commandeth  all  men 
ever}- where  to  repent;  because  he  hath 
appointed  a  day,  in  the  which  he  will 
judge  the  world  in  righteousness." 
Acts  17  :  30^  31.  This  argument  is 
full  of  consolation.  As  if  the  apostle 
had  said,  Ciirist  will  judge  the  world; 
and  therefore  God  commandeth  all  to 
repent,  that  all  may  escape  the  dread- 
I  ful  sentence  of  eternal  damnation. 
This  is  confirmed  by  St.  Peter,  who 
tells  us,  that  God  "is  not  willing  that 
any  should  perish,  but  that  all  should 
come  to  repentance."  2  Peter  3  :  9. 
All  which  passages  plainly  assert  the 
universal  grace  of  God,  extending  it- 
self to  all  men. 
2..  The  second  foundation  is  the  di- 
:  vine  oath.  In  order  that  no  room 
might  be  left  to  doubts  and  scruples  in 
i  this  grand  article,  God  has  confirmed 
the  universal  promise  of  grace  with 
an  oath.  "As  I  live,  saith  the  Lord 
I  God,  I  have  no  pleasure  in  the  death 
I  of  the  wicked,  but  that  he  turn  from 
.  his  way  and  live :  none  of  the  sins 

I 

I 


that  he  hath  committed,  shall  be  men- 
tioned unto  him."  Ezek.  33: 11, 16.  As 
if  he  had  said,  How  can  I  delight  in 
the  death  of  a  sinner,  who  am  Life  it- 
self? Let  but  the  wicked  be  converted, 
and  he  shall  certainly  live. — Behold  ! 
God  desires  sinners  to  be  converted ! 
And  dost  thou  doubt,  that  thou,  who 
art  a  sinner,  art  by  God  solicited  to 
conversion  ?  When  the  apostle  ex- 
plains this  oath,  he  says,  "This  is  a 
faithful  saying,  and  worthy  of  all  ac- 
ceptation, that  Christ  Jesus  came  into 
the  world  to  save  sinners."  1  Tim.  1 : 
15.  But  if  Christ  came  into  the 
world  with  an  intent  to  save  sinners, 
thou  art  undoubtedly  one  of  the  num- 
ber of  those  whom  he  came  to  save. 

3.  In  order  to  show  that  the  Lord 
will  not  retain  the  remembrance  of 
sin,  he  hath  no  less  than  three  times 
engaged  his  word.  First,  by  the 
prophet  Isaiah,  "I,  even  I,"  saj'S  he, 
"am  he  that  blotteth  out  thy  trans- 
gressions for  my  own  sake,  and  will 
not  remember  thy  sins."  Isa.  43:25. 
Secondly,  by  Jeremiah  he  hath  thus 
expressed  his  mind:  "This  shall  be 
the  covenant:  I  will  forgive  their  in- 
iquity, and  I  will  remember  their  sin 
no  more."  Jer.  31:33,  34.  And,  thirdly, 
by  the  prophet  Ezekiel,  "If  the  wick- 
ed," says  he,  "will  turn  from  all  his 
sins  that  he  hath  committed,  he  shall 
surely  live,  he  shall  not  die.  All  his 
transo-ressions  that  he  hath  commit- 
ted,  they  shall  not  be  mentioned  unto 
him."  Ezek.  18  :  21,  22.    This  is  the 


164 


TRUE  CHPJSTIAIS^ITY. 


[Book  II 


divine  act  of  oblivion,  solemnly  de- 
clared ill  favor  of  all  returning  sin- 
ners, without  exception. 

4.  Now  the  cause  or  reason  why 
God  promises  that  he  will  not  re- 
member sin  any  more,  is  no  other 
than  the  all-sufficient  satisfaction  and 
reconciliation  wrought  by  Christ.  For 
whatever  is  entirely  paid,  yea,  over 
and  above  paid,  should  bo  altogether 
buried  in  an  everlasting  oblivion. 
Now,  God  being  once  perfectly  recon- 
ciled and  satisfied  by  the  most  holy 
and  most  complete  sacrifice  of  Jesus 
Christ,  he  can  no  longer  be  angry, 
nor  perpetuate  the  remembrance  of 
our  transgressions. 

5.  The  same  oath  is  repeated  in  the 
prophet  Isaiah,  '-'Look  unto  me,"  says 
the  Lord,  "and  be  ye  saved,  all  the 
ends  of  the  earth  :  I  have  sworn  by 
myself;  the  word  is  gone  out  of  my 
mouth  in  righteousness,  and  shall  not 
return."  Isa.  45  :  22,  23.  AVhich  oath, 
the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews  explains 
in  this  manner:  '\ Wherein  God,  wil- 
ling more  abundantly  to  shew  unto 
the  heirs  of  promise  the  immutability 
of  his  counsel,  confirmed  it  by  an  oath: 
that  by  two  immutable  things,  in 
which  it  was  impossible  for  God  to  lie, 
we  might  have  a  strong  consolation, 
who  have  fled  for  refuge  to  lay  hold 
upon  the  hope  set  before  us:  which 
hope  we  have  as  an  anchor  of  the 
soul,  both  sure  and  steadfast."  Heb. 
G  :  17-19.  That  is,  God,  by  his  coun- 
sel and  promise,  having  confirmed 
them  with  an  oath,  hath  more  than 
sufficiently  sealed  and  established  his 
gracious  will;  that  so  none  might  be 
discourai>-ed. 

6.  The  third  foundation  is  the  eter- 
nal covenant  of  grace,  which  consists 
in  the  j^ardon  of  sin:  "This  shall  be 
the  covenant:  I  will  forgive  their  in- 
iquity, and  I  will  remember  their  sin 


no  more."  Jer.  31:33,  34.  And  thin 
covenant  or  testament,  because  con- 
firmed by  the  death  of  Christ,  is 
therefore  everlasting.  To  the  same 
purpose  the  Lord  sa3's  by  the  proph- 
et:  "ISeither  shall  the  covenant  of 
my  peace  be  removed,  saith  the  Lord, 
that  hath  mercy  on  thee."  Isa.  54:10. 
And  again,  "I  will  make  an  everlast- 
ing covenant  with  you,  even  the  sure 
mercies  of  David"  (l  e.,  Christ).  Lsa. 
55  :  3.  And  Moses  declai-es  the  same: 
"The  Lord  thy  God  is  a  merciful  Go.l: 
he  w^ill  not  forsake  thee,  neither  de- 
stroy thee,  nor  forget  the  covenant 
of  thy  fathers  which  he  sware  unto 
them."  Deut.  4  :  31.  And  ai^ain  we 
read:  "  He  will  ever  be  mindful  of  his 
covenant."  Ps.  111:5.  On  which  eter- 
nal covenant,  that  w^e  might  the  more 
firmly  rel^^,  he  hath  renewed  and  es- 
tablished it  with  every  one  by  Holy 
Baptism,  which  therefore  is  called 
"  The  answer  (or  covenant)  of  a  good 
conscience  towards  God."  1  Peter  3: 
21.  For  this  end,  Christ  himself  was 
baptized  in  Jordan,  and  thereby 
entered  with  us  into  this  covenant. 
Matt.  3  :  13. 

7.  The  fourth  foundation  is  the  death 
of  Christ,  by  which  the  covenant  or 
testament  of  God  was  ratified.  But 
if  any  ask,  For  whom  did  he  die?  St. 
Paul  answers,  that  "  he  died  for  all." 
2  Cor.  5  :  14,  15.  And  St.  John  says, 
"He  is  the  propitiation  for  the  sins  of 
the  whole  world."  1  John  2:2.  So 
John  the  Baptist  said:  "Behold  the 
Lamb  of  God,  which  taketh  away  the 
sin  of  the  world."  John  1  :  29.  This, 
the  apostle  explains  in  the  follov/ing 
comforting  manner:  "As  by  the  of- 
fence of  one,  judgment  came  upon  all 
men  to  condemnation  ;  even  so  by  tho 
righteousness  of  one,  the  free  gift 
came  upon  all  men  unto  justification 
of  life"  (Rom.  5  : 18) :  where  a  compari- 


ClIAP.  II.] 


TRUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


1G5 


Hon  is  made  betwixt  Christ  and  Adam. 
As  if  lie  had  said,  'Since  the  offence 
of  Adam  hath  been  so  strong,  as  to 
make  all  men  sinners;  shall  not  the 
righteousness  of  Christ  be  far  more 
powerful  to  make  them  righteous?  If 
bin  hath  abounded,  shall  not  grace 
much  more  abound?'  The  same  apos- 
tle, having  occasion  to  show  that  the 
merit  of  Christ  is  universal,  and  ex- 
tends itself  to  all,  thus  reasons  :  "  For 
there  is  one  God,  and  one  mediator 
between  God  and  men,  the  man  Christ 
Jesuo ;  who  gave  himself  a  ransom  for 
all."  But  if  this  be  true,  it  also  fol- 
lows, "that  God  will  have  all  men  to 
be  saved,  and  to  come  unto  the  knowl- 
edge of  the  truth."  1  Tim.  2  :  4-6.  On 
;  all  this  Paul  remarks,  that  God,  by 
'•'Christ  hath  reconciled  all  things  to 
1  himself,  whether  they  be  things  in 
earth,  or  things  in  heaven."  Col.  1 :  20. 
And  again  :  "  God  spared'not  his  own 
Son,  but  delivered  him  up  for  us  all." 
Rom.  8  :32.  In  this  number,  reckon 
,  also  thyself,  because  "  God  is  no  re- 
specter of  persons."  Acts  10:34.  Since, 
therefore,  Christ  died  for  sinners,  thou, 
who  acknpwledgest  thyself  to  be  one, 
^  must  necessarily  have  an  interest  in 
j  his  death,  and  in  all  the  benefits  pur- 
chased by  it. 

8.  The  Jifth  foundation  is  the  uni- 
!  versal  call,  grounded  upon  the  univer- 
f  sal  merit  of  Christ.    The  latter  was 
'  exhibited  for  the  sins  of  the  whole 
:  world,  and  it  was  proper  that  it  should 
'  be  preached  to  all  creatures.  Matt. 
9  : 13.    Now  since  Christ  declares :  "  I 
:  came  not  to  call  the  righteous,  but 
sinners  to  repentance"  (Mark  16 :  15), 
I  it  foilows,  that  thou  also,  because  thou 
1  art  a  sinner,  art  called.    But  called  to 
what?   To  repentance.     And  why? 
That  thou  mayest  obtain  remission 
of  sin,  through  faith.      It  behooved," 
jSays  the  Lord,     that  repentance  and 


remission  of  sins  should  be  preached 
in  the  name  of  Christ  among  all  na- 
tions." Luke  24  :  46,  47.  And  the 
apostle  affirms,  that  "the  gospel  was 
preached  to  every  creature  which  is 
under  heaven."  Col.  1  :  23.  But  to 
what  end  did  God  cause  it  to  be 
preached  ?  Surely  for  no  other  end 
than  that  thereby  faith  might  be 
kindled  and  established  among  men, 
according  to  that  saying  of  the  same 
apostle  :  "  How  shall  the}^  call  on  him, 
in  whom  the}'  have  not  believed  ?  and 
how  shall  they  believe  in  him,  of  whom 
they  have  not  heard?"  Rom.  10:  14. 
Whenever,  therefore,  God  calls  us  to 
repentance,  far  be  it  from  us  to  think 
that  God  calls  us  in  vain,  or  without 
a  real  design  to  save  us.  Surely  God 
does  not  deceive  us  :  but  in  this  serious 
affair  he  seriously  calls  upon  us,  that 
w^e  may  embrace  his  mercy,  and  ac- 
cept the  offer  of  grace.  Hence  he  is 
also  angry  with  those  who  make  light 
of  his  supper,  and  disdain  to  come  to 
his  feast.  Matt.  22 :  7.  *  AVhereas,  to 
those  who  obey  his  call,  through  faith, 
he  hath  given  his  promise,  full  of  hea- 
venly comfort  that  "  whosoever  believ- 
etli  in  him,  shall  not  perish,  but  have 
everlasting  life."  John  3  : 16.  ^s'ay,  he 
hath  graciously  promised  to  preserve 
the  same  faith  unto  the  end,  even  till 
the  salvation  of  the  soul,  which  is  the 
end  of  faith,  be  secured.  Phil.  1:6; 
1  Pet.  1  :  9. 

9.  The  sixth  foundation  is  the  in- 
ward testimony  of  the  divine  Spirit  in 
us,  who  seeks  after  righteousness,  and 
seals  us  unto  the  day  of  redemption. 
Rom.  8  :  16  ;  Eph.  4  :  30.  This  Spirit 
incessantly  rouses  and  awakens  the 
conscience.  He  reproves  without  in- 
termission, convinces  of  sins,  and  sets 
them  before  thine  eyes.  He  summons 
thee  to  repentance,  calls  thee  inwardly 
in  thy  heart,  strives  with  thee,  and 


166 


TRUE  CHEISTTANITY. 


[Book  II 


leaves  nothing  untried,  in  order  to 
keep  thee  from  every  sin,  and  lead 
to  thy  conversion.  John  16  :  8.  These 
things  thou  canst  not  conceal,  though 
ever  so  desirous  to  do  it.  This  wit- 
ness of  Christ  in  thee,  is  never  silent: 
and  though  thou  shouldst  stop  thine 
ears  against  him,  yet  slialt  thou  be 
compelled  to  hear  him  inwardly.  And 
if  thou  shouldst  desire  to  reject  his 
summons,  yet  must  thou  feel  the  in- 
ternal energy  of  his  correction.  All 
this  is  a  convincing,  strong,  and  un- 
questionable proof,  that  God  would 
have  thee  to  be  saved." 

10.  The  seventh  foundation  consists 
of  the  examples  of  sinners,  whom 
God,  npon  their  conversion,  hath  re- 
ceived into  favor.  Surely  "  there  is 
none  righteous,",  of  himself,  "no,  not 
one."  Rom.  3  :  10,  23.  Not  only  Da- 
vid, Manasseh  (2  Chron.  33  :  11-13), 
Peter,  Paul,  Mary  Magdalene,  and 
Zaccheus;  but  "all  of  us  are  sinners, 
and  come  short  of  the  glory  of  God." 
There  is  none  innocent  in  his  sight. 
"Whatever  favor  God  shows  to  one,  the 
same  he  offers  to  all  the  rest ;  since  he 
"  is  no  respecter  of  persons."  Acts  10: 
34.  We  all  are  saved  by  grace,  with- 
out any  merit  of  our  own,  and  all 
stand  in  need  of  a  gracious  pardon  of 
sin  :  for,  "  if  thou.  Lord,  shouldest 
mark  iniquities,  O  Lord,  who  shall 
stand?"  (Ps.  130:3),  and  if  thou  en- 
terest  into  judgment,  "in  thy  sight 
shall  no  man  living  be  justified."  Ps. 
143  :  2. 

11.  The  eighth  foundation  is,  that 
the  merit  of  Christ  is  not  only  suf- 
ficient, but  even  more  than  sufficient 
for  the  sins  of  all  men,  how  numerous, 
great  and  heinous  soever  they  may  be. 
Why  then  shouldst  thou  exclude  thy- 
self, and  refuse  to  share  in  the  benefits 
of  the  ransom  which  Christ  paid?  Is 
it  not  infinitely  greater  than  the  sins 


of  the  whole  world  ?  For  as  thou  art 
of  the  race  of  men,  so  thou  canst  ap. 
ply  to  thyself  that  word  of  the  Lord, 
"  The  Son  of  man  is  not  come  to  de- 
stroy men's  lives,  but  to  save  them" 
(Luke  9  :  56)  :  and  that  of  St.  Paul, 
"  God  was  in  Christ,  reconciling  the 
world  unto  himself"  (2  Cor.  5  :  19) : 
and  again,  that  of  St.  John,  "  lie  is 
the  propitiation  for  the  sins  of  the 
whole  world"  (1  John  2:2);  that  is, 
for  all  the  sins  of  every  man  in  par- 
ticular. 

12.  A  ninth  foundation  is  this,  that 
the  merit  of  Christ  is  an  infinite  satis- 
faction, beyond  all  number,  measure, 
and  end;  and  it  is  so  on  account  of 
the  exalted  Person  that  suffered,  who 
is  both  God  and  man.  Why  shouldst 
thou  then  limit  the  extent,  number, 
measure,  and  bounds  of  merit  so 
ample,  and  exclude  thyself  from  it? 
So  great,  so  high,  and  so  extensive 
are  the  power  and  efficacy  of  that 
merit,  that  it  would  still  prove  a  suffi- 
cient ransom  if  every  man  were  guilty 
of  the  sins  of  the  whole  world.  Xay, 
if  there  were  as  many  worlds  drowned 
in  sin,  as  there  are  men  that  live 
on  this  earth,  yet  would  the  merit  of 
Christ  and  his  righteousness  be  large 
enough  to  cover  all  their  sins.  Cast 
not  therefore  away  a  mercy  so  uni- 
versal, so  full  and  every  way  abound- 
ing. This  surely  is  that  "  depth  of  the 
sea,  into  which  God  hath  cast  all  our 
sins."  Mic.  7  :  19.  Hence  the  Psalmist 
says:  "As  the  heaven  is  high  above 
the  earth,  so  great  is  his  mercy  to 
wards  them  that  fear  him.  As  far  as 
the  east  is  from  the  west,  so  far  hath 
he  removed  our  transgressions  from 
us."  Ps.  103  :  11,  12.  This  is  that 
"  eternal  redemption  which  is  obtain- 
ed for  us."  Heb.  9  :  12.  The  benefit  of 
this  complete  redemption,  is  summed 
up  by  St.  Paul:  "  It  is  God  that  justi- 


Chap.  II  ] 


TEUE  CIIEISTIANITY. 


167 


fieth.  "Who  is  he  that  condemncth  ? 
It  is  Christ  that  died,"  etc.  Eom.  8  : 
33,  34. 

18.  The  tenth  foundation  is  this,  that 
the  obedience  of  Christ  is  perfect:  be- 
'  cause  he  fulfilled  the  will  and  law  of 
his  Father  in  all  things,  thereby  to 
o-ive  satisfaction  for  all  the  disobedi- 
cnce  which  all  the  men  in  the  world 
had  committed   against  God's  law. 
For  if  the  sin  and  transgression  of 
any  one  man  were  not  expiated  by 
him,  then  surely,  his  obedience  would 
not  prove  perfect,  and  the  disobedi- 
ence of  Adam  would  be  more  effectual 
to  condemnation,  than  the  obedience 
of  Christ  to  justification.    This  can- 
not be,  since  the   apostle  in  j^lain 
terms  affirms  the  contrary,  in  Eom. 
5  : 18.    What  reason  is  there  then, 
that  any  one  should  exclude  himself 
from  this  perfect  obedience^  or  be 
backward  to  assert  his  own  interest 
in  it?    Let  us  rather  consider,  that 
Christ  for  this  very  end  humbled  him- 
self, "and  became  obedient  unto  death, 
even  the  death  of  the  cross"  (Phil.  2: 
8),  "that  he  might  redeem  them  that 
were  under  the  law."  Gal.  4  :  5.  In 
the  number  of  these,  we  all  surely  are 
j  comprised.    For,  as  our  first  parents 
'aspired  after  and  affected  the  majesty 
:of  God,  so  it  behooved  Christ,  the  re- 
pairer of  our  breaches,  by  a  most  pro- 
found humility,  to  atone  for  this  hei- 
nous offence,  and  to  be  "  made  a  curse 
for  us"  (Gal.  3:13),  in  order  that  the 
;  blessing  might  come  upon  all,  w^ho 
:  were  cursed  in  Adam. 
'    14.  The  eleventh  foundation  is,  that 
:  since  the  royal  victory  and  triumph 
of  Christ  surpass  all  the  multitude, 
weight,  and  heinousness  of  sin,  to- 
gether with  all  the  power  of  death, 
hell,  and  Satan,  what  cause  canst  thou 
'assign,  O  sinner,  why  the  same  victo- 
rious Christ  should  not  triumph  over 


thy  sin  as  well  as  over  all  the  rest? 
AYhat!  canst  thou  believe  that  tlnj 
transgressions  alone  are  more  power- 
ful than  Christ,  the  omnipotent  king? 
When  he  shall  make  all  his  enemies 
his  footstool  (Ps.  110:1),  cannot  he 
subdue  under  him  also  thy  sins?  Dost 
thou  think  that  thy  crimes  only  shall 
prove  too  hard  for  him?  God  forbid, 
therefore,  that  thou  shouldest  call  in 
question  thy  interest  in  so  universal  a 
conquest,  in  so  glorious  a  triumph. 

15.  The  twelfth  foundation  is  the 
everlasting  priesthood  of  Christ.  Ps. 
110:4;  Ileb.  4  :  14.  lie  freely  grants 
pardon  to  all  them  that  ask  it;  and 
gives  the  Holy  Spirit  to  those  that 
earnestly  pray  for  that  gift.  Xor  will 
he,  or  can  he  refuse  to  any  what  be- 
longs to  his  office  (Ileb.  5:6;  7  :  17); 
for  he  is  the  Saviour  of  the  world,  and 
the  High  Priest  and  Mediator  between 
God  and  man,  1  Tim.  2:5.  If  he  re- 
fuse his  office  to  any  one  that  implores 
it,  he  would  verily  cease  to  be  a  Me- 
diator. But  so  far  is  he  from  this,  that 
he  freely  offers  to  sinners  the  benefit 
of  his  mediatorial  office.  "  Come  unto 
me,"  saith  he,  "all  yo  that  labor  and 
are  heavy  laden."  Matt.  11 :  28.  And 
again  :  "  Ho,  every  one  that  thirsteth, 
come  ye  to  the  waters"  (Isa.  55:1) 
of  life.  And  does  he  not  by  his 
a2)0Stles  and  messengers,  seriously  in- 
vite us  to  be  reconciled  to  God  (2  Cor. 
5  :  20),  and  at  the  same  time  offer  us 
his  help  and  assistance  for  that  end? 
He  seeks  the  lost  sheep  (Ezek.  84 : 16), 
and  receives  into  favor  the  Prodigal 
son  as  soon  as  he  returns.  Luke  15  : 
20.  Take  heed,  therefore,  O  man, 
that  thou  reject  not  the  office  of  Christ 
the  Mediator,  and  that  thou  deprive 
not  thyself  of  the  benefit  of  a  sacer- 
dotal intercessor,  ever}-  way  full  of 
divine  consolation  and  comfort. 


168 


TEUE  CHRISTIA^sITY. 


[Book  11. 


CHAPTER  III. 

OUR  RIGflTEOUSNESS  BEFORE  GOD,  CONSISTS  SOLELY  IN  THE  PERFECT  OBEDIENCE 
AND  MERIT  OF  CHRIST  JESUS,  AND  IN  THE  REMISSION  OF  SIN  APPREHENDED 
BY  FAITH. 

^5  by  one  man's  disobedience  many  were  made  sinners,  so  by  the  obedience  of  one  shall  many  be 

made  riqhteous. — RoM.  5  :  19. 


AS  a  skilful  builder,  when  he  is 
about  to  raise  a  lofty  structure, 
takes  care  to  lay  first  a  deep  and  solid 
foundation,  so  the  merciful  and  com- 
passionate God,  when  he  was  to  erect 
the  high  and  everlasting  palace  of  our 
salvation  and  ricihteousness,  thought 
fit  to  la}^  the  foundation  thereof,  in  the 
depth  of  his  merc}^,  upon  the  Person 
and  office  of  his  dear  Son  Christ  Jesus, 
as  on  the  true  rock  of  salvation.  This 
Is  the  promise  recorded  by  the  prophet: 
Behold,  I  lay  in  Zion  for  a  foundation, 
a  stone,  a  tried  stone,  a  precious  cor- 
ner-stone, a  sure  foundation  :  he  that 
believeth  shall  not  make  haste."  Isa. 
28  :  16.  This  stone  Avas  indicated  by 
Christ,  when  he  declared  to  Peter, 
that  "  thereon  he  would  build  his 
church;"  a  church  so  firmly  and 
surely  sustained,  that  ''the  very  gates 
of  hell  should  not  prevail  against  it." 
Matt.  16:  18. 

2.  This  was  the  rock  and  corner- 
stone, which  was  preached  by  the  apos- 
tles Peter  and  Paul.  1  Pet.  2:4;  2  Tim. 
2  :  19.  This  is  that  marvellous  cornei'- 
stone  celebrated  b}^  the  Psalmist,  and 
upon  which  the  118th  Psalm  is  ground- 
ed. Upon  this  foundation,  God  has  been 
pleased  to  raise  the  whole  structure 
of  our  righteousness,  faith,  and  eternal 
salvation.  But  as  God,  our  merciful 
Heavenly  Father,  has,  on  his  side, 
placed  the  groundwork  of  our  sal- 
vation and  riirhteousness  in  the  un- 


searchable depth  of  his  mercy  and 
everlasting  love  ;  nay,  even  in  his  he- 
loved  Son,  and  the  paternal  atfectioii 
of  his  own  heart;  so  he  wills  that  on 
our  side  also  the  same  be  laid  in  tht 
depth  of  our  heart,  and  in  the  centre 
of  our  soul;  in  order  that,  throuirh 
the  divine  light  and  power  of  faith 
alone  (and  even  faith  is  solely  the 
work  of  the  Divine  Spirit),  the  right- 
eousness of  Christ  may  be  appre- 
hended, and  without  any  respect  of 
our  own  works,  whether  antecedent 
or  consequent,  be  freely  imputed  and 
appropriated  to  us.  The  reasons  of 
this  way  of  proceeding  are  as  follows 

3.  In  the  first  place,  that  God  by  this 
means  might  cleanse  and  justify  a 
man  from  within,  and  in  the  inmos; 
centre  of  his  soul :  for  as  man  is  in- 
wardly corrupted  by  Satan,  and  in- 
fected in  all  the  interior  powers  of  his 
soul,  so  it  is  but  fit  that  his  cure  should 
be  wrought  from  within,  and  that  all 
the  faculties  of  his  soul  should  be  re- 
stored to  their  former  integrity  and 
soundness. 

4.  Secondly^  that  our  righteousness 
proceeds  from  faith  only.  This  faith 
is  wrought  by  God  himself,  and  it 
stands  entirely  in  his  j^ower  (1  Cor. 
2:  5),  being  supported  by  it,  and  not 
by  any  human  performance,  or  hypo- 
critical action  of  men.  Of  this  latter 
sort  was  the  righteousness  of  the 
Pharisees  (Matt.  5  :  20),  who  made  in- 


::HAP.  III.] 


TEUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


1G9 


ileed  a  show  of  outward  performances, 
lilt  were  little  concerned  about  the 
eformation  of  the  heart,  and  the  in- 
vard  recesses  of  the  mind, 
j  5.  Thirdly,  that  our  heart,  soul,  and 
Ipirit,  renouncing  human  power  and 
jtrength  (upon  which,  through  the 
'cmptation  of  the  Devil,  and  the  snares 
Bf  self-love,  ambition,  and  pride,  they 
joo  ranch  rely),  might  wholly  depend 
ipon  Christ  alone,  and  upon  his  pre- 
ious  merit  and  satisfaction.  For  from 
jiim  alone  flow  the  gracious  remission 
•fall  our  sins,  and  the  whole  train  of 
;races  consequent  on  it;  Jesus  Christ 
[laving  abundantly  satisfied  for  the 
;ins  of  the  whole  world,  and  reconciled 
;be  Father  to  mankind, 
.j  6.  Fourthly,  that  the  righteousness 
i»f  Christ,  by  faith,  might  be  made  our 
[wn.  In  order  to  the  same  end  he 
Iso  by  his  Word  and  Spirit  begets 
his  faith  in  our  hearts,  that  thereby 
PC  may  become  actually  possessed  of 
his  inestimable  treasure.  For  this  is 
he  highest,  the  unspeakable,  and  in- 
onceivably  great  consolation,  that 
Hir  righteousness  is  not  the  righteous- 
jiess  of  a  man,  nor  even  of  a  saint  or 
Ingel,  but  of  Christ,  and  of  God  him- 
self; "It  is  God  that  justifieth."  Eom. 
!:33.  Therefore  if  the  whole  world 
|vere  overflowed  with  the  sins  of  one 
nan,  yet  would  the  righteousness  of 
vhrist  be  still  more  extensive  and 
j»verflowing.  For  verily,  ho  is  "the 
uord  our  Righteousness"  (Jer.  83  :  16), 
;.nd  how  can  sin  be  more  powerful 
ilian  the  Lord  Jehovah  ?  Would  it  be 
\n  insufficient  satisfaction,  thinkest 
•hou,  if  instead  of  a  penny  which  thou 
.>west  thy  creditor,  thou  shouldest  re- 
turn ten  thousand  pounds  ?  But  such 
\  price,  nay,  one  infinitely  greater,  is 
|)aid  with  the  blood  of  Christ,  which 
jherefore  is  called  by  St.  Paul,  "  God's 
Uvn  blood."  Acts  20 : 28.  So  great 
j 


and  immense  is  the  righteousness  of 
Christ,  conferred  on  us  by  faith,  that 
thereby  we  are  not  only  made  rirjlif- 
eous,  but  also  righteousness  itself.  2  Cor. 
5  :  21.  For,  as  it  is  not  enough  that 
a  defiled  infant  be  washed  i'vom  its 
uncleanness,  but  it  must  also  be  wrap- 
ped up  in  clean  apparel  (Ezek.  G:  10), 
so  Christ  not  only  cleanses  us  with  his 
blood,  but  clothes  us  also  with  the 
garment  of  salvation,  and  covers  us 
with  the  robe  of  righteousness  (Isa. 
61  : 10)  :  which  we  have  received  from 
the  hand  of  the  Lord.  This  garment  is 
called  by  the  prophet,  priestly-  or  holy 
apparel;  b}^  David,  '-the  beauty  of 
holiness"  (Ps.  29:2);  by  St.  John, 
''fine  linen  clean  and  white,  which  is 
the  righteousness  of  saints"  (Eev.  19  : 
8);  by  the  prophet  Ainos,  "rivers  of 
righteousness"  (Amos  5:24);  by  St. 
Paul,  "  superabounding  grace"  ^^Eom. 
5:20);  and  "exceeding  riches  of 
grace."  Eph.  2  :  7.  All  these  expres- 
sions set  forth  that  the  righteousness 
bestowed  on  a  penitent  soul,  is  as  great 
as  God  himself,  and  therefore  beyond 
all  human  comprehension.  Though 
in  the  state  of  innocency,  our  first 
parents  had  a  complete  righteousness 
in  its  kind,  yet  was  it  not  so  full  and 
exuberant  as  that  which  we  have  ob- 
tained in  Christ:  for  this  righteous- 
ness and  holiness,  which  we  ap])ly  to 
ourselves  by  faith,  is  far  more  excel- 
lent than  that  which  Adam  would 
have  left  us,  had  he  continued  in  his 
original  innocency.  So,  too,  the  hu- 
mility and  obedience  of  Christ,  as  it 
was  more  perfect,  so  it  was  more  ac- 
ceptable to  God,  than  the  obedience 
and  innocency  of  Adam  ;  nay,  a  thou- 
sand such  persons  as  ^Vdam,  could  not 
have  come  uj)  to  the  perfection  of 
Christ  alone.  Adam  would  have 
transmitted  to  us  indeed  an  hereditary 
righteousness,  and  thereby  united  us 


170 


TEUE  CIIEISTIANITY. 


[Book  II, 


with  God  ;  yet  it  cannot  be  denied, 
tliat  our  union,  established  with  God 
in  Christ,  is  much  naore  noble  and  ex- 
cellent tlian  that  which  we  should 
have  derived  from  Adam  :  for  Christ 
being  made  man,  has  in  himself  so 
cleansed  and  exalted  human  nature, 
that  the  primitive  state  of  Adam  is 
not  at  all  to  be  compared  with  it. 
And  as  Christ  retains  his  human 
nature  to  all  eternity  ;  so  all  believers 
continue  in  the  same  united  to  God; 
because  Christ  is  wholly  ours,  and  we 
are  wholly  his.  Whatever  purity  the 
human  nature  hath  obtained  in  gen- 
eral in  His  Person,  is  also  transferred 
to  the  nature  of  each  believer  in  par- 
ticular. This  will  appear  in  the  glori- 
fication of  our  bodies  at  the  last  day, 
when  "they  shall  be  fashioned  like 
unto  the  glorious  body  of  Christ." 
Phil.  3  :  21.  Nay,  even  in  this  life,  it 
is  said  in  faith  :  "  Behold,  thou  art  fair, 
my  love"  (Cant.  1:15);  "glorious, 
not  having  spot  or  wrinkle"  (Eph. 
5:27):  ''the  king's  daughter  is  all 
glorious  within,  her  clothing  is  of 
wrought  gold."  Ps.  45  :  13.  In  a 
word,  our  righteousness  in  Christ  is 
no  less  immense  than  God  himself; 
and  if  his  depth  may  be  found  out,  so 
will  our  righteousness.  Whence  all 
creatures,  finding  nothing  that  can  be 
reproved  in  man,  must  stand  as  it 
were  astonished,  and  cry  out  with  ad- 
miration :  "  Who  is  he  that  shall  ac- 
cuse or  condemn  man,  whose  right- 
eousness is  the  Son  of  God  himself?" 
And  this  is  that  righteousness  of  faith 
on  which  we  rest,  as  on  an  eternal 
rock,  and  which  is  a  foundation  that 
cannot  be  shaken.  Of  this  we  glory, 
in  this  we  rejoice  in  time  and  in 
eternity.  By  this  we  are  conquerors, 
and  triumph  over  sin,  death,  the  devil, 
and  hell.  By  this  we  tread  upon  the 
lion  and  adder^  and  trample  under 


foot  the  young  lion  and  the  drao-on. 
Ps.  91:13. 

7.  Fifthly,  an  angel  (who  never  die  i 
for  us)  cannot  be  the  foundation  o 
our  righteousness,  much  less  any  wu/, 
The  righteousness  of  man  is  but  weu 
and  inconstant;  and  if  he  should  fui 
"all  his  righteousness  that  he  hathi; 
done  shall  not  be  mentioned"  (Ezek. I 
18:24;  33  :  13),  and  therefore  what- 
ever is  built  thereon  falls  soon  to  the  i 
ground  and  comes  to  nothing.  Fori 
this  reason,  our  righteousness  mii 
have  another  foundation;  a  found; 
tion,  namely,  which  is  firm  and  cu, 
stant,  and  not  liable  to  be  shatten 
to   pieces,  though    the  "mountai: 
should  depart,  and  the  hills  be  r 
moved."  Isa.  54:10.    "An  everla- 
ing  righteousness  must  be  brougL. 
in  "  (Dan.  9  :  24),  so  that  "the  salva-| 
tion  of  the  Lord  may  be  forever,  ami 
his  righteousness  be  not  abolished." 
Isa.  51:6.    A  most  excellent,  eternal, 
and  sovereign  Person,  must  procure  an 
eternal  and  infinite  good,  by  an  im-| 
mense  and  infinite  satisfaction  olFereJ 
for  us. 

8.  The  sixth  cause  why  God  will! 
have  our  righteousness  to  be  appr 
bended  by  faith,  is  found  in  his  truta 
and  promise,  on  which  our  faith  en-l 
tirely  rests,  and  by  which  God  d- 
clared  and  promised  righteousness  i 
Abraham,  and  to  all  his  faithful  seed. 
Whence  St.  Paul  argues,  that  "ourj 
righteousness  must  be  of  faith,  that  it  ' 
might  be  by  grace;  to  the  end  that 
the  promise  might  be  sure."  Eom.  4  : 
16.    Upon  this  promise  of  grace,  ful- 
filled in  Christ,  has  God  estabhsh> 
our  righteousness  and  salvation.  ; 
the  same  apostle  in  another  plai 
more  full}^  asserts :  "  Even  as  Abra- 
ham," says  he,  "  believed  God,  and  it  ^ 
was  accounted  to  him  for  righteous- j 
ness.    Know  ye  there<x)re  that  they| 


;hap.  Ill  ] 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


171 


Ihich  are  of  faith,  the  same  are  the 
Lildren  of  Abraham."  And  the  Scrip- 
|ire,  foreseeing  that  God  would  justify 
jie  heathen  through  ftiith,  preached 
bfore  the  gospel  unto  Abraham : 
iiying,  In  thee  shall  all  nations  be 
leased  (Gen.  12:3).  "So  then  they 
hich  be  of  faith,  are  blessed  with 
(jthfal  Abraham."  Gal.  3  :  6-9.  And 
Ls  "grace  and  truth  are  come  by 
38118  Christ."  John  1  :  17. 
,  9.  Seventhly,  God  has  made  his  grace, 
iid  the  merit  of  Christ,  the  founda- 
'on  of  our  righteousness,  that  Christ 
one  may  have  the  honor  of  it.  Isa. 
b :  22-24 ;  53  :  11.  "  In  him  alone  is 
jir  help."  Hos.  13  :  9.  He  is  the  be- 
iiuning,  middle,  and  end  of  our  right- 
ousness  and  salvation,  so  that  "every 
louth  may  be  stopped."  Rom.  3  :  19. 
jor  we  are  "  saved  by  grace  through 
liith ;  not  of  works,  lest  any  man 
|iould  boast."  Eph.  2  :  8,  9.  But  if 
jur  righteousness  were  founded  on 
jur  own  works  and  merits,  there 
I'ould  then  be  no  room  for  grace^  nor 
hould  we  have  occasion  for  mercy  or 
ardon  of  sin,  "for  which  every  one 
lat  is  godly  doth  pray.^'  Ps.  32  :  6. 
[oreover,  there  would  be  no  place  for 
umility,  nor  for  the  fear  of  God ; 
either  would  faith  and  prayer  turn 
p  any  great  account;  yea,  we  should 
'ave  no  need  of  a  Mediator,  Redeem- 
r,  and  Saviour.  Christ  would  have 
pen  died  in  vain ;  and  we  should  be 
bliged,  both  by  an  external  and  an 


internal  obedience,  perfectly  to  fulfil 
the  whole  law.  We  should  remain 
under  the  curse,  have  fallen  fi-om 
grace,  and  have  lost  Christ;  as  St. 
Paul  expressly  testifies  in  Gal.  5  :  3,  4. 
So  that  the  doctrine  of  justification 
by  works,  in  the  sight  of  God,  is  al- 
together inconsistent  with  the  whole 
Scripture,  both  of  the  Old  Testament 
and  the  New,  and  with  our  holy  Chris- 
tian faith. 

10.  In  short,  our  salvation  and  right- 
eousness are  founded  entirely  upon  the 
eternal  grace  of  God,  and  the  eternal 
Person  and  office  of  Christ;  and  in 
Christ  alone  we  are  made  righteous, 
holy,  alive,  blessed,  sons  and  heirs  of 
God.  The  righteousness  of  Christ  is 
ours,  his  goodness  ours,  his  holiness 
ours;  his  life  ours,  his  happiness  ours, 
and  lastly,  the  sonship  and  inheritance 
of  Christ  are  ours ;  and  so  the  whole 
Christ,  both  according  to  his  divine 
and  his  human  nature,  is  ours;  (for 
God  gives  us  the  whole  Christ  for  a 
Saviour,  that  he  with  his  Person,  of- 
fice, grace,  glory,  and  blessedness,  may 
be  wholly  appropriated  to  us).  That 
all  this  is  our  ow^n,  is  our  highest  con- 
solation, glory,  praise,  honor,  love, 
joy,  and  peace  before  God  and.  all  the 
angels  and  elect;  it  is  our  sublimest 
wisdom,  strength,  might,  victory,  and 
triumph  over  sin  and  death,  the  devil 
and  hell,  the  world  and  all  our  ene- 
mies. For  which  God  be  praised  to 
all  eternity!  Amen. 


172 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  II 


CHAPTER  lY. 


SHOWING  TBAT  SAVING  FAITH  IN  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  PRODUCES  MANIFOLI 
FRUITS  OF  RIGHTEOUSNESS,  AND  THAT  THESE  MUST  PROCEED  FROM  THi 
DEPTH  OF  THE  HEART  J  ALSO,  THAT  THE  CHARACTER  OF  OUR  OUTVVARI 
WORKS,  DEPENDS,  IN  THE  JUDGMENT  OF  GOD,  UPON  THE  STATE  OF  TUl 
HEART. 


And  i/tis  1  proy,  ihat  ye  may  he  sincere  and  withovt  offence  fill  the  day  of  Christ:  beivg  fMr 
with  the  fruits  of  rigJitcousness,  which  arc  by  Jesus  Christ,  unto  the  glory  and  praise  of  G 
—Phil.  1  :  9-11. 


THE  true  Christian  is  not  only  jus- 
tified by  faith  in  Christ,  but  is 
also  made  a  temple  and  habitation  of 
Christ  and  of  the  Hol}^  Spirit.  To 
this  end  the  good  Spirit  of  God  puri- 
fies his  heart  by  faith  :  and  it  is  fit 
that  Christ  should  live  in  his  temple, 
together  with  his  love,  humility  and 
meekness.  1  Cor.  6:19;  Eph.  3:17; 
Acts  15  :  9.  To  this  end  also  thy  Re- 
deemer has  bestowed  upon  thee  his 
Holy  Spirit,  that  he  might  create  in 
thee  a  new  heart,  and  endue  thee  with 
so  cheerful  and  ready  a  mind,  as  to  do 
the  will  of  God  freely,  without  any 
unwillingness  or  compulsion.  Jcr.  31: 
82,83;  ileb.  10:16.  This  new  and 
holy  obedience  proceeds  not  from  the 
law,  or  any  legal  commandment ;  but 
from  a  livelj^  I'aith.  Hence,  "the  law 
is  not  made  for  a  righteous  man"  (1 
Tim.  1  :  9),  to  compel  him  to  do  good ; 
though  it  is  in  other  respects  an  ex- 
cellent rule  b}''  which  to  regulate  a 
Christian's  life  and  manners.  For  a 
true  and  living  faith  does  everything 
freely  and  of  its  own  accord:  it  re- 
news the  man,  it  purifies  the  heart,  it 
produces  fervent  love  to  our  neighbor, 
it  hopes  and  considers  such  things 
as  are  not  yet  seen.  Faith  prays, 
praises,  fears,  and  confesses  God.  It  is 


also  patient,  humble,  merciful,  lovii 
meek,  easy  to  be  reconciled,  corapa^ 
sionate,  and  peaceful.    Faith  readilv 
forgives  otfences  ;  hungers  and  tbir- 
after   righteousness;    embraces  G 
with  all  his  grace,  and  Christ  with  : 
his  merit;  and  obtains  a  complete  i 
mission  of  all  sins.    Now  if  any  Oh, 
does  not  perceive  in  his  heart  theseP 
fruits  of  the  Spirit,  and  the  indwc'l- 
ing  of  Christ  by  faith,  let  him  humhiv 
entreat  the  Lord,  and  that  with  tea 
and  groans,  that  he  may  obtain  them. 
I  would  not  be  understood,  however,| 
as  saying  that  a  Christian  in  this  lifei 
could  attain  to  perfect  and  absolnto 
holiness;  for  even  the  greatest  sail. 
are  still  sensible  of  their  infirmiti( 
of  which  the  book  of  Psalms  and 
Lord's  Prayer  fully  convince  us.  God! 

I  therefore  requires  that  our  righteous-i^ 

i  ness,  by  which  we  are  to  please  him, 
should  be  entirely  apprehended  by 
faith;  and  lest  we  should  act  the  hyp-; 
ocrite  he  wills  that  his  riixhteousuess 

!  should  be  stamped  on  our  very  heart, 
and  on  the  inmost  centre  of  our  souls; 
and  likewise  that  all  the  fruits  ofp 
faith  and  righteousnes  should  proceed  I' 
from  a  living   and  sound  principle 
seated  within  the  mind.  AccordiDg 

I  to  this  inward  and  leading  principle, 


.HAP.  IV.-] 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


173 


iod  judges  all  our  works,  whether 
|iey  be  true  and  genuine,  or  false  and 
iypocritical. 

2.  Here  again,  we  do  not  assert  that 
prfection  can  be  found  in  this  present 
I'orld,  but  only  require  that  a  Chris- 
Ian  should  walk  in  newness  of  life, 
jid  approve  himself  by  such  works 
B  are  cleared  from  guile  and  hypoc- 
Isy.  For  it  is  by  no  means  possible 
lat  the  fruits  of  the  Spirit  enumer- 
.ed  by  St.  Paul,  in  Gal.  5  :  22,  28, 
jiould  not  be  found  in  that  man  in 
honi  the  Spirit  of  God  himself 
.veils  (Gal.  5  :  22) ;  or  that  a  good 
|ee  should  not  be  known  by  its  fruits, 
iiough  they  may  not  be  altogether  so 
n-fect  and  angelic  as  could  be  wished, 
;it  be  stained  and  often  obscured  by 
irious  frailties  and  imperfections, 
jevertheless,  all  hypocrisy  and  insin- 
jrity,  are  utterly  to  be  banished  from 
Iregenerate  state  ;  nor  are  the  fruits 
I'  a  Christian  to  proceed  from  an 
iQpty  profession,  or  a  lifeless  appear- 
jice  of  things,  but  possess  truth  and 
iality.  I  do  not  deny,  on  the  one 
•ind,  that  the  Christian  Church  may 
■I  fitly  compared  to  a  hospital  crowd- 
l  with  all  manner  of  sick;  or  to  a 
puse  inhabited  by  sinners  as  well  as 
saints.  I  believe  also  that  many, 
te  feeble  children,  have  not  yet  at- 
'ined  to  the  ability  of  walking  alone; 
lit  that  they  gradually  learn  to  walk 
leadil}'.  Hence  it  is  necessary  to 
bear  one  another's  burdens"  (Gal. 
:  2),  and  never  rashly  to  judge  or 
»ndemn  those  who  by  reason  of 
leir  weakness  halt  behind.  Eom.  14  : 
I  We  ought  rather  to  restore  in  the 
j>iritof  meekness  those  that  stumble, 
jid  with  great  tenderness  to  rectify 
hat  is  amiss  in  them.  Thus  we  learn 
j  read  our  own  imperfections  in  the 
jfirmities  of  our  brother.  But  on  the 
'her  hand,  Christians  ought  to  labor 

i 


to  make  continual  advances  in  the 
spiritual  life.  They  ought  not  to  con- 
tinue always  in  a  state  of  infancy  and 
weakness,  how  difficult  soever  it  be  to 
conquer  the  carnal  miiid  that  ob- 
structs our  growth.  They  ought  to 
be  fervent  in  the  practice  of '■  charity, 
out  of  a  pure  heart,  and  of  a  good 
conscience,  and  of  faith  unfeigned"  (1 
Tim.  1:5);  and  bear  this  in  pei-petual 
remembrance,  that  all  outward  per- 
formances arc  valued  by  God  accord- 
ing to  the  inward  disposition  of  the 
heart.  If  the  heart  be  good,  thou 
mayest  then  be  assured,  tiiat  what- 
ever thou  doest  is  also  good  before 
God:  but  if  the  heart  be  evil,  corrupt, 
and  envious,  then  all  thy  works  are 
evil  and  hateful.  Such  as  thou  art  in- 
wardly, and  in  thy  heart,  such  art 
thou  accounted  to  be  before  God;  and 
such  are  thy  prayers,  thy  public  wor- 
ship, thy  giving  of  alms,  thy  receiv- 
ing the  Sacrament,  and  all  thy  other 
performances. 

3.  AYhosoever  therefore  is  willing  to 
try  his  own  faith  and  inward  condition, 
should  set  before  his  eyes  the  Ten  Com- 
mandments (as  by  Christ  himself  inter- 
preted) (Matt.  5  and  6),  and  learn  to 
judge  of  his  actions  by  his  lieart.  By 
such  an  impartial  trial,  he  will  clearly 
perceive  whether  what  he  does  be  ac- 
ceptable or  unacceptable  to  God,  and 
whether  he  brino;  forth  the  p-enuine 
fruits  of  that  inwai'd  righteousness 
which  is  by  faith.  Phil.  1  :  11.  For 
example,  thou  considerest  that  thou 
dost  not  defile  thyself  with  any  ex- 
ternal idolatry.  Now,  in  keeping  from 
idols  thou  doest  surely  well;  but  I 
would  have  thee  farther  inquire, 
whether  thou  also  abhorrest  all  man- 
ner of  internal  idolatry?  Or  whether 
thou  hast  set  up  an  inward  idol  in 
some  secret  corner  of  the  heart,  to 
which  thou  payest  thy  vows?  Ezek. 


174 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  I] 


14:3,  4.  Examine  thyself  whether 
thou  art  within^  what  thou  professest 
to  be  without  ?  See  whether  thy  heart 
be  not  set  upon  the  world,  upon  ava- 
rice, and  pride?  If  so,  then  thou  art 
assuredly  guilty  of  most  dangerous 
idolatry;  for  the  creature  has  engross- 
ed those  noble  affections  which  should 
be  entirely  surrendered  to  the  Creator, 
and  dedicated  to  him  alone.  Thou  as- 
surest  us  that  thou  art  punctual  in  say- 
ing thy  prayers,  and  in  praising  God; 
and  that  thou  dost  not  neglect  to  offer 
up  thy  thanks  for  benefits  received  at 
his  hands;  but  didst  thou  ever  con- 
sider, whether  thou  cursest  in  thy 
heart,  whilst  thou  pray  est  with  thy 
lips?  Whether  thou  contradictest  by 
thy  actions  what  thou  expressest  in 
thy  words?  If  so,  thy  prayer  will 
prove  but  a  worthless-  performance, 
and  all  thy  thanks  and  praises  will  be 
trifling  and  vain.  Thou  tellest  us  how 
strictly  thou  keepest  the  sabbath-day. 
In  this  truly  thou  doest  well;  but  look 
on  the  inward  frame  of  th}'  soul.  Dost 
thou  celebi-ate  the  true  sabbath  in  thy 
heart  ?  Dost  thou  rest  from  evil 
thoughts  and  wicked  desires?  Is  thy 
heart  devoted  to  God,  and  freed  from 
noise  and  clamor,  that  God  himself 
may  work  in  it?  Thou  attendest  di- 
vine service  at  church;  it  is  well  done; 
but  see  that  thou  carry  not  with  thee 
to  church  the  canker-worm  of  pride 
and  vanity.  This  would  convert  thy 
service  into  mere  formality,  and  ail 
thy  performances  into  an  empty  show. 
Thou  yieldest  external  obedience  to 
God  and  to  thy  suj^eriors;  but  does 
that  which  passes  within  thy  soul 
agree  with  this  exterior  conduct?  Is 
everything  done  with  an  upright  and 
willing  mind?  Dost  thou  act  from  a 
principle  of  love,  or  of  fear  only?  If 
it  be  fear  that  constrains  thee  to  an 
external  compliance,  then  know  as- 


suredly that  thy  obedience  is  no  mor 
than  hypocrisy.  Thou  defilest  not  tli 
hands  with  blood  and  slaughter,  am 
thinkest  thyself  free  from  the  crim  I 
of  murder.    But  take  a  view  of  th 
heart:  for  when  the  heart  burns  W' 
wrath  and  anger,  and  w^hen  this,  u 
flame,   flashes   out  upon   thy  fu 
when  thy  inward  wrath  breaks  o 
into  reproaches  and  curses,  saying  t 
thy  brother,  Raca^  and  Tlioii  foiJ 
then  surely  thou  art  become  guiltv  ( 
the  judgment,  of  the  council,  and 
everlasting  fire.  Matt.  5 :  22.  Wl 
therefore  will  it  avail  thee  that  ' 
hand  is  unpolluted  with  blood,  whi 
thy  heart  accuses  thee  of  hatred  : 
murder?  1  John  3:15.    For  with 
in  the  heart,  the  murderer,  the  ad 
terer,  the  thief,  and  the  liar,  arc  bui 
bored.  Ilere  it  is  that  thou  must  looll 
for  the  beast,  the  evil  lust,  and  ' 
root  of  all  malice  and  mischief:  whi: 
if  it  be  not  destroj'ed  by  serious  rc 
pentance,  by  true  contrition  and  cjn 
version,  by  faith  and  the  blood  o 
Christ,  it   is  impossible   that  thoi 
shouldest  do  so  much  as  one  work  a(| 
ceptable  to  God;  who  judges  of  al 
thy  actions  by  the  inward  temper  a 
disposition  of  the  heart. 

4.  Of  this  Christ  himself  gives 
an  example  from  the  commandraen 
'^Thou  Shalt  not  kill,"  saying,  ''II 
thou  bring  thy  gift  to  the  altar,  am 
there  rememberest  that  thy  brothej; 
hath  aught  against  thee ;  leave  ther| 
thy  gift  before  the  altar,  and  go  th;! 
way;  first  be  reconciled  to  thy  b 
ther."  Matt.  5  :  21-26.  That  is,  it  v. 
not  at  all  avail  thee  to  pray,  to  sacrifi'  ' 
to  worship  God,  and  to  take  the  Sac 
rament;  yea,  all  thy  actions  will  b 
converted  into  so  many  sins,  becau> 
God  regards  the  heart  only,  and  no 
the  outward  performance.    Ilence  Si 
Paul  commands  us  to  "  lift  up  hoi, 


iJHAP.  IV.] 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


175 


lands  without  wrath  and  doubting." 

Tim.  2  :  8.  And  St.  Peter  enjoins 
larricd  persons  to  beware  of  anger, 
nd  to  dwell  together  in  love  and  har- 
jiony,  as  heirs  together  of  the  grace 
|f  life,  "that  their  prayers  be  not 
indered."  1  Peter  3  :  7.  Nay,  the 
jord  Jesus  himself  strongly  exhorts 
is  to  brotherly  reconciliation,  by  the 
pree  following  arguments.  j\[att.  5  : 
b,  26. 

(a)  The  first  is,  "Agree  with  thine 
Jversar}^  qiiickly,  while  thou  art  in 
le  way  with  him  ;"  that  is,  whilst 
lou  art  on  this  side  of  eternity:  for 
ur  life  indeed  is  nothing  else  but  a 
!erpetual  motion  towards  death  and 
ijc  grave.  If  in  this  life  thou  art  not 
j-eed  from  the  bonds  of  wrath,  thou 
palt  remain  a  captive  to  them,  yea, 
)  the  devil  himself,  throughout  all 
:ernity. 

(b)  The  second  argument  is,  '-lest 
|t  any  time  the  adversary  deliver  thee 
)  the  judge."  It  is  an  awful  thing  to 
3  summoned  to  the  tribunal  of  God, 
bd  before  so  tremendous  a  judgment- 
j>at,  to  plead  our  cause  against  an  ac- 
lising  adversary.  Whereas,  w^hatever 
j  pardoned,  settled,  and  forgiven  in 
jus  life,  the  same  will  also  be  forgiven 
pd  eternally  pardoned  in  the  next. 
Thence  we  may  gather  how  much 
'od  regards  the  love  of  our  neighbor, 
fnce  he  will  have  it  by  no  means  sep- 
li-ated  from  the  love  of  himself;  and 
lerefore  refuses  to  admit  of  our  love 
>  him,  unless  it  be  linked  to  that  of 
ar  neighbor.  And  why?  Because 
-od  is  Love  itself,  and  loveth  man  as 
is  own  soul. 

i  (c)  The  third  argument  is,  'Mest  thou 
cast  into  prison,  whence  thou  canst 
ot  come  out  till  thou  hast  paid  the 
jttermost  farthing."  It  is  agreeable 
b  the  divine  justice,  so  to  deal  with  us 
jiere,  as  we  have  dealt  with  our  neioh- 

t  o 


bor  here;  and  ''with  that  measure  we 
have  meted  withal,  to  measure  to  us 
again."  Luke  0:38.  Wherefore  if  thou 
refusest  to  forgive  any  brother  his 
faults,  the  judgment  of  God  is  this: 
That  in  like  manner  no  sin  shall  be  re- 
mitted to  thee.  This  will  prove  a 
burden  heavy  indeed.  For  the  man 
that  dies  in  this  bitter,  irreconcilable 
temper,  must,  in  hell, continue  a  debtor 
to  all  eternity,  and  this  w^ithout  any 
hope  or  prospect  of  ever  lessening  the 
debts  which  he  has  here  contracted. 

5.  Thus  the  Son  of  God,  has  by  this 
example,  taught  us  that  we  must  judge 
of  the  worth  of  our  outward  works, 
nay,  of  all  our  religion,  by  the  inward 
disposition  or  principle  that  sways  the 
heart.  But  perhaps  thou  still  con- 
tinuest  to  flatter  thyself,  and  to  say, 
"I  am  baptized  into  Christ;  I  have 
the  pure  word  of  God;  I  hear  it;  I 
receive  the  sacrament  of  the  Lord's 
Supper;  I  also  believe  and  confess  all 
the  articles  of  the  Christian  faith: 
w^herefore  it  cannot  be,  but  that  my 
life  and  actions  must  be  pleasing  to 
God;  I  am  a  Christian  in  truth,  and 
in  the  right  way  to  be  saved."  This, 
alas!  is  the  general,  but  false  reason- 
ing of  many  in  these  days,  who  regard 
their  outward  performances  as  consti- 
tuting true  righteousness.  It  might 
do  well  enough,  if  the  heart  did  but 
agree  with  their  profession  :  for  with- 
out this,  all  is  mere  trifling,  and  a  dead, 
h^'pocritical  show.  Look  therefore 
into  this,  and  learn  to  judge  of  thyself 
by  the  inward  frame  of  thy  soul.  Thou 
boastest  indeed,  that  thou  art  a  Chris- 
tian ;  and  an  excellent  name  it  is;  but 
dost  thou  consider,  whether  thy  heart 
and  thy  actions  agree  with  a  name  so 
sacred?  Hast  thou  received  the  unc- 
tion from  above,  and  art  thou  pos- 
sessed of  the  fruits  of  the  Spirit,  that 
demonstrate  a  Christian  ?  1  John  2  ; 


j 


176 


TEUE  CIIRISTIAlsriTY. 


[Book  I 


27.  If  these  be  wanting,  thou  wilt 
prove  in  the  end  but  a  false  and  spu- 
rious Christian.  Thou  assertest,  fur- 
ther, that  thou  art  baptized;  and  so 
indeed  thou  art!  But  search  the  state 
of  thy  iieart,  and  inquire  whether  thou 
livest  in  tlie  new  birth,  in  dail}^  re- 
pentance, and  an  unwearied  mortifica- 
tion of  the  old  man.  See  whether 
thou  bringest  forth  fruit  answerable  to 
the  baptismal  covenant,  in  which  thou 
art  engaged?  Thou  saycst  that  thou 
hast  the  oracles  of  God  committed  to 
thee,  and  that  thou  hearestand  read- 
est  them  :  but  inspect  thy  heart,  and 
consider  whether  the  Word  be  con- 
verted into  thy  life  and  spirit,  as  bodily 
food  passes  into  thy  flesh  and  blood? 
Whether  thou  hast  lived  up  to  its  di- 
rection, and  expressed  the  effect  of  it 
in  thy  conduct?  If  thou  contentest 
thyself  with  the  bare  hearing  thereof, 
thou  must  know  that  this  will  never 
yield  eternal  salvation,  and  that  thou 
deceivest  thyself  in  a  matter  of  in- 
finite importance.  For  this  reason  has 
the  Lord  compared  the  kingdom  of 
Heaven  to  leaven,  which  gradually 
spreads  itself  through  the  whole  lump, 
and  converts  every  part  into  its  own 
nature  ;  thereby  to  set  forth  that  pow- 
erful influence  which  the  Word  ought 
to  have  upon  our  will  and  atfections. 
Truly,  "  not  every  one  that  saith.  Lord, 
Lord,  shall  enter  into  the  kingdom  of 
Heaven  ;  but  he  that  doeth  the  will 
of  the  Father  which  is  in  heaven." 
Matt.  7  :  2L  Thou  thinkest  that  thou 
dost  a  service  when  with  zeal  thou  de- 
fendest  the  purity  of  the  doctrine: 
and  truly  therein  thou  doest  well. 
Nevertheless,  I  would  have  thee  in- 
quire, whether  by  the  purity  of  the 
doctrine,  and  thy  defence  of  it,  thou 
hast  also  attained  a  true  purity  of  the 
heart.  Do  we  not  find  many  rigid  de- 
fenders of  the  pure  doctrine,  who  in 


their  lives  are  the  most  unclean  o 
men,   full  of  pride,  bitterness,  ai 
covetousness?  Alas,  the  name  of  G 
itself,  is  made  a  common  shelter  i 
all  manner  of  vices,  which  scree 
themselves  under  the  same,  witli  im 
punity.     Thou   aflfirmest  that  th. 
often  receivest   the   Lord's  Su)i]> 
This  is  right;  but  search  thine  o\, 
heart.    Thou  hast  often  received  tli 
flesh  and  blood  of  Christ  in  this  8a 
rament :  why  then  do  the  flesh  a 
blood  of  Adam  live  and  reign  in  tu^ 
Should  not  the  life  of  Christ  shi' 
forth  in  thy  whole  conduct?  Shoiil. 
not  his  love,  his  humility,  and  meekj 
ness,  diff'use  themselves  through  al' 
thy  manners?  Where  is  the  advaii 
tage,  if  thou  receivest  Christ  in  th 
Sacrament,  and  deniest  him  in  thj'^lii 
and  actions?  Thou  sayest,  that  tli 
believest  and  confessest  all  the  article 
of  the  Christian  faith.     It  is  well 
but  have  recourse  to  the  touchstone 
of  the  heart.   That  is  only  a  true  faith 
which  unites  man  with  God,  and  Go( 
with  man;  by  which  God  dwells,  lives 
and  operates  in  man.    If  these  effect 
be  wanting  in  thee,  thy  faith  is  false 
and  so  far  from  uniting  thee  with  God| 
it  sets  thee  at  a  greater  distance  fron 
him.    This,  however,  is  not  to  be  un 
dcrstood  of  the  faith  of  weak  am 
feeble  Christians,  which  is  often  R'' 
clouded,  as  to  render  it  hard  to  p 
ccive  its  life  and  motion.    For  even  i 
weak  faith,  though  it  be  like  smokinJ 
flax,  has  in  it  the  properties  of  a  strong!! 
faith,  though  it  cannot  exert  itselfl 
with  equal  strength  and  energy.  I 
heartily  cleaves  to  God,  and  briogij 
forth  fruit  amidst  all  those  infirmitie!| 
with  which  it  struggles.    But  I  woul(| 
have  it  understood  of  faith  in  general 
and  of  the  trial  and  fruits  of  it,  that 
if  thou  believest  in  Christ,  then  Chri- 
must  certainly  live  in  thee  by  faith,  u 


•)HAP.  Y.] 


TEUE  CIIEISTIANITY. 


177 


Ihine  will  prove  but  an  empty,  naked 
jrofession.  If  thou  bclievest  that 
'hrist  suffered  death  for  tliy  sins,  thou 
lust  also  die  with  him  to  the  same 
2  :  20),  and  renounce  the  world, 
I'ith  all  its  pride  and  avarice.  Eom. 
1:2.  If  this  effect  do  not  follow,  then 
\u\y  thou  believest  not  in  Christ.  If 
jiou  believest  that  Christ  was  cruci- 
led  for  the  sins  of  the  world,  thou 
jiust  with  him  be  crucified  to  the 
Eime.  If  thou  refusest  to  comply  with 
liis,  thou  canst  not  be  a  living  mem- 
>r  of  Christ,  nor  be  united  with  him 
If  faith.  If  thou  believest  that  Christ 
i  risen  from  the  dead,  it  is  thy  duty 
»  rise  spiritually  with  him,  and  firmly 
ilhere  to  him,  thy  Head  and  Saviour, 
ji  a  word,  the  birth,  cross,  passion, 
nith,  resurrection,  and  ascension  of 
hrist,  must,  after  a  spiritual  manner, 
b  transacted  in  thee.  And  this  is  the 
lessed  effect  of  faith,  and  the  influ- 
iice  it  has  on  believing  souls.  Wher- 
|er  this  effect  is  wanting,  there  is 
i)thing  but  a  lifeless  image  of  faith^ 
ith  which  men  miserably  deceive 
■jemselves.  So  if  thou  believest  in 
ie  Holy  Spirit,  the  same  Spirit  in 
bom  thou  believest,  must  of  neces- 


sity dwell  and  reign  in  thy  heart,  and 
enlighten  and  sanctify  it.  For,  "as 
many  as  are  led  by  the  Spii'it  of  God, 
they  are  the  sons  of  God."  Eom. 
8  :  14. 

6.  Therefore,  dear  Christian  !  let  not 
your  religion  be  confined  to  bare  ex- 
ternals, but  see  that  it  proceed  from 
the  more  inward  recesses  of  a  heart 
endued  with  a  true,  living,  and  active 
faith,  and  with  an  unfeigned,  inward, 
and  daily  repentance.  If  you  put 
away  from  you  this  inward  life,  this 
faith,  and  this  repentance,  you  strip 
3'our  religion  of  all  essential  goodness, 
and,  instead  of  a  living  principle, 
which  ought  to  be  established  in  the 
mind,  you  carry  about  an  empty,  in- 
significant name,  which  will  avail  you 
nothing  in  that  day,  wherein  God  will 
judge  all  things  according  to  the  in- 
ward frame  of  the  heart.  But  if  you 
are  truly  affected  with  a  sense  of  your 
inward  wants  and  impurities,  then 
flee  without  delay  to  the  healing 
fountain  of  grace!  Draw  and  drink, 
pray  and  knock,  seek  and  cry,  "Lord, 
have  mercy  upon  me!'"  Then  your 
heart  shall  be  cured,  your  sin  covered, 
and  your  transgression  cancelled. 


CHAPTER  V. 

i  OWING  THAT  THE  EVIDENCE  OF  TRUE  CHRISTIANITY  DOES  NOT  CONSIST  IN 
THE  KNOWLEDGE  AND  THE  HEARING  OF  GOD's  WORD,  BUT  THAT  HE  IS  A 
I  CHRISTIAN,  IN  WHOSE  LIFE  GOD'S  WORD  IS  MANIFESTED,  AND  WHO  BE- 
I  SEECHES  GOD  IN  SINCERITY  THAT  THIS  WORD,  AS  A  DIVINE  SEED,  MAY  BE 
;  QUICKENED  IN  HIM,  AND  BEAR  FRUIT. 

\ie  gospel  of  Christ  is  the  power  of  God  unto  salvation  to  every  one  that  helieveth. — Eom.  1  :  16. 

MHE  way  by  which  we  are  to  ar-  repentance,  and  to  lead  a  life  con- 

j-  rive  at  true  and  substantial  wis-  formable  to  the  Word  of  God.  Such 

Om,  and  become  friends  of  God,  is  to  a  life  as  this  cannot  fail  to  be  attended 

^bmit  ourselves  to  the  discipline  of  with  true  illumination  of  the  mind, 

12 

I 


178 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  IL 


and  an  increase  of  all  divine  graces; 
nay,  with  so  close  an  alliance  with 
God  himself,  as  to  make  us  '-partakers 
of  the  divine  nature,  having  escaped 
the  corruption  that  is  in  the  world 
through  lust."  2  Peter  1:4.  An  ex- 
ample of  this  we  have  in  Enoch,  who 
having  "  walked  with  God,  was  not, 
for  God  took  him  "  to  himself  Gen. 
5  :  24.  To  such  a  holy  life  as  this 
David  aspired  with  the  utmost  fervor 
of  spirit,  proposing  two  means  l)y 
which  to  obtain  it:  the  si,  fei^vent 
prayer;  and  the  second,  a  diligent  j^rac- 
tice  of  the  word  of  God.  "  I  cried," 
says  he,  "  with  my  whole  heart ;  hear 
me,  O  Lord:  I  will  keep  thy  statutes. 
I  cried  unto  thee;  save  me,  and  I 
shall  keep  thy  testimonies."  Ps.  119  : 
145,  146. 

2,  These  words  set  forth  the  diffi- 
culties which  he  encounters  who  seelcs 
to  be  a  true  Christian,  and  to  keep  the 
word  of  God  in  holiness  of  life.  For 
flesh  and  blood  naturally  strive  against 
the  word  of  God,  and  tliat  holiness  of 
life  which  it  requires:  and  are,  besides, 
inconstant  and  weak,  and  prone  to 
yield  to  the  enticements  of  the  world. 
The  devil  on  all  occasions  hinders  our 
progress,  and  opposes  our  endeavors 
on  every  side.  This  is  followed  by  a 
multitude  of  evil  examples,  and  the 
persecutions  which  wicked  men  raise 
in  opposition  to  those  souls  that  enter 
upon  another  course  of  life.  Against 
obstinate  evils,  such  as  these,  all  the 
strength  of  the  soul  is  to  be  op2)Osed. 
This  we  learn  from  the  example  of 
David,  who  cried  unto  the  Lord  with 
his  whole  heart,  in  order  that  he  might 
better  digest  the  Word,  and  by  lead- 
ing such  a  life  as  that  Word  requires, 
continue  in  the  favor  of  God.  This 
ought  also  to  be  our  main  concern ; 
the  favor  of  God  being  infinitely  pref- 
erable to  all  that  the  world  affords. 


Whoever  pleases  God,  and  is  His  friend, 
most  effectually  secures  himself  there- 
by from  the  malice  of  all  his  enemies. 
Hence  serious  and  fervent  prayer  is,  as  I 
said  before,  the  first  step  to  a  holy  life. 
The  second  means  to  obtain  a  holy  life, 
is  expressed  in  the  following  words  of 
the  same  Psalm:  "I  prevented  the 
dawning  of  the  morning,  and  cried:  I 
hoped  in  th^'  word.  Mine  ej'es  pre- 
vent  the  night  watches,  that  I  might 
meditate  in  thy  word."  Ps.  119:147, 
148.  Here  the  Psalmist  declares  th 
earnest  study,  love,  and  affection, 
which  are  due  to  the  word  of  God; 
as  also  the  time  best  suited  for  medi- 
tating in  it,  naraelj',  the  morning.  Th*^ 
faculties  of  the  mind  are  then  more 
strong  and  vigorous  than  at  other 
times  ;  and  are  best  disposed  for 
searching  into  divine  subjects.  Th. 
truth  of  this  is  at  that  season  most 
feelingly  perceived,  when  the  soul, 
afflicted  by  sadness  and  deep  spiritual 
temptations,  "  watches  for  the  morn- 
ing" (Ps.  133:6),  and  with  "waking 
eyes"  (Ps.  77:4),  expects  help  from 
the  Lord.  She  is  then  "as  a  sparrow- 
alone  upon  the  house  top,"  as  a  lonely 
owl  in  the  desert  (Ps.  102  :  G,  7);  and 
"  so  weary  with  groaning"  (Ps.  G  :  G), 
as  to  be  almost  ready  to  expire. 

3.  This  is  that  exercise  of  the  cross, 
or  school  of  affliction,  in  Avhich  all 
saints  are  most  effectually  trained  for 
a  happy  eternity.  Whoever  is  not  in- 
ured to  this  sort  of  trials,  can  know 
but  little  of  God  and  of  his  w^ord.  In 
this  exercise,  all  the  natural  j^owcrs 
of  soul  and  life  consume  away,  that 
God  alone  may  become  our  strength 
and  support.  By  such  inward  trials 
as  these,  the  carnal  life  is  likewise 
more  and  more  weakened,  and  the 
quickening  power  of  God  and  of  his 
word,  perceived  with  the  greater  ef 
feet  and  experience.    And  truly,  all 


Chap.  V.] 


TEUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


179 


our  efforts  ought  to  centre  in  this, 
that  the  external  hearing  and  reading 
of  the  divine  word  be  practically  ap- 
plied to  the  mind,  and  improved  into 
Christian  expei'ience. 

4.  This  doctrine,  therefore,  I  would 
have  firmly  rooted  in  thy  mind,  name- 
ly, that  not  the  reading  or  hearing, 
but  the  doing  and  practising  of  the 
word,  demonstrates  the  true  Chris- 
tian. James  1 :  22.  Without  this  prac- 
tical improvement,  hearing  and  read- 
i  ing  will  be  of  no  great  advantage. 
For  the  word  was  not  committed  to 
us,  that  it  might  be  read  and  known 
:  only,  but  that  it  might  be  reduced  to 
,  practice.     As   a  medicine  gives  no 
relief  to  the  patient  who  hears  of,  or 
;  looks  upon  it,  but  at  the  same  time  re- 
fuses to  take  it;  so  the  word,  though 
a  remedy  for  our  diseased  nature,  can 
yet  cure  no  man,  or  restore  him  from 
I  death  to  life,  whilst  he  refuses  to  take 
j  what  the  word  prescribes.  Therefore, 
in  order  to  this,  fervent  and  constant 
.prayer  (according  to  the  example  set 
I  us  by  David),  will  be  requisite  in  order 
to  enable  us  to  conform  our  life  and 
'  actions  to  the  divine  word.    What  ad- 
vantage is  it   to  an  artist  that  he 
knows  an  art,  if  he  never  practises  it? 
AVill  not  his  supine  and  careless  neg- 
lect reduce  him  at  length  to  poverty? 
And  what  will  it  avail  us  to  know  the 
word  of  God,  and  not  do  it?  "That 
, servant,"  says  our  Saviour,  "which 
knew  his  lord's  will,  and  prepared 
not  himself,  neither  did  according  to 
his  will,  shall  be  beaten  with  many 
!  stripes."  Luke  12  :  47.    And  St..  Peter 
aflSrms,  that  "it  had  been  better  for 
such  not  to  have  known  the  way  of 
righteousness,  than,  after  they  have 
known  it,  to  turn  from  the  holy  com- 
iinandment  delivered  unto  them."  2 
■Peter  2:  21.     As  a  father  does  not 
town  him  for  a  son,  who  in  everything 


acts  in  a  manner  contrary  to  his  will, 
so  not  Avords,  but  the  life  and  actions, 
are  marks  and  indications  of  a  child 
of  God,  according  to  that  saying  of 
our  Saviour  :  "  If  ye  were  Abraham's 
children,  ye  would  do  the  works  of 
Abraham.  But  now  ye  seek  to  kill 
me, — this  did  not  Abraham. — Ye  are 
of  your  father  the  devil."  John  8  :  39, 
40,  44.  Why  should  a  barren  and 
fruitless  tree  take  up  any  room  in  the 
garden,  when  it  only  incumbers  the 
ground  on  which  it  grows?  It  is  surely 
fit  for  nothing,  but  to  be  cast  into  the 
fire,  as  is  represented  in  the  parable 
of  the  barren  fig-tree.  Luke  V6  :  6,  7. 
As  it  would  be  foolish  to  give  to  a  raven 
the  name  of  a  swan,  to  which  it  has 
no  resemblance;  so  if  the  men  of  this 
world  should  be  called  by  the  name 
of  true  Christians,  whilst  so  little  of  a 
Christian  temper  appears  in  their  life 
and  manners,  I  tliink  it  would  be 
justly  counted  egregious  folly.  It  is 
not  by  words,  but  by  deeds  and  ac- 
tions, that  we  are  to  judge  of  a  Chris- 
tian's state,  according  to  that  saying 
of  St.  Paul :  "  The  kingdom  of  God  is 
not  in  word,  but  in  power."  1  Cor. 
4  :  20.  Such  is  the  condition  of  most 
men  at  this  da}',  that  those  who  make 
the  strongest  pretences  to  the  Chris- 
tian name,  do  nothing  but  that  which 
is  contrary  to  the  Christian  spirit. 
They  are  like  the  people  at  Eome, 
concerning  whom  Laurentius  Yalla 
exclaimed  when  reading  these  words 
of  our  Lord,  "Blessed  are  the  mer- 
ciful, blessed  are  the  peacemakers,'^ 
etc.  (Matt.  5  :  7-9),  "  Surely  either  these 
words  are  not  true,  or  we  are  no  Chris- 
tians." Man  is  corrupted  to  such  a 
degree,  that  even  not  a  few  brute 
creatures  visibly  surpass  him  in  some 
good  quality.  The  dove  excels  him  in 
harmlessness  (Matt.  10:16);  the  ant 
in  industry  (Prov.  6:6);  the  stork  in 


180 


TEUE  CIIKISTIANITY. 


[Book  II. 


a  careful  provision  for  her  young;  the 
dog  in  love  and  fidelity;  the  ox  and 
the  ass  in  knowledge  of  their  master 
(Isa.  1:3);  the  sheep  in  meekness 
(Isa.  53:7);  the  lion  in  generosity 
and  clemency  towards  weak  animals; 
the  cock  in  watchfulness;  and  the  ser- 
pent in  wisdom.  On  the  contrar}^ 
man  in  his  natural  state  exceeds  all 
the  beasts  in  mischief.  He  is  more 
fierce  than  a  wolf;  more  crafty  than 
a  fox;  more  vain  than  a  peacock; 
more  voracious  than  a  swine;  more 
pestilent  than  a  viper;  fiercer  than  a 
bear.  Indeed,  the  Lord  Jesus  himself 
terms  Herod  a  fox  (Luke  13  :  32); 
John  the  Baptist  applies  the  name  of 
vipers  to  the  Pharisees  (Matt.  3:7); 
and  St.  Paul  that  of  lion  to  Nero.  2 
Tim.  4  :  17.  Truly,  those  vices  and 
mischiefs,  which  go  single  and  unac- 
companied in  brutes,  are  oftentimes 
crowded  together  in  one  natural  man. 
So  that  the  human  body  is  very  sig- 
nificantly called  by  the  apostle,  "  the 
body  of  sin  "  (Eom.  6  :  6)^  as  being 
full  of  sins,  and  infected  with  all  man- 
ner of  defilements.  Not  to  mention, 
that  there  is  no  creature  so  bad  and 
pernicious,  but  that  it  may  be  still  of 
some  use  to  men.  The  foxes  and 
wolves,  for  instance,  with  their  skins, 
secure  men  from  the  injuries  of  a  rig- 
orous season.  But,  alas !  what  good 
is  there  to  be  found  in  a  man  aban- 
doned to  the  conduct  of  an  unregen- 
erate  nature  ?  "  Every  imagination 
of  the  thoughts  of  his  heart  is  only 
evil  continually^'  (Gen.  6:5;  8:21); 
as  is  more  than  once  expressed  in 
Scripture.  He  exercises  his  reason  to 
practise  fraud;  he  wastes  his  body 
with  pride  and  lewdness  ;  and  is  both 
inwardly  and  outwardly  corrupted,  so 
that  all  his  members  are  justly  called 
the  ''instruments"  or  weapons  "of 
unrighteousness."  Eom.  6:13.  Hence 


it  is,  that  the  Sacred  Scriptures  repre. 
sent  our  nature  in  colors  so  dark  and 
odious,  as  may  strike  terror  into  every 
man  that  reads  them.  "  There  is  none 
righteous,  no,  not  one:  there  is  none 
that  understandeth,  there  is  none  that 
seeketh  after  God.  They  are  all  gor.e 
out  of  the  way,  they  are  together  be- 
come unprofitable  ;  there  is  none  that 
doeth  good,  no,  not  one.  Their  throat 
is  an  open  sepulchre ;  with  their 
tongues  they  have  used  deceit;  the 
poison  of  asps  is  under  their  lips; 
whose  mouth  is  full  of  cursing  and 
bitterness  ;  their  feet  are  swift  to  shed 
blood ;  destruction  and  misery  are 
in  their  ways;  and  the  way  of  peace 
have  they  not  known ;  there  is  no 
fear  of  God  before  their  eyes."  Eom. 
3:10-18;  Ps.  14. 

5.  Behold  here  the  deplorable  image 
of  the  natural  man  !  Behold  the 
abomination  that  is  common  to  us 
all !  And  now  tell  me  how  a  man  can 
see  the  kingdom  of  God,  unless  he  be 
born  again  from  above,  or,  as  St.  Paul 
expresses  it,  "  unless  he  be  renewed 
in  the  spirit  of  his  mind:  putting  on  . 
the  new  man,  which  after  God  is  ere-  j 
ated  in  righteousness  and  true  holi- 
ness?" Eph.  4:23;  CoL  3  :  10.  And 
the  same  apostle  says,  "But  ye  have 
not  so  learned  Christ;  if  so  be  that  ye 
have  heard  him,  and  have  been  taught 
by  him,  as  the  truth  is  in  Jesus."  Eph. 

4  :  20,  21.  Yea,  he  says,  "  They  that 
are  Christ's,  have  crucified  the  flesh 
with  the  affections  and  lusts."  Gal. 

5  :  24.  Alas  1  if  those  belong  not  to 
Christ,  who  do  not  mortify  the  mem- 
bers of  unrighteousness,  but  live  in 
the  pollutions  of  sin,  then  they  surely 
must  belong  to  the  devil,  and  cannot 
inherit  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  since 
they  do  not  crucify  the  flesh.  For 
whosoever  desires  to  please  God,  must 
become  "a  new  creature"  in  Christ 


Chap.  V.] 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


181 


(2  Cor.  5  :  17);  "in  whom  neither  cir- 
j  curacision  availeth  any  thing,  nor  un- 
I  circumcision,  but  a   new  creature." 
Gal.  6:15.    Now,  since  these  are  the 
I  terms  on  which  our  eternal  welfare 
I  depends,  let  it  be  our  main  concern, 
;  that  we  more  and  more  vanquish  sin 
•I  in  our  mortal  bodies,  and  tliat  we  be 
i  members,  not  of  Satan,  but  of  Jesus 
j  Christ.    Let  us  earnestly  endeavor, 
that    the    divine   Word    may  gain 
;  ground,  and  bear  fruit  in  our  souls. 
I  Let  us  strive  to  render  our  lives  ac- 
ceptable to  God,  so  that,  being  pre- 
,  served  by  his  grace  to  the  end,  we 
j  may  continue  "vessels  of  mercy,  and 
j  not  of  wrath.''  Rom.  9  :  22,  23. 
I    6.  It  is  for  this  reason  that  David  so 
I  heartily  wishes  to  lead  a  holy  life, 
'  conformably  to  the  word  of  God  :  "  I 
cried/'  says  he,  "  with  my  whole  heart; 
(bear  me,  O  Lord;  I  will  keep  thy 
I  statutes"  (Ps.  119:145):  for  since  our 
conversion  is  entirely  from  above,  it 
follows,  that  a  holy  life  must  be  ob- 
tained by  continual  prayer  and  sup- 
plication.   "Heal  me,  O  Lord,"  says 
the  prophet,  "  and  I  shall  be  healed  ; 
i  save  me,  and  I  shall  be  saved :  for 
!  thou  art  my  praise."  Jcr.  17  : 11 ;  31 : 
18.    And  David  says  again,  "  I  cried 
unto  thee ;  save  me,  and  I  shall  keep 
(thy  testimonies."  Ps.  119  :  146.  Sin 
and  the  kingdom  of  Satan  are,  indeed, 
so  strong  and  powerful  in  man,  that 
it  is  in  vain  to  attempt  their  conquest 
'without  the  divine  aid  and  assistance. 
!    7.  Let  us  therefore  shake  off  all 
'  sloth  and  negligence,  and  let  us  ac- 
;  quit  ourselves  diligently,  in  a  matter 
of  so  great  importance.    David  him- 
self further  adds,  "I  prevented  (that 
its,  I  came  before)  the  dawning  of  the 
morning,  and  cried:  I  hoped  in  thy 
I  word.    Mine  eyes  prevent  (or,  antici- 
jpate)  the  night  watches,  that  I  might 

'meditate  in  thy  word."  Ps.  119:147, 

I 

i 


148.  And  very  appropriate  are  the 
words  of  the  prophet  on  this  account: 
"  He  wakeneth  me  morning  by  morn- 
ing: he  wakeneth  mine  ear  to  hear  as 
the  learned."  Isa.  50:4.  With  which 
those  of  Solomon  agree:  "I  sleep,  but 
my  heart  waketh:  it  is  the  voice  of 
my  beloved  that  knocketh."  Song  5:2. 

8.  In  these  and  the  like  sentences 
of  Scripture,  we  may  view  the  fath- 
erly care  and  condescending  love  of 
our  merciful  God;  since  his  delight  is 
to  be  conversant  with  the  sons  of  men, 
to  speak  with  them  and  to  instruct 
them.  Hence  he  appointed  his  Son  to 
be  our  heavenly  Teacher  and  Master; 
of  which  the  Lord  Jesus  himself  gave 
a  visible  image  when  he  was  found  in 
the  temple  in  the  midst  of  the  doctors, 
and  astonished  the  hearers  with  "his 
understanding  and  answers."  Luke  2: 
47.  This  was  done  by  our  Saviour, 
not  merely  on  account  of  the  Jewish 
temple,  which  is  now  destroyed;  but 
rather  on  account  of  the  Christian 
Church  itself,  which  is  the  true  and 
heavenly  Jerusalem,  taught  and  in- 
structed by  his  Word  and  Spirit.  It 
was  also  done  with  reference  to  the 
temple  of  our  heart,  in  which  he  will 
teach,  comfort,  enlighten,  and  sanctify 
us.  Here  he  will  pray,  ask  questions, 
and  answer  them;  and  speak  in  holy 
thoughts,^  and  devout  meditations. 
And  in  this  the  prophetical  office  of 
Christ  consists.  Hence  also  he  re- 
plied to  his  mother  in  these  words: 
"How  is  it  that  ye  sought  me  ?  Wist 
ye  not  that  I  must  be  about  my  fath- 
er's business  ?"  (Luke  2  :  49),  meaning 
that  office  which  was  conferred  upon 
him  by  his  Father.  This  office  he  now 
performs  at  the  right  hand  of  God,  as 
our  true  and  only  High  priest ;  and 
upon  earth  he  discharges  it  by  his 
word;  by  means  of  which  he  also  in- 
wardly preaches  in  our  hearts  by  his 


182 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  IL 


Holy  Spirit  and  gracious  illumination. 
Without  this,  the  outward  preaching 
must  prove  barren  and  unfruitful,  ac- 
cording to  the  words  of  the  apostle : 
"I  have  planted,  Apollos  watered;  but 


God  gave  the  increase.  So  then  nei- 
ther is  he  that  planteth  any  thing, 
neither  he  that  watereth  ;  but  God 
that  giveth  the  increase."  1  Cor.  3 : 
6,  7. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

THE  PERFECTION  AND  SALVATION  OF  MEN  DEPEND  ON  UNION  WITH  CHRIST  BY 
faith;  but  to  this  they  can  contribute  NOTHING,  WHEREAS  THEY 
RATHER  INTERFERE  WITH  THE  GRACE  OF  GOD  BY  THEIR  PERVERSE  WILL; 
BUT  CHRIST,  AND  HE  ALONE,  ACCOMPLISHES  THE  WORK  IN  US. 

Without  me  ye  can  do  nothing. — John  15  :  5. 


AS  man  by  his  apostasy  from  God, 
through  ambition  and  self-love, 
was  separated  from  him,  and  fell  from 
the  perfection  in  which  he  was  cre- 
ated, so  he  must  of  necessity  return 
to  his  original  tranquillity  and  happi- 
ness, b}^  a  union  with  God;  in  which 
the  whole  of  human  perfection  con- 
sists. It  was  therefore  necessary, 
that  the  Son  of  God  should  become 
man,  in  order  that  human  nature,  be- 
ing again  united  to  God,  might  there- 
by be  restored  to  its  primitive  integ- 
rity and  perfection.  As  the  divine 
and  human  natures  are  united  in  the 
one  Person  of  Christ,  so  must  we  all, 
through  grace,  be  united  to  him  by 
faith,  as  to  our  eternal  and  sovereign 
Good.  In  this  manner  it  pleased  God 
to  rectify  the  exceeding  corruption  of 
our  nature  by  the  abounding  goodness 
of  his  grace.  This  union  is  declared 
by  the  Son  of  God  himself:  "I  will 
betrolh  thee,"  says  he,  '-unto  me  for 
ever,  in  loving  kindness  and  in  mer- 
cies." IIos.  2  :  19.  For  since  our  na- 
ture is  infected  and  corrupted  by  sin^ 
which  is  the  greatest  of  evils,  it  could 
not  be  restored  and  healed  but  by  God 
himself,  the  sovereign  Good. 


2.  Now  as  the  union  of  the  divine 
and  the  human  natures  in  Christ  is 
eternal,  and  is  never  to  be  dissolved, 
insomuch  that  even  death  itself  could 
not  break  asunder  so  sacred  a  bond : 
so  Christ  our  Head  is  to  be  so  firmly 
united  with  his  faithful  members,  that 
neither  life  nor  death  may  ever  be 
able  to  separate  them  from  him.  This 
is  also  declared  by  the  prophet  Hosea, 
in  the  Person  of  Christ:  "I  will," 
says  he,  "  betroth  thee  unto  me  for 
ever." 

3.  This  union  by  faith,  is  of  the 
highest  necessity,  because  "  our  iniqui- 
ties have  separated  between  us  and  our 
God."  Isa.  69  :  2.  And  this  deplorable 
state  will  continue  to  all  eternity,  un- 
less Christ  dwell  in  us  here  by  faith. 
Moreover,  we  are  not  able  to  do  the 
least  good,  unless  Christ  himself  work 
it  in  us.  Hence,  says  the  apostle, 
"Not  I,  but  the  grace  of  God  which 
is  wnth  me."  1  Cor.  15:  I'J.  And  the 
Lord  himself  saj^s  :  "  Without  me  ye 
can  do  nothing"  (John  15:5);  the 
truth  of  which  he  illustrates  by  the 
beautiful  parable  of  the  vine  and  the 
branches.  Whence  it  naturally  fol- 
lows, that  if  we  are,  or  do,  any  good 


Chap.  VI.] 


TEUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


183 


at  all,  it  is  altogether  to  be  ascribed  to 
God  alone;  according  to  what  is  said 
by  the  prophet :  "  Thou  hast  wrought 
all  our  works  in  us"  (Isa.  2G:12); 
and  b}"  another:  1  am  like  a  green 
fir-tree.  From  me  is  thy  fruit  found.'' 
Hos.  14:8. 

4.  0  man  !  consider  therefore,  what 
thou  art,  and  what  thou  canst  do. 
What  hast  thou  been  able  to  contrib- 
ute to  thy  restoration  and  the  renova- 
tion of  thy  depraved  nature?  Surely 
nothing.  As  thou  couldst  not  afford 
any  help  toward  thy  bodily  birth,  nor 
create  th^'self;  so  neither  canst  thou 
bring  any  assistance  towards  thy  new 
birth  or  regeneration.  Thou  canst 
indeed  lose,  corrupt,  and  destroy  thy- 
self; but  to  renew,  to  restore,  to  heal, 
to  justify,  and  to  quicken  thyself,  is  a 
work  entirely  beyond  thy  strength. 
Couldest  thou  contribute  anything 
that  God  might  become  man  ?  No. 
There  is  nothing  therefore  that  thou 
canst  arrogate  to  thyself,  or  ascribe 
to  thy  own  ability.  Indeed,  the  more 
a  man  attributes  to  his  own  will, 
strength,  and  ability,  the  more  effec- 
tually does  he  obstruct  divine  grace, 
and  the  renewal  of  his  corrupted 
nature.  Let  us  therefore  wholly  re- 
nounce our  own  strength,  our  own 
wisdom,  our  own  will,  and  self-love, 
that,  being  thus  resigned  to  God  alone, 
we  may  suffer  his  power  freely  to  work 
in  us,  so  that  nothing  may,  in  this 
least,  oppose  the  will  and  operations 
of  the  Lord. 

5.  Lentil  thou  art  brought  to  this, 
0  Christian,  that  thy  mind  becomes 
merely  passive,  and  that  thou  purely 
sufferest  the  operation  and  will  of  God, 
it  is  evident,  that  God  is  impeded  by 
thee,  so  that  he  cannot  unite  Limself 
with  thy  soul ;  or  by  true  renovation 
of  thy  corrupt  nature  establish  his 
image  there.    For  our  own  will,  self- 


love,  ambition,  the  opinion  of  our  own 
wisdom,  and  whatever  we  ari-ogantly 
claim  to  ourselves,  are  so  many  im- 
pediments, why  God  cannot  freely 
operate  in  us,  and  effect  his  good  will. 
For  as  a  man's  own  will  more  and 
more  corrupts  and  depraves  him;  so 
the  will  of  God  more  and  more  per- 
fects and  restores  him. 

6.  Hence,  it  was  said  b}-  Bonaven- 
tura,  that  "the  highest  perfection  of 
religion,  consists  in  renouncing  our 
own  will."  And  by  Augustine,  "  If 
to  love  God  is  the  greatest  good  to 
man,  to  love  himself  must  needs  be  his 
greatest  evil.  And,  if  such  is  the  nature 
of  good,  that  it  diffuses  and  communi- 
cates itself ;  of  necessity  self-love  must* 
be  a  great  evil,  since  it  engrosses  to 
itself  both  its  own  and  the  goods  of 
others,  and  will  not  part  with  any  of 
them."  Of  this  even  the  pagan  Sene- 
ca himself  was  not  ignorant,  when  he 
said:  "That  only  is  an  accession  to 
virtue,  which  is  a  denial  of  thy  own 
will."  And  again:  "  Unless  thou  de- 
partest  from  thyself,  thou  canst  not 
approach  God,  who  is  above  thee." 

7.  Our  own  will  is  nothing  else  but 
a  defection  or  apostasy  from  God. 
Defection  verily  is  easy,  smooth,  and 
pleasant;  but  the  recovery  from  it  is 
bitter,  troublesome,  and  difficult;  yea, 
even  beyond  all  the  power  of  the  crea- 
ture. For  man^  by  his  own  strength, 
can  neither  return,  nor  in  any  wise 
help  himself,  whether  in  will  or  deed. 
Man's  will  is  captive,  and  his  works 
are  dead.  Christ  alone  is  able  to  help, 
in  the  beginning,  the  progress,  and  the 
end.  He  lays  before  us  two  means, 
the  law  Siwd.  the  gospel;  or  repentance 
and  remission  of  sin.  Through  the 
law^  in  the  first  place,  thou  must  die 
with  Christ,  and  by  true  sorrow  and 
brokenness  of  heart  sacrifice  thy  own 
w^ll.    Thou  must  become  as  nothing 


184 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  II. 


in  thine  own  eyes,  and  resign  thyself 
wholly  to  Christ.  Then  grace  and  for- 
giveness of  sin  are  conferred  through 
the  gospel,  and  man,  that  was  dead  be- 
fore, is  made  alive  by  faith.  Whence 
it  appears,  that  no  man  can  by  his 
own  strength  convert  and  quicken 
himself  For  it  is  absolutely  neces- 
sary that  he  hate,  deny,  and  lose  him- 
self; that  he  be  displeased  with,  and 
die  unto,  himself ;  and  that  his  hope 
be  placed  entirely  in  God  alone,  by 
whose  grace  he  expects  to  live. 

8.  But  even  this  self-hatred,  denial, 
and  mortification,  are  not  the  effect 
of  our  own  will  and  ability.  "  It  is 
not,"  says  St.  Paul,  "of  him  that  will- 
eth,  nor  of  him  that  runneth,  but  of 
God  that  sheweth  mercy."  Rom.  9:  16. 
It  is  God  therefore  alone  who  operates 
all  this  in  us  by  his  grace,  and  by  the 
power  of  his  good  Spirit:  so  that  our 
justification  is  not  derived  from  any 
creature  whatsoever,  but  from  God 


alone,  whose  work  and  gift  it  is.  For 
the  most  dangerous  enemy  any  man 
has,  is  himself;  insomuch  that  we  have 
great  reason  to  implore  the  Lord  to 
deliver  us  from  ourselves  and  all  that 
we  have  b}^  nature,  and  then  to  bestow 
that  which  flows  from  his  grace.  By 
our  own  strength  we  are  not  able  to 
perform  the  least  good,  if  God,  him- 
self, even  after  conversion,  do  not 
graciously  operate  in  us.  Who  is 
there  that  can  endue  us  with  love  and 
mercy,  but  God,  who  is  love  itself, 
and  from  whom  all  other  graces  pro- 
ceed ?  Therefore,  Christ  alone  is  our 
help  and  support,  when  the  help  of 
men  cannot  avail.  But  after  all,  be 
the  condition  ever  so  low  to  which 
man  has  been  brought  by  the  fall  of 
Adam,  he  is  now  raised  again  by 
Christ,  and  even  exalted  to  a  higher 
degree  than  he  possessed  before.  But 
of  this  more  shall  be  said  in  Chapter 
XI. 


CHAPTER  VII. 


SHOWING  THAT  IN  ORDER  TO  UNDERSTAND  THE  TRUE  NATURE  OF  REPENTANCE 
WE  MUST  NECESSARILY  KNOW  THE  DISTINCTION  BETWEEN  THE  OLD  AND  THE 
NEW  MAN;  OR,  HOW  IN  US  ADAM  MUST  DIE,  AND  CHRIST  LIVE;  OR,  HOW  IN 
US  THE  OLD  MAN  MUST  DIE,  AND  THE  NEW  MAN  LIVE. 

We  know  this,  that  our  old  man  is  crucified  with  Christ,  that  the  body  of  sin  might  he  destroyed, 
that  henceforth  we  should  not  serve  sin. — EoM.  6  :  6. 


IN  every  Christian  there  is  found  a 
twofold  man,  oi:>posed,  like  their 
fruits,  to  one  another.  This  will  more 
fully  appear  from  the  following  state- 
ment : 


Adam, 
Old  man, 
Outward  man, 
Old  birth, 
Flesh, 
Nature, 


Christ. 
New  man. 
Inward  man. 
New  birth. 
Spirit. 
Grace. 


Reason, 
Darkness, 
Tree  of  death, 
Evil  fruit, 
Sin, 

Damnation, 
Death, 

Old  Jerusalem, 
Kingdom  of  the  devil. 
Seed  of  the  serpent, 
Natural  man, 
Image  of  the  earthly, 


Faith. 

Light. 

Tree  of  life. 

Good  fruit. 

Righteousness. 

Salvation. 

Life. 

New  Jerusalem. 
Kingdom  of  God. 
Seed  of  God. 
Spiritual  man. 
Image  of  the  heavenly. 


Chap.  YII.] 


TEUE  CHEISTIANITT. 


185 


The  truth  of  this  statement,  the 
Scriptures,  as  well  as  experience,  abun- 
dant!}^ confirm.  The  former  .  speak 
largely  of  the  old  man  and  the  new, 
of  the  inward  and  outward  man.  See 
Eph.  4:24;  Col.  3:9;  2  Cor.  4:16. 
They  teach  also  that  the  Spirit  of 
God  is  in  us :  Rom.  8:11;  1  Cor.  3  : 
16;  6:19;  2  Cor.  5:5;  Eph.  1:  13. 
And  likewise  Christ,  Gal.  2:20;  2 
Cor.  13  :  5.  Experience^  moreover,  de- 
monstrates the  same.  Hither  may 
also  be  referred  that  striving  and 
struggling  of  the  flesh  and  Spirit, 
from  which  even  the  saints  are  not 
free.  Eom.  7  :  23.  Likewise  there  be- 
long here  the  different  fruits  of  the 
flesh  and  Spirit  reckoned  up  by  St. 
Paul.  Gal.  5  :  19-23.  This  point  is 
therefore  clearly  stated  in  Scripture, 
and  too  certain  to  be  called  in  question 
by  any  Christian.  It  is  the  hinge,  as 
it  were,  on  which  all  the  Scripture 
moves,  and  the  foundation  on  which 
the  true  knowledge  of  man  depends. 
Out  of  the  same  fountain  issue  true 
repentance,  or  the  death  of  Adam, 
and  the  life  of  Christ  in  us.  For  no 
sooner  does  Adam  die  in  us,  but  there 
perishes  with  him  all  that  is  origi- 
nally derived  from  him ;  the  old  out- 
ward man,  the  old  birth,  the  flesh,  na- 
ture, corrupt  reason,  darkness,  the 
tree  of  death,  evil  fruits,  sin,  death, 
damnation,  the  seed  of  the  serpent, 
the  natural  man,  the  earthly  image, 
the  old  Jerusalem,  and  the  kingdom 
of  Satan.  But  as  long  as  Adam  lives, 
there  also  live  and  reign  with  him  the 
old  man,  and  the  carnal  birth,  the 
flesh,  nature,  corrupt  reason,  dark- 
ness, and  the  whole  train  of  evils  be- 
fore mentioned,  being  all  comprised 
under  the  kingdom  of  Satan,  and  sub- 
ject to  damnation,  and  to  the  curse 
everlasting.  But  if,  on  the  other  hand, 
Christ  live  in  any  one,  then  verily 


there  live  and  reign  with  him  the  new 
and  inward  man,  the  new  birth,  the 
Spirit,  grace,  faith,  light,  the  tree  of 
life,  good  fruits,  righteousness,  life, 
happiness,  the  seed  of  God,  the  spirit- 
ual man,  the  heavenly  image,  the  new 
Jerusalem,  and  the  kingdom  of  God. 
All  which  proceed  from  the  divine 
blessing,  and  tend  to  eternal  salva- 
tion. Hero  is  a  matter  of  importance, 
namely,  so  to  order  one's  life  and  con- 
duct, that  Christ  the  new  or  second 
Adam,  and  not  the  old  Adam,  may 
live  and  reign  in  us. 

2.  Therefore  it  is  necessary  for  a 
man  to  watch,  to  fast,  to  pray,  fight, 
and  strive;  and,  as  St.  Paul  expresses 
it,  to  examine  himself  if  Christ  be  in 
him.  2  Cor.  13  :  5.  lie  is  to  woi'k  out 
his  salvation  with  fear  and  trembling. 
Phil.  2  :  12.  lie  is  to  enter  through 
the  strait  gate  and  the  narrow  way 
in  Christ.  Matt.  7  :  13.  That  is,  man 
must  now  hate  and  deny  himself,  for- 
sake all  (Luke  14 :  28),  and  die  unto 
sin.  Eom.  6  :  2.  This  surely  is  not  to 
be  effected,  as  the  delicate  Christians 
of  this  age  imagine,  by  any  careless 
and  slight  apj^lication  of  mind,  but 
by  an  inward  and  profound  sorrow, 
contrition,  and  brokenness  of  heart, 
together  with  groans  and  tears  that 
cannot  be  uttered.  These  inward  ex- 
ercises, and  acts  of  devotion,  are  most 
feelingly  set  forth  by  David  in  his 
Penitential  Psalms,  which  abound  with 
expressions  of  this  nature.  Ps.  6;  32; 
38;  51;  102;  130;  143.  The  apostle 
calls  it  a  crucifying  of  the  flesh  with 
the  aff'ections  and  lusts  thereof  Gal. 
5  :  24. '  Whoever  attains  to  this  state, 
in  him  verily  Christ  lives,  and  he  re- 
ciprocally^ in  Christ  by  faith.  Then 
Christ  conquers  and  reigns  in  man, 
whose  faith  is  become  "  the  victory 
that  overcometh  the  world."  1  John 
5:4. 


186 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  IL 


3.  But  since  the  world,  which  thou 
art  to  strive  against,  is  not  without 
thee,  but  within  thee,  it  follows,  that  it 
is  also  to  be  conquered  not  without, 
but  within  thee.  For  what  is  the 
world,  but  "  the  lust  of  the  flesh,  and 
the  lust  of  the  eyes,  and  the  pride  of 
life?"  1  John  2:16.  As  these  are  in 
thee,  so  in  thee  they  are  to  be  sub- 
dued, that  thus  thou  mayest  worthily 
bear  the  name  and  character  of  a  true 
child  of  God.  "  For  whatsoever  is 
born  of  God,  overcometh  the  world" 
(1  John  5:4);  and  if  thou  overcomest, 
and  gainest  the  victory  over  th}^  great 
enem}^  the  world,  thou  art  then  a 
child  of  light  (Eph.  5:8),  a  member 
of  Christ  (I  Cor.  12  :  27  ;  Eph.  5  :  30), 
and  the  temple  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  1 
Cor.  6  :  19.  Thou  art  now  a  good  tree 
(Matt.  12  :  33),  that  freely  and  with- 
out constraint,  yea,  with  joy,  love,  and 
pleasure,  bringelh  forth  fruit  to  the 
gloiy  of  God.  Matt.  5  :  IG. 

4.  But  if  thou  livest  in  Adam,  and 
Adam  reigns  in  thee,  then  thou  art 
not  a  child  of  God,  nor  born  again  of 
him.  For  since  thou  art  overcome  hy 
the  world^  and  since  the  prince  there- 
of rules  in  thee  by  pride,  ambition, 
and  self-love,  thou  art  on  this  very  ac- 
count to  be  numbered  amongst  the 
children  of  the  devil.  John  8:44.  '-For 
as  many  as  are  led  by  the  Spirit  of 
God,  they  are  the  sons  of  God."  Eom. 
8  :  14.  And,  on  the  contrar}',  as  many 
as  are  led  by  Satan,  they  likewise  are 
his  children;  yea,  they  are  the  very 
members  of  Satan,  sons  of  darkness, 
a  habitation  of  unclean  spirits,  an  ac- 
cursed Babj'lon,  full  of  impure  and  of 
abominable  beasts;  as  it  is  represented 
by  the  ancient  prophets  (Isa.  13  :  21 ; 
Eev.  18:2);  but  particularly  by  the 
prophet  Ezekiel.  He  being  brought 
in  spirit  into  the  temple  at  Jerusalem, 
beheld  two  remarkable  things  :  one 


whereof  was,  "every  form  of  creep- 
ing  things,  and  abominable  beasts,  and 
all  the  idols  of  the  house  of  Israel,  por- 
trayed upon  the  wall  round  about;" 
and  secondly  (which  was  still  more  de- 
testable), "  seventy  men  of  the  ancients 
of  the  house  of  Israel,  worshipping 
these  beasts  and  images,  and  ofteriug 
them  incense."  Ezek.  8  : 10,  11. 

5.  Behold,  O  man,  a  lively  repre- 
sentation here  given  of  thy  depraved, 
brutish,  and  beastly  heart!  If  thou 
wilt  but  enter  into  this  temple  of  thy 
heart,  thou  shalt  surely  find  thereia 
vast  numbers  of  foul,  detestable  crea- 
tures, images,  and  idols,  fashioned  and 
represented  by  all  manner  of  corrupt 
and  impure  thoughts  in  the  carnal 
mind, imagination, and meraorj'.  More- 
over (and  this  is  the  greatest  evil  of 
all),  though  these  idols  and  horrid 
abominations  should  be  "ntterly  ban- 
ished from  the  heart,  and  this  detest- 
able evil,  by  which  man  is  made  the 
habitation  of  unclean  and  pestilential 
reptiles,  should,  by  all  means,  be  de- 
stroyed by  repentance,  by  mortifica- 
tion of  the  flesh,  and  by  penitential 
tears  and  humiliation  ;  yet,  instead  of 
doing  that,  thou  lovest  these  serpents, 
adorest  these  vile  monsters,  and  serv- 
est  and  caressest  them.  Alas  !  thou 
but  little  reo;ardest  that  Christ  is  cast 
out  of  thy  soul  by  these  abominations, 
and  is  utterly  banished  from  ihy 
heart;  and  that  by  this  means  thou 
deprivest  thyself  of  the  supreme  and 
eternal  Good,  losing  the  Holy  Spirit 
with  all  his  excellent  gifts  and  graces. 
O  miserable  man  !  thou  exceedingly 
grievest  when  any  outward  trouble 
befalls  thee,  or  when  thou  losest  any- 
thing in  the  world  that  is  dear  to 
thee;  why  then  is  it,  that  thou  art  not 
at  all  concerned  at  the  loss  even  of 
Christ  himself,  and  at  the  deplorable 
state  of  thy  soul  and  body,  which  are 


Chap.  VII  ] 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


187 


both  become  a  habitation  of  malignant 
spirits! 

6.  If  these  things  be  seriously  pon- 
dered and  laid  to  heart,  we  shall  soon 
understand  what  Adam  and  Christ 
are;  and  how  they  live  and  act  in 
men.  To  this  head  we  may  also  refer 
the  following  observations.  First,  In 
Adam  we  arc  all  naturally  equal,  nor 
is  one  better  than  another;  since  we 
are  all,  both  as  to  body  and  soul, 
equally  polluted  and  corrupted,  so  that 
it  is  affirmed  by  St.  Paul,  not  only  of 
Jews  and  Gentiles,  but  even  of  all 
men  in  general,  that  "there  is  no  dif- 
ference." Rom.  3  :  22.  Hence  it  is  also 
true,  that  in  the  sight  of  God,  no  man 
is  better  than  the  most  profligate  crim- 
inal. For  though  that  perverse  tem- 
per w^hich  is  natural  to  all^  does  not 
equally  in  all  break  out  into  works, 
yet  God  judges  all  men  by  the  inward 
state  of  the  heart,  that  poisoned  foun- 
tain of  all  sin.  Nor  is  there  any  sin  so 
heinous,  which  man  by  nature  would 
not  freely  commit,  were  he  not  strongly 
restrained  by  divine  grace.  For  by 
the  bent  of  our  nature  we  are  but  too 
much  inclined  to  pollute  ourselves  with 
all  manner  of  wickedness  (Jer.  13  : 
23)  ;  and  if  the  inclination  be  not  al- 
ways attended  with  the  external  effect 
itself,  it  is  wholly  to  be  attributed  to 
the  grace  of  God,  and  not  to  any 
strength  or  prudence  of  our  own.  Gen. 
20:6.  This  consideration  should  ex- 
cite us  to  the  practice  of  true  humility, 
and  to  an  unfeigned  fear  of  God  ;  and 
at  the  same  time  restrain  us  from 
rashly  despising  our  fellow-creatures, 
lest,  by  reflecting  on  others,  we  our- 


selves split  upon  the  dangerous  rock 
of"  carnal  presumption.  Secondly,  It 
is  proper  to  observe,  that  as  in  Adam 
we  are  all  equally  bad  with  i-egard  to 
the  corruption  of  nature  ;  so  by  Christ 
we  arc  all  made  equally  just  and  iioly; 
no  man  receiving  ibr  himself  any  pre- 
rogative of  a  peculiar  riglitcousness  in 
the  sight  of  God.  For  since  Christ  is 
our  perfection,  our  "wisdom,  right- 
eousness, sanctifieation,  and  redemp- 
tion "  (1  Cor.  1  :  30  ;  G  :  11),  wc,  who 
in  Adam  are  alike^  are  also  alike  in 
Christ.  For  as  in  Adam  by  nature 
w^e  are  all  one  man  and  one  body,  in- 
fected with  the  foul  contagion  of  diso- 
bedience and  sin,  so  all  true  Christians 
are  as  one  man  in  C'/irist,  and  make 
up  one  body,  completely  purified  and 
sanctified  by  faith,  and  the  blood  of 
Christ. 

7.  This  truth  is  a  remedy  against 
spiritual  pride,  namely,  that  none 
should  account  himself  better  before 
God  than  others,  though  perhaps 
adorned  with  greater  gifts,  and  endow- 
ments. For  even  these  are  no  less  be- 
stowed on  him  of  pure  grace,  than  are 
righteousness  and  salvation  them- 
selves. Upon  this  principle  of  pure 
grace,  be  careful  to  keep  thy  mind 
constantly  fixed.  If  thou  dost  so, 
then  this  grace  shall  protect  thee 
against  the  dangerous  snares  of  pride 
and  arrogance ;  and  as,  on  the  one 
hand,  it  will  convince  thee  of  thy  own 
misery  and  poverty  in  spirit,  so,  on 
the  other,  it  will  give  thee  a  most 
lively  insight  into  Christ,  and  into  the 
exceeding  riches  of  grace,  offered 
through  him  to  all  mankind. 


188 


TEUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


[Book  II. 


CHAPTER  YIII. 

SHOWING  now  GRACIOUSLY  GOD  INVITES  US  TO  REPENTANCE,  AND    HOW  NECES- 
SARY IT  IS  THAT  IT  SHOULD  NOT  BE  DELAYED. 

Likewise,  I  say  unto  you,  there  is  joy  in  ihe  presence,  of  the  angels  of  God  over  one  sinner  that 

repenteih. — Luke  15  :  10. 


GOD,  who  is  of  infinite  mercy,  in 
order  that  he  might  the  better 
soften  our  hard  and  stony  hearts,  and 
turn  them  from  the  world,  ourselves, 
and  the  devil,  unto  himself  (Acts 
26  :  18),  has,  in  his  Word,  variously 
represented  and  set  before  our  eyes 
man's  conversion  and  repentance. 

2.  Among  other  ways  of  impressing 
it  on  our  minds,  the  two  parables  of 
XhaLost  Sheep  and  of  the  Prodigal  Son 
(Luke,  chap.  15),  are  exceedingly  af- 
fecting, and  are  so  abundant  in  divine 
consolation,  that  it  is  scarcely  possible 
seriously  to  think  upon  them  without 
tears.  Therein  our  Saviour  describes 
three  different  hearts.  Of  tliese  the 
first  is,  the  impenitent  heart  of  a  sin- 
ner; the  second,  the  contrite  heart  of 
a  penitent;  the  third,  the  heart  of 
God,  full  of  mercy  and  paternal  affec- 
tion. 

3.  The  first  he  describes  under  the 
similitude  of  a  degenerate  son,  waste- 
fully  spending  his  substance  and  in- 
heritance, and  at  last  reduced  to  such 
necessity,  as  to  wish  to  fill  his  belly 
with  the  husks  which  the  swine  did 
eat.  By  this  figure  all  mankind  in 
their  natural  state  are  shadowed  forth ; 
who,  as  so  man}^  degenerate  sons, 
have  squandered  away  the  heavenly 
inheritance  by  continual  riot  and 
wickedness.  That  is,  they  have  lost 
their  original  righteousness,  holiness, 
innocency,  and  the  beautiful  image  of 
God,  in  which  they  were  at  first  cre- 


ated (Eph.  4  :  24),  and  are  now  by 
their  ow^n  fault  become  the  bond-slaves 
of  sin,  of  the  devil,  and  of  death.  And 
to  complete  their  ruin,  finding  no  re- 
lief, rest,  or  comfort,  in  any  human  per- 
formances and  laws  (which  answer 
to  the  husks  in  the  parable)  they 
must  of  necessity  perish  with  endless 
famine  and  misery,  unless  they  speed- 
ily have  recourse  unto  the  grace  of 
their  Heavenly  Father. 

4.  The  second  heart,  which  is  that 
of  a  repenting  sinner,  is  set  forth  in 
these  words:  "How  many  hired  ser- 
vants of  my  Father  have  bread  enough, 
and  to  spare,  and  I  perish  with  hun- 
ger !  I  will  arise,  and  go  to  my  Father, 
and  will  say  unto  him.  Father,  I  have 
sinned  against  heaven,  and  before 
thee ;  and  am  no  more  worthy  to  be 
called  thy  son."  In  this  account  we 
have  a  very  moving  description  of 
true  repentance.  By  the  Prodigal's 
coming  to  himself,  is  signified  sor- 
row for  sin;  that  is^  when  a  man,  on 
the  one  hand,  reflects  uj^on  his  own 
misery,  and  considers  how,  from  being 
a  child  of  God,  he  is  become,  as  it  were, 
a  brute  beast  (2  Pet.  2  : 12),  an  unclean 
swine,  a  man  void  of  reason,  earthly 
and  sensual;  and,  on  the  other,  mind- 
ful of  his  divine  origin,  turns  his 
thoughts  entirely  upon  his  Father, 
repents,  acknowledges  his  ofi^ences, 
and  says,  "  Father,  I  have  sinned 
against  heaven,  and  before  thee;"  and 
have  oflPended  both  God  and  man. 


Chap.  VIIL] 


TEUE  CHKISTIAOTTY. 


189 


This  he  immediately  confirms  by  a 
sincere  contempt  of  himself,  expressed 
in  these  words:  "and  am  no  more 
worthy  to  be  called  thy  son."  More- 
over,which  is  the  other  part  of 
repentance,  is  exhibited  to  us  in  his 
actual  arising  and  returning  to  his 
father's  house.  lie  assumed  confi- 
dence to  repair  to  his  home,  and  firmly 
persuaded  himself  that  his  father 
would  receive  him,  if  not  as  a  son,  at 
least  as  one  of  his  hired  servants. 
"  For,"  says  he,  "  I  am  no  more  worthy 
to  he  called  thy  son;  make  me  as  one 
of  thy  hired  servants."  This  plainly 
shows  the  sure  hope  he  entertained, 
that  his  father  would  yield  to  his  en- 
treaties, and  receive  him  into  his  favor. 

5.  And  now  I  come,  thirdly,  to  draw 
the  character  of  the  paternal  heart  of 
God,  set  forth  in  the  parable. 

I.  When  the  son  was  yet  a  great  way 
off,  his  father  saw  him.  Behold  the  pre- 
venient  mercy  of  our  Heavenly  Father, 
who  graciously  looks  for  his  prodigal 
children.  Ps.  79:8;  Isa.  30:18,  19;  Ps. 
32:8. 

II.  And  was  moved  loith  compassion. 
Hereby  is  represented  his  mercy  wait- 
ing to  be  gracious  to  us. 

III.  A7id  ran  and  fell  on  his  neck. 
Here  is  mercy  receiving  into  favor. 

lY.  And  kissed  him.  This  exhibits 
mercy  ready  to  administer  consolation 
to  the  returning  sinner.  Micah  7  :  19  ; 
Isa.  66 :  13. 

Y.  Bring  forth,  says  he,  the  best  robe, 
and  put  it  on  him  (Isa.  61 :  10).  This 
has  relation  to  Christ,  and  points  out 
his  righteousness,  and  justifying  grace. 
Eom.  8:33. 

YI.  And  put  a  ring  on  his  hand. 
Hereby  is  signified  the  Holy  Spirit, 
the  pledge  of  sonship  (Gal.  4:6  ;  Eph. 
1 :  5),  the  seal  of  intimate  favor  and 
union ;  and  it  also  represents  to  us  the 
espousing  mercy  of  the  Lord. 


YIl.  And  shoes  on  his  feet.  This  de- 
notes a  new  and  holy  walk  in  Christ, 
resulting  from  the  Divine  power,  and 
the  grace  of  the  Holy  Spirit;  which 
are  the  peculiar  effects  of  preserving 
mercy.  1  Peter  1:5;  Ps.  84  :  11. 

YIII.  Bring  hither  the  fatted  calf.  By 
this  feast  is  represented  the  joy  of  an- 
gels, or  rejoicing  and  crowning  mercy, 
described  by  the  holy  Psalmist,  and 
the  prophet  Isaiah.  Ps.  63:5;  103: 
5;  Isa.  65  :  13. 

6.  AYhat  strono- and  endearino;  aro-u- 
ments  are  here  offere-d  b}"  the  goodness 
of  God  inviting  us  to  sincere  repent- 
ance !  Let  us,  then,  seriously  consider 
some  of  the  main  inducements  to  true 
rej^entance^  of  which  seven  shall  be 
proposed  at  present. 

I.  The  boundless  mercy  of  God. 

II.  The  kindness  of  Christ,  and  his 
inestimable  merit. 

III.  The  awful  threatenings  and 
punishments  that  are  laid  before  us. 

lY.  Death. 

Y.  The  last  judgment, 
YI.  Hell.  And 
YIL  Everlasting  joy. 

I.    THE  MERCY  OF  GOD. 

7.  If  thou  shalt  seek  the  Lord  thy 
God,  thou  shalt  find  him,  if  thou  seek 
him  with  all  thy  heart,  and  with  all 
thy  soul.  When  thou  art  in  tribula- 
tion, and  all  these  things  are  come 
upon  thee,  even  in  the  latter  days,  if 
thou  turn  to  the  Lord  thy  God,  and 
shalt  be  obedient  unto  his  voice  ;  (for 
the  Lord  thy  God  is  a  merciful  God;) 
he  will  not  forsake  thee,  neither  de- 
stroy thee^  nor  forget  the  covenant  of 
thy  fathers,  w^hich  he  sware  unto 
them."  Deut.  4:29-31.  What  tender 
affection,  as  of  the  heart  of  a  father, 
have  we  here  presented  to  us !  And 
how  just  and  reasonable  is  it,  that  it 
should  move  us  to  repentance!  For 
how  numerous  and  great  soever  our 


190 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  II 


sins  nui}^  be,  the  mercy  of  God  is  still 
greater,  according  to  the  words  of  the 
Psalmist :  With  the  Lord  there  is 
mercy;  and  with  him  is  plenteous  re- 
demption. And  he  shall  redeem  Is- 
rael from  all  his  iniquities."  Ps.  130:7, 
8.  And  again:  "According  unto  the 
multitude  of  thy  tender  mercies,  blot 
out  my  transgressions."  Ps.  51 : 1.  Nor 
are  our  sins  so  filthy  and  abominable, 
but  God  can  make  them  white  as 
snow.  "Though  your  sins,"  says  the 
prophet,  "be  as  scarlet,  they  shall  be 
as  white  as  snow."  Isa.  1  :  18.  And 
the  Psalmist  says:  "Purge  me  with 
hyssop,  and  I  shall  be  clean  ;  wash  me, 
and  I  shall  be  whiter  than  snow."  Ps. 
51 :  7.  Neither  are  they  so  various 
and  manifold,  but  that  they  are  sur- 
passed by  the  riches  of  divine  grace, 
according  to  the  apostle :  "In  Christ 
we  have  redemption  through  his  blood, 
the  forgiveness  of  sins^  according  to 
the  riches  of  his  grace."  Eph.  1 :  7. 
And  what  we  read  in  Exodus  teaches 
the  same  :  "  The  Lord,  the  Lord  God, 
merciful  and  gracious,  long  suffering, 
and  abundant  in  goodness  and  truth; 
forgiving  iniquit}',  and  transgression, 
and  sin."  Exod.  34  :  6,  7.  Nor  are  they 
so  strong  and  powerful,  but  God  can 
destroy  them^  and  throw  them  into 
the  depth  of  the  sea,  as  he  did  unto 
Pharaoh  and  all  his  host.  "  He  will 
subdue  our  iniquities;  and  thou  wilt 
cast  all  their  sins  into  the  depths  of 
the  sea."  Micah  7  :  19.  Nor,  finally, 
are  they  so  mortal  and  pestilential, 
but  God  can  heal  them,  as  the  prophet 
assures  us  :  "  Tlic  wif!:c;l  shall  not  fall 
by  his  wickedness  in  the  day  that  he 
turneth  from  it."  Ezek.  33:  12. 

II.  THE  KINDNESS  OP  CHRIST. 

8.  IIow  kindly  and  affectionately 
Christ  Jesus  receives  sinners,  he  him- 
self abundantly  declares  in  the  Gospel: 


"They  that  be  whole,"  says  he,  "need 
not  a  physician,  but  they  that  are  sick. 
I  am  not  come  to  call  the  righteous, 
but  sinners  to  repentance."  Matt. 
9  : 12,  13.  "  The  Son  of  man  is  come  to 
seek  and  to  save  that  which  was  lost." 
Luke  19  :  10.  Of  this  gracious  bounty 
of  Christ  towards  returning  sinners, 
the  prophets  have  left  us  many  pre- 
dictions. "  Woe  be  to  the  shepherds 
of  Israel,"  saith  Ezekiel,  "  who  have 
not  sought  that  which  was  lost :  but 
with  force  and  with  cruelty  have  j^e 
ruled  them.  And  they  were  scattered, 
because  there  is  no  shepherd.  Behold, 
I,  even  I,  will  both  search  my  sheep, 
and  seek  them  out.  As  a  shepherd 
seeketh  out  his  flock,  in  the  day  that 
he  is  among  his  sheep  that  are  scat- 
tered;  so  will  I  seek  that  which  was 
lost,  and  bring  again  that  which  was 
driven  away,  and  will  bind  up  that 
which  was  broken,  and  will  strengthen 
that  which  was  sick."  Ezek.  34 : 2,  4, 12, 
16.  And  the  prophet  Isaiah  says,  "He 
shall  feed  his  flock  like  a  shepherd:  he 
shall  gather  the  lambs  with  his  arm, 
and  carry  them  in  his  bosom."  Isai. 
40  :  11.  Nor  should  only  the  gracious 
nature  of  Christ  move  thee  to  repent- 
ance ;  but  more  especially  his  extreme 
sorrow^  and  most  innocent  blood  shed 
on  thine  account.  For  consider  with- 
in thyself: 

(1.)  That  he  laid  down  his  life,  not 
for  heaven  or  earth,  but  for  thy  soul. 
And  wilt  thou,  by  sin  and  impenitence, 
wantonly  cast  away  so  great  and  val- 
uable a  treasure  ? 

(2.)  Remember,  that  thou  couldest 
not  have  been  redeemed  by  any  other 
or  less  price  than  the  precious  blood 
of  Christ  (1  Pet.  1 : 19).  Why  should- 
est  thou  deprive  thyself  of  a  ransom 
so  inestimable  as  the  Redeemer  has 
paid  for  thee  ? 

(3.)  Call  to  mind,  that  Christ  has 


CiiAP.  YTIL] 


TEUE  CHEISTIAjSriTY. 


191 


redeemed  thee  from  the  world,  from 
sin  and  the  devil.  And  dost  thou  de- 
sire to  continue  longer  in  the  service 
of  so  hard  and  cruel  a  master? 

(4.)  Be  assured,  that  without  un- 
feigned repentance,  the  merit  of  Christ 
will  avail  thee  nothing;  yea,  that  thou 
tramplest  under  foot  his  blood,  and 
dost  ''despite  unto  the  Spirit  of  grace." 
Heb.  10  :  29. 

(5.)  Lastly,  consider  how  sharp  and 
cruel  were  the  sufferings  which  thy 
Saviour  underwent  on  thy  account! 
How  he  wept  and  sorrowed,  trembled 
and  feared  !  Ileb.  5  :  7.  How  griev- 
ously he  was  wounded  for  thy  trans- 
gressions (Isa.  53  :  5),  and,  at  last,  as 
a  worm  (Ps.  22 :  6),  and  cursed  (Gal. 
3  : 13),  hung  upon  a  tree!  How  loudly 
this  mournful  scene  calls  on  thee  to 
repent ! 

III.    THREATS  OF  TEMPORAL  PUNISH- 
MENT. 

9.  ^'  God  judgeth  the  righteous," 
saiththe  Psalmist,  "and  God  is  angry 
with  the  wicked  every  day.  If  he 
turn  not,  he  will  whet  his  sword:  he 
hath  bent  his  bow,  and  made  it  ready : 
he  hath  also  prepared  for  him  the  in- 
struments of  death:  he  ordaineth  his 
arrows  against  the  persecutors."  Ps. 
7: 11-13. 

10.  This  wrath  and  revenge,  no  man 
will  ever  be  able  to  escape,  as  the 
prophet  Amos  affirms:  "He  that  es- 
capeth  of  them  shall  not  be  delivered. 
Though  they  climb  up  to  heaven, 
thence  I  will  bring  them  down :  and 
though  they  be  hid  from  my  sight  in 
the  bottom  of  the  sea,  thence  will  I 
command  the  serpent,  and  he  shall  bite 
them.  Behold,  the  eyes  of  the  Lord 
God  are  upon  the  sinful  kingdom,  and 
I  will  destroy  it  from  off  the  face  of 

i  the  earth."   Amos  9  :  1-3,  8.  "Their 
blood  shall  be  poured  out  as  dust,"  saith 


Zephaniah,  1 : 17, 18. "  and  their  flesh  as 
the  dung.  Neither  their  silver,  nor 
their  gold,  shall  be  able  to  deliver  them 
in  the  day  of  the  Lord's  wrath;  but  the 
w^hole  land  shall  be  devoured  by  the 
fire  of  his  jealousy."  Such  terrible 
threatenings  as  these  should  lead  us 
to  unfeigned  repentance;  this  being 
the  only  means  by  which  to  prevent 
impending  desolation,  and  the  total 
destruction  of  nations  and  cities;  as 
evidently  ajjpears  from  the  example 
of  Nineveh.  Jonah  3:5,  10.  "At 
what  instant  I  shall  speak  concerning 
a  nation,  and  concerning  a  kingdom, 
to  pluck  up,  and  to  pull  down,  and  to 
destroy  it  ;  if  that  nation  against 
whom  I  have  pronounced,  turn  from 
their  evil,  I  will  repent  of  the  evil 
that  I  thought  to  do  unto  them." 
Jer.  18  :  7,  8. 

IV.  DEATH. 

11.  God  has  concealed  the  time  of 
our  death  from  us,  that  thereby  we 
may  be  kept  in  the  daily  and  uninter- 
rupted practice  of  true  repentance,  as 
not  knowing  which  hour  may  be  our 
last.  "The  whole  life  of  a  man  is 
given  him  for  repentance,"  saith  St. 
Bernard.  And  this  rej^entance  is  a 
Christian's  daily  cross  and  tribula- 
tion. Thus  it  is  said  in  the  Psalms: 
"I  am  ready  to  halt,  and  my  sorrow 
is  continually  before  me."  Ps.  38  :  17  ; 
73  :  14.  God  has  promised  grace  to 
the  penitent,  but  he  has  not  promised 
to  sinners  another  day  in  which  to 
repent.  "It  is  aj^pointed  unto  men 
once  to  die;  but  after  this  the  judg- 
ment." Heb.  9  :  27.  Such  as  God  shall 
find  thee,  as  such  will  he  judge  thee : 
wherefore,  live  in  such  a  manner  as 
thou  wouldest  wish  to  have  done, 
when  thou  art  dying.  Consider  seri- 
ously in  thy  mind,  where  they  now 
are,  who  but  a  few  years  ago  wasted 


192 


TEUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


[Book  II 


their  lives  with  lust  and  vanity,  and 
freely  enjoyed  the  '^good  things"  of 
this  world?  Luke  16  :  25.  They  are 
all  gone  to  their  own  place,  where 
they  wait  for  the  day  of  judgment. 
Wherefore^  "  come  out  of  her,  niy 
people,  that  ye  be  not  partakers  of 
her  sins,  and  that  ye  receive  not  of 
her  jjlagucs."  Eev.  18:4. 

V.    THE  LAST  JUDGMENT. 

12.  For  after  death,  there  is  neither 
place  nor  time  for  repentance.  It  is 
in  this  world  that  eternal  life  is  either 
lost  or  obtained.  Those  that  repent 
betimes,  shall  not  be  condemned  in 
judgment;  but  the  impenitent  will 
hear  the  awful  sentence:  "Depart 
from  me,  ye  cursed,  into  everlasting 
fire."  Matt.  25  :  41.  "  Behold,  there- 
fore, now  is  the  accepted  time;  be- 
hold, noAv  is  the  day  of  salvation  !" 
(2  €or.  6  :  2),  which  will  be  followed 
by  the  day  of  judgment  in  the  other 
world.  "To-day,  therefore,  if  ye  will 
hear  his  voice,  harden  not  your  hearts, 
as  in  the  provocation;  lest  I  swear  in 
my  wrath,  that  ye  shall  not  enter  into 
my  rest."  Ps.  95:  7,  8,  11;  Heb.  3  :  7, 
8,  11.  "  For  we  must  all  appear  be- 
fore the  judgment-seat  of  Christ,  that 
every  one  may  receive  the  things  done 
in  his  body,  whether  it  be  good  or 
bad."  2  Cor.  5  :  10.  Those, -therefore, 
who  here  repent,  "shall  have  their 
sins  covered  "  (Ps.  32  :  1),  and  "  they 
shall  no  more  be  mentioned  unto 
them,"  as  the  prophet  declares.  Ezek. 
33  :  16.  Lay  hold,  therefore^  on  the 
offer  of  merc}"  betimes,  know  and  con- 
fess thy  sins,  O  man,  that  they  may 
be  remitted  and  forgotten. 

VI.    ETERNAL  PAINS  OF  HELL. 

13.  With  this  present  life,  the  sea- 
son of  the  mercy  of  God  closes.  It 
will  then  be  said:  "Son,  remember 


that  thou  in  thy  lifetime  receivedst 
thy  good  things."  Luke  16  :  25.  Thy 
life  is  now  over.  Thou  art  now  dead  ! 
Dead  to  God  forever,  to  whom  thou 
didst  refuse  to  live  in  time  !  There  is 
no  redemption  from  hell.  Ps.  49  :  14- 
20.  How  can  the  damned  enjoy  the 
goodness  of  God,  to  which  the}-  were 
dead  whilst  they  were  alive,  and  to 
which  they  will  now  continue  dead  to 
all  eternity !  Eemember,  therefore, 
that  now  is  the  only  time  for  mercy, 
and  the  hour  of  visitation  to  repent ; 
whereas,  there  the  damned  so  die,  as, 
notwithstanding,  always  to  live  ;  and 
so  live,  as  yet  to  die  eternally.  All 
the  senses  will  there  sutfer  torment. 
The  sight  shall  be  punished  with  eter- 
nal darkness;  the  ears  shall  be  filled 
with  weeping  and  gnashing  of  teeth; 
the  smell  with  stench  of  fire  and 
brimstone;  the  taste  with  the  bitter- 
ness of  eternal  death  ;  and  the  feeling 
with  a  sense  of  endless  tortures  and 
miseries. 

VII.    THE  JOY  OF  ETERNAL  LIFE. 

14.  Is  it  not  a  very  high  degree  of 
folly,  to  prefer  a  short  perishing  pleas- 
ure to  an  eternal  joy ;  and  a  w^orthless 
trifle,  to  the  glorious  presence  of  God? 
NoAV  none  shall  enter  into  this,  but  he 
who  has  thoroughly  washed  himself, 
and  "  made  white  his  robes  in  the 
blood  of  the  Lamb."  Eev.  3  :  14.  "  For 
without  are  dogs,  and  sorcerers,  and 
whoremongers,  and  murderers,  and 
idolaters,  and  whosoever  loveth  and 
maketh  a  lie."  Eev.  22 :  15.  None  of 
those,  who,  having  been  here  invited 
to  the  feast  of  Christ,  yet  refused  to 
come,  "shall  taste  of  his  supper." 
Luke  14  :  24.  The  highest  joy  of  eter- 
nal life,  will  consist  in  "seeing  God  as 
he  is."  1  John  3  :  2.  To  see  God,  is  all 
in  all,  and  an  eternal  reward.  "Ye 
shall  see  me,"  says  our  Lord,  "  and 


Chap.  IX.] 


TEUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


193 


your  heart  shall  rejoice;  and  your  joy 
ijo  man  takcth  from  you."  John  IG  : 
19,  22.  This  sight  of  the  f\ice  of  God 
is  the  joy  of  the  angels;  it  is  their 
life,  and  the  invisihle  food  by  which 
they  are  sustained.     Now  as  this 


vision  of  God  creates  the  most  exalted 
joy,  so  to  be  banished  from  it,  is  to 
suffer  the  greatest,  the  most  terrible, 
and  the  most  severe  torment,  and  eter- 
nal misery. 


CHAPTER  IX. 


SHOWING  WHAT  REPENTANCE  IS,  AND  THE  MANNER  IN  WHICH  THE  SINNER  TRULY 
REPENTS  ;  ALSO,  HOW  THE  GOODNESS  OF  GOD  LEADS  US  TO  REPENTANCE. 

Therefore  also  now,  snith  the  Lord,  turn  ye  even  to  me  with  all  your  heart,  and  with  fasting,  and 
with  weeping  J  and  with  mourning :  and  rend  your  heart,  and  not  your  garments,  and  turn  unto 
tJie  Lord  your  God :  for  he  is  gracious  and  merciful,  stow  to  anger,  and  of  great  kindness,  and 
repenteth  him  of  the  evil. — Joel  2  :  12,  13. 


THE  Lord,  whose  mercy  is  infinite, 
by  no  means  seeks  our  destruction, 
but  rather  our  life  and  happiness.  He 
best  knows  the  wretched  and  deplora- 
ble condition  into  which  we  are  fallen 
by  sin ;  and  he  is  also  desirous  to  re- 
claim us  from  that  dangerous  state, 
and  to  preserve  us  from  everlasting 
ruin.  It  is  for  this  reason,  that  he  so 
earnestly  invites  the  soul  to  repent- 
ance, and  engages  us  to  the  same  by 
many  strong  and  powerful  motives. 

2.  Sometimes  God  is  pleased  to  stir 
us  up  by  terrible  threaienings.  "  Be- 
hold," says  he,  "  I  will  bring  evil  upon 
this  people;  because  they  have  not 
hearkened  unto  my  words,  nor  to  my 
law,  but  rejected  it."  Jer.  6  :  19. 
x\gaiu,  "And  now,  because  ye  have 
done  all  these  works,  saith  the  Lord, 
and  I  S2:)ake  unto  yow,  rising  up  early 
and  speaking,  but  ye  heard  not ;  there- 
fore, will  I  cast  you  out  of  my  sight." 
Jer.  7  :  13,  15.  This  dreadful  procla- 
mation of  both  temporal  and  eternal 
calamities,  should  strike  fear  and  ter- 
roi^  into  us :  for  the  threatening:  of  God 


is  not  an  empty  voice,  nor  a  sound 
that  vanishes  into  nothing,  but  it  is  ac- 
companied with  many  terrible  effects, 
and  consuming  wrath,  as  will  in  its 
time  more  fully  appear,  and  which  we 
even  feel  already  by  sad  experience; 
since  miseries  and  calamities,  like  a 
flood,  seem  to  carry  all  before  them. 
Nay,  they  will  undoubtedly  multiplj^ 
upon  us,  and  exert  themselves  with 
the  utmost  fury  and  fierceness,  except 
we  betimes  prevent  them  by  a  sincere 
repentance.  Thus  the  wrath  of  God 
shall  be  poured  forth  in  wars,  flimines, 
pestilence,  fire,  and  inundations,  till 
he  has  at  length  destroyed  our  very 
foundations,  as  he  did  once  to  the 
city  of  Jerusalem.    Lam.  4  :  11. 

3.  But  if  the  proclamation  of  wrath 
and  judgment  cannot  prevail  upon  us, 
yet  ought  God's  abounding  goodness^ 
attended  as  it  is  with  so  many  endear- 
ing marks  of  love,  to  melt  our  hearts, 
and  to  soften  them  into  true  and 
earnest  repentance.  For  thus  hath 
the  Lord  spoken  by  the  prophet : 
"  Eeturn,  thou  backsliding  Israel,  and 


13 


194 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  TI. 


I  will  not  cause  mine  anger  to  fall 
upon  you:  for  I  am  mercifal,  sailh 
the  Lord,  and  I  will  not  keep  anger 
for  ever.  Only  acknowledge  thine 
iniquity,  that  thou  hast  transgressed 
against  the  Lord  thy  God  "  Jer.  3  : 
12,  13.  In  these  words,  God  makes  a 
free  offer  of  his  grace,  entreats  and 
adjures  us  to  return  to  him  again,  for 
he  is  willing  to  accept  our  repentance. 

4.  The  passages  that  have  been 
quoted,  are  a  convincing  proof  that 
God,  by  his  grace,  merc}^,  patience, 
and  clemency,  strongly  invites  us  to 
true  repentance.  There  are  chieflj- 
three  things  in  those  scriptures,  which 
deserve  a  more  particular  observation  : 
namely,  the  nature  of  repentance,  or 
what  it  is  to  repent;  that  is,  to  turn 
unto  the  Lord : — the  manner  in  which 
repentance  is  to  be  wrought  out;  that 
is,  by  fasting,  weeping,  and  mourn- 
ing:— the  motive  to  engage  us  in  so 
holy  an  exercise,  w4ncli  is  the  paternal 
goodness  of  God  ;  "/or  1  am  mercif  ul.'" 

As  to  the  first^  we  know  that  to 
repent^  is  nothing  else  but  to  be  led, 
through  the  law  of  God,  to  acknowl- 
edge the  natural  blindness  of  our 
hearts,  and  that  detestable  impurity 
which  lurks  within.  Next,  we  ought 
to  regard  this  as  the  very  source 
whence  all  other  sins  proceed,  and 
whereby  we  depart  from  God,  the 
supreme  and  eternal  Good,  deserving 
not  onl}"  various  punishments  here, 
but  also  his  everlasting  wrath  in  hell 
hereafter.  All  this  ought  to  awaken 
in  us  sorrow  and  distress,  not  so  much 
by  reason  of  the  threatened  punish- 
ment, as  rather  on  account  of  the 
heinousness  of  the  many  provocations 
offered  to  a  merciful  Father^  who  in 
his  very  nature  is  love  and  kindness. 
This  being  done,  Ave  may  then  raise 
again  our  souls  by  virtue  of  the  Gos- 
pel, and  with  a  well-grounded  faith, 


rely  on  the  favor  of  God,  and  on  the 
sure  remission  of  sin  promised  in 
Christ  Jesus.  This  must  necessarily 
be  attended  with  a  serious  amendment 
of  life,  with  a  constant  purification  of 
the  heart  by  faith,  with  a  mortification 
of  all  evil  desires,  and  with  a  sincere 
abnegation  of  our  own  will,  so  oppo- 
site to  that  of  God.  In  a  word,  it  will 
be  accompanied  with  a  new  life  accept- 
able unto  God  in  Christ,  and  with  fruit 
worth}'  of  repentance ;  suitably  to  what 
God  enjoins  by  the  proj^het:  "  AVash 
ye,  make  you  clean ;  put  away  the 
evil  of  your  doings  from  before  mine 
eyes;  cease  to  do  evil,  learn  to  do 
well.  Though  your  sins  be  as  scarlet, 
they  shall  be  as  w^hite  as  snow." 
Isaiah  1  :  16,  18. 

5.  But  alas!  here  is  the  difficulty! 
These  things  are  much  more  easily 
said,  than  reduced  to  practice.  The 
reason  is,  because  hardly  any  will  ear- 
nestly engage  in  so  w'eighty  a  work, 
or  search  into  the  true  original  cause 
of  the  many  dreadful  disorders  that 
appear  in  our  lives  and  conduct.  Man 
flatters  himself  with  a  confident  opin- 
ion of  his  ow^n  goodness,  and  cherishes 
the  affection  of  the  old  man.  There 
are  few  who  care  to  see  their  hearts 
in  their  inward  and  native  depravity; 
or  to  be  made  sensible  of  that  vein 
of  evil  nature  which  runs  through  all 
their  actions,  even  the  best  and  most 
shining.  And  thus  Christ  himself,  and 
the  grace  of  God,  manifested  by  him, 
are  wantonly  disregarded. 

6.  And  yet  Joel  (2  :  12)  requires  us 
to  "turn  unto  God  with  all  our  heart, 
with  fasting,  with  w^eeping,  and  with 
mourning."  Hereby  he  intimates  that 
we  are  turned  away  from  God;  have 
forsaken  the  fountain  of  living  waters 
(Jer.  2:  13);  and  are  now  unable  to 
attain  life  and  happiness  again,  unless 
we    search  our  ways,"  and  '^return" 


ClIAP.  IX.] 


TEUB  CIIEISTIANITY. 


195 


unto  him  from  whom  we  are  gone 
astray.  Lam.  3  :  40.  It  is  for  this 
purpose  that  the  Prophet  charges 
"  backsliding  children"  to  return,  with 
the  promise  annexed,  that  the  ''Lord 
will  heal  their  backslidings."  Jer. 
3  :  22.  For  this  verily  is  the  will  of 
God,  that  we  should  see  and  confess 
Dur  misery,  in  order  that  he  may  com- 
passionately heal  it. 

7.  But  since,  by  nature,  we  are  so 
blind  as  to  be  utterly  unable  of  our- 
selves sufficiently  to  discover  our  own 
wretchedness;  God  has  been  pleased 
to  afford  means,  with  a  view  to  bring- 
ing us  to  a  sound  knowledge  of  our- 
selves. This  is  done  by  his  holy  Word 
and  the  Sacraments,  which  are  always 
accompanied  with  his  grace  and  Spirit. 
By  these  the  Father  draws,  allures, 
and  calls  us  to  himself,  as  so  many 
lost  and  wandering  sheep.  John  6  :  44. 
For  as  a  straj-ing  sheep  cannot  of 
itself  return,  but  must  of  necessity  be 
sought- and  brought  back  to  the  fold 
by  the  shepherd,  so  we  would  forever 
go  astray  in  the  wilderness  of  sin  and 
error,  did  not  God  himself  carefully 
seek  us ;  and  this  the  examples  of 
Peter  and  Paul  abundantly  confirm. 
Therefore  the  prophet  says :  Turn 
thou  me,  0  Lord,  and  I  shall  be  turned; 
for  thou  art  the  Lord  ray  God."  Jer. 
31  :  18.  "  Heal  me,  O  Lord,  and  I 
shall  be  healed;  save  me,  and  I  shall 
be  saved :  for  thou  art  my  praise." 
Jer.  17:14.  "For  it  is  God,"  says 
the  apostle,  "which  worketh  in  us, 
both  to  will  and  to  do,  of  his  good 
pleasure."  Phil.  2  :  13. 

8.  When,  therefore,  the  Lord  gra- 
ciously awakens  us  by  these  means, 
and  invites  us  to  repentance,  it  is  our 
part,  not  to  withstand  his  grace  and 

j  Spirit;  (as  it  is  said,  "To-day  if  ye 
I  will  hear  his  voice,  harden  not  your 
'  hearts")  (Ps.  95  : 7,  8)  ;  but  to  confess 

I 

! 


the  sin  which  he  thus  reproves  in  us, 
and  by  no  means  make  light  of  the 
grace  offered  to  us  in  the  Gospel.  Then 
God  will  assuredlj^  have  mercy  upon 
us,  as  he  himself  declares  :  "  Let  the 
wicked  forsake  his  way,  and  the  un- 
righteous man  his  thoughts;  and  let 
him  return  unto  the  Lord,  and  he  will 
have  mercy  upon  him;  and  to  our 
God,  for  he  will  abundantly  pardon." 
Isa.  55  :  7. 

9.  Upon  this  account  the  work  of 
conversion,  though  it  is  entirely  a 
work  of  God's  grace,  is  yet  in  one  re- 
spect ascribed  to  us;  namely,  as  Ave 
give  up  ourselves  to  the  Lord^  and  to 
his  operations,  and  do  not  wantonly 
resist  his  Spirit,  despise  his  grace,  and 
cast  it  from  us ;  or,  as  the  apostle  ex- 
presses it,  do  not  put  his  Word  from 
us,  nor  stop  our  ears  against  it,  as  did 
the  Jews  of  old.  Acts  13  :  46;  7  :  57. 
On  the  contrary,  when  the  severity 
of  the  law  has  laid  open  our  spiritual 
diseases,  and  we  have  felt  the  bitter- 
ness thereof ;  let  us  avail  ourselves  of 
the  Gospel  as  a  healing  remedy,  and 
suffer  our  heavenly  Physician  to  re- 
store us  to  health. 

10.  An  image  of  this  we  have  in  a 
straying  sheep.  If  it  but  hear  at  a 
distance  the  voice  of  the  shepherd,  it 
starts  back  immediatel}',  and  returns 
to  him.  And  how  willingly  would  the 
lost  sinner  follow  the  voice  of  his 
Shepherd,  if  sin  had  not  so  perverted 
him.  as  to  reduce  him  lower  than  the 
very  beasts  in  stupidity  and  dulness! 
Of  this  indeed  the  prophet  complains: 
"The  ox  knoweth  his  owner,  and  the 
ass  his  master's  crib:  but  Israel  doth 
not  know,  my  people  doth  not  con- 
sider." Isa.  1:3.  "Shall  they  fall," 
asks  another  prophet,  "and  not  arise? 
Shall  he  turn  away,  and  not  return  ? 
The  stork  in  the  heaven  knoweth  her 
appointed  times,  and  the  turtle,  and 


196 


TEUE  CHRISTIAJSriTY. 


[Book  II. 


the  crane,  and  the  swallow,  observe 
the  times  of  their  coming  :  but  ray 
people  know  not  the  judgment  of  the 
Lord."  Jer.  8  :  4,  7. 

11.  We  ought,  therefore,  most  fer- 
vently to  implore  the  Lord,  not  to 
withdraw  from  us  his  gracious  assist- 
ance, without  which  we  must  certainly 
go  astray.  For  since  sin  and  the  old 
Adam  constantly  abide  in  our  corrupt 
flesh  and  blood,  we  have  need  of  daily, 
yea,  hourly  supplies  of  grace,  for  re- 
pressing the  tyranny  of  sin,  and  for 
nourishing  the  life  of  God  within  us. 
The  grace  of  God  is  the  life  of  our 
soul,  as  the  soul  is  the  life  of  the  body. 
And  as  the  life  of  the  body,  without 
the  free  enjoyment  of  the  air,  must 
soon  be  extinct ;  so  the  vital  flame  of 
the  inward  life  will  speedily  languish, 
without  a  daily  supply  of  grace  to  sup- 
port it.  For  this  reason  Solomon 
prayed  :  "  The  Lord  our  God  be  with 
us ;  let  him  not  leave  us,  nor  forsake 
us;  that  he  may  incline  our  hearts 
unto  him,  to  walk  in  all  his  ways."  1 
Kings  8  :  57. 

12.  This  is  a  lesson  which  ought  not 
to  be  learned  in  a  light  and  general 
manner,  but  by  a  close  and  practical 
application  be  brought  home  to  every 
one  in  particular.  Let,  therefore,  every 
one  look  into  his  own  heart  and  seek 
its  renewal,  that  so  all  may  be  re- 
formed in  time.  Let  us  remember 
that  comfortable  exhortation,  and  the 
promise  annexed  thereto  :  "  Seek  ye 
the  Lord  while  he  may  be  found  ;  call 
ye  upon  him  while  he  is  near."  Isa. 
55:6.  "And  ye  shall  seek  me,  and 
find  me,  when  ye  shall  search  for  me 
with  all  your  heart,  saith  the  Lord." 
Jer.  29  :  13. 

13.  But  in  order  to  true  repentance, 
it  is  not  enough  to  refrain  only  from 
gross  sins,  and  foul  visible  transgres- 
sions; but  the  heart,  whence  all  those 


evils  proceed,  is  to  be  changed  and  pu- 
rifled;  that  so  inward  pride,  covetous- 
ness,  and  lust,  with  all  sinful  afl'ections, 
may  be  mortified  at  last.  For  whilst 
the  heart  is  unchanged,  unreformed, 
and  unrenewed;  that  is,  whilst  our 
own  corrupt  temper,  our  inward  mal- 
ice, wrath,  hatred,  enmity,  revenge, 
lying,  and  deceit,  are  quietly  sufl^ered 
within  us;  all  our  boasts  of,  and  pre- 
tences to,  and  formalities  in,  religion, 
are  but  mere  show  and  hypocrisy. 
God  requires  no  less  than  a  new  heart, 
and  "  a  new  creature  in  Christ  Jesus." 
2  Cor.  5  :  17.  No  one  is'  so  holy,  so 
good,  and  so  thoroughly  cleansed,  but 
he  will  still  find  something  in  his  own 
heart  to  be  thrown  out,  or  to  be 
amended  and  rectified.  "  As  a  foun- 
tain casteth  out  her  waters,  so  Jeru- 
salem casteth  out  her  wickedness." 
Jer.  6:7.  This  is  the  first  head,  re- 
lating to  the  nature  of  repentance,  of 
which  more  has  been  said  in  Book  I. 

11.  Let  us  now  consider,  in  the 
second  place,  the  manner  of  our  re- 
turning to  God:  "with  all  the  heart/' 
says  the  prophet,  "with  fasting, 
w^ith  weeping,  and  with  mourning." 
Wretched  mortals  can  weep  floods  of 
tears  for  empty  and  perishing  goods, 
whilst  they  stand  unmoved  at  the 
miserable  state  of  their  souls,  and  at 
the  loss  of  an  eternal  and  incorrupti- 
ble inheritance !  In  this  they  are 
altogether  unlike  David,  who,  by  his 
example,  sets  a  most  shining  pattern 
of  sincere  and  unfeigned  repentance 
before  us.  See  Ps.  6,  and  Ps.  38.  "  For 
the  Lord  looketh  on  the  heart"  (1 
Sam.  16:7),  and  "trieth  the  heart  and 
reins."  Ps.  7  :  9. 

15.  What  the  prophet  says  of  fast- 
ing, is  to  be  understood  of  a  general 
fast  enjoined  by  the  prophet  to  all  the 
people.  In  such  a  fast  the  whole  body 
of  a  nation  were  wont  to  be  concerned. 


Chap.  IX.] 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


107 


They  publicly  confessed  their  sins; 
they  deplored  and  bewailed  them ; 
and  thus  humbling  themselves  before 
God,  fasted  both  inwardly  and  out- 
vvardl3\  And  in  this  order  they  begged 
remission  of  sin,  and  deprecated  the 
judgments  of  God  gathering  over 
them.  Such  a  generalfast  and  public 
repentance  as  this,  such  sincere  con- 
version, prayer,  faith,  confession,  and 
sup])lication,  are  the  most  effectual 
means  to  appease  the  wrath  of  an  of- 
fended God,  and  to  avert  his  judgments 
from  whole  kingdoms  and  nations. 
This  plainly  appears  from  the  history 
of  the  defeat  of  the  other  tribes  of 
Israel,  by  that  of  Benjamin  ;  in  which 
the  former  having  in  two  battles  lost 
forty  thousand  men,  all  went  up  and 
came  before  the  Lord,  with  weeping 
and  mourning,  and  there  fasted  the 
whole  day,  from  morning  to  night. 
Judges  20  :  26.  A  similar  illustrious 
example  is  recorded  of  the  fast  of  the 
Ninevites  (Jonah  3  :  5,  10):  and  of  the 
children  of  Israel,  w^ho,  being  beaten 
by  the  Philistines,  kept  a  fast  for  seven 
days  together,  after  Saul  and  Jonathan 
were  slain  in  the  battle.  1  Chron. 
10  :  12. 

16.  Such  solemn  penitential  fasts 
were  also  in  use  in  the  primitive 
Church,  when  the  Christians  met  to- 
gether, and  in  any  great  public  calam- 
ity humbled  themselves  before  the 
Lord.  Not,  surely,  to  obtain  remission 
of  sin  by  such  performances,  as  so 
many  meritorious  acts  of  devotion ; 
but  by  a  contrite,  sober,  and  humble 
heart,  to  deprecate  the  judgments 
that  were  read}^  to  break  in  upon 
them.  And  such  fasts  might  with 
propriety  still  be  observed. 

17.  Fasts  such  as  these,  accompanied 
with  true  repentance,  w^ould  prove  an 
impregnable  wall  and  fortification 
against  all  our  enemies ;  a  sovereign 


medicine  in  all  pestilential  diseases; 
and  a  safeguard  about  all  our  estates 
and  possessions.  An  example  of  this 
we  have  in  Job,  who,  whenever  his 
children  had  spent  any  day  in  mirth 
and  feasting,  "offered  up  unto  God 
prayers  and  sacrifices  for  them  "  (Job 
1 :4,  5) ;  and  thus,  as  it  were,  fortified 
his  house  by  prayer  against  the  insults 
of  wicked  men  and  devils. 

18.  In  great  public  calamities  the 
Lord  looks  out  for  such  men  as  may, 
like  a  bulwark,  oppose  his  wrath  when 
ready  to  make  a  breach.  "I  sought 
for  a  man  among  them,  that  should 
make  up  the  hedge,  and  stand  in  the 
gap  before  me  for  the  land,  that  I 
should  not  destroy  it:  but  I  found 
none.  Therefore  have  I  poured  out 
mine  indignation  upon  them,  I  have 
consumed  them  with  the  fire  of  my 
wrath  :  their  own  way  have  I  recom- 
pensed upon  their  heads,  saith  the 
Lord  God."  Ezek.  22  :  30,  31.  AVe 
may  also  remember,  on  this  occasion, 
the  intercession  of  Abraham.  Gen. 
18  :  23. 

19.  Thus  the  prophet  Daniel  was  a 
w^all  of  defence  when  he  made  con- 
fession to  God  of  the  sins  of  all  the 
people.  Dan.  9:4,  5,  etc.  And  the 
prophet  Joel,  in  very  moving  terms, 
describes  such  a  penitential  fast: 
"  Blow  the  trumpet  in  Zion;  sanctify 
a  fast;  call  a  solemn  assembly;  gather 
the  people;  sanctify  the  congregation; 
assemble  the  elders;  gather  the  chil- 
dren, and  those  that  suck  the  breasts; 
let  the  bridegroom  go  forth  of  his 
chamber,  and  the  bride  out  of  her 
closet.  Let  the  priests,  the  ministers 
of  the  Lord,  say.  Spare  thy  people,  O 
Lord,  and  give  not  thine  heritage  to 
reproach."  Joel  2  :  15-17. 

20.  Such  public  fasts  ought  to  be 
celebrated  by  the  whole  multitude, 
without  hypocrisy,  with  ardent  zeal 


198 


TEUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


[Book  II. 


and  devotion  ;  for  it  is  the  will  of  God, 
that  every  one  readily  confess  his 
sins.  lie  requires  true  humility,  sin- 
cere repentance,  and  a  turning  to  him 
with  our  whole  heai't.  Hence  the 
prophet  commands  the  "heart,  and 
not  the  garments,"  to  be  rent.  The 
Jews,  at  the  hearing  of  any  sad  or 
terrible  evil,  were  accustomed  to  rend 
their  clothes,  in  order  to  evidence 
thereby  the  inward  sorrow  with  which 
they  were  affected.  This^  however, 
like  their  fasting,  was  often  a  mere 
formality,  and  their  grief  was  only 
pretended.  Wherefore,  the  prophet 
reproves  them,  saying,  "Is  it  such  a 
fast  that  I  have  chosen  ?  a  day  for  a 
man  to  afflict  his  soul?  Is  it  to  bow 
dow^n  his  head  as  a  bulrush,  and  to 
spread  sackcloth  and  ashes  under 
him  ?  Wilt  thou  call  this  a  fast,  and 
an  acceptable  day  to  the  Lord  ?  Is 
not  this  the  fast  that  I  have  chosen  ? 
to  loose  the  bands  of  wickedness,  to 
undo  the  heavy  burdens,  and  to  let 
the  oppressed  go  free,  and  that  ye 
break  every  yoke  ?  Is  it  not  to  deal 
thy  bread  to  the  hungry,  and  that 
thou  bring  the  poor  that  are  cast  out 
to  thy  house?  When  thou  seest  the 
naked,  that  thou  cover  him,  and  that 
thou  hide  not  thyself  from  thine  own 
flesh  ?"  Isa.  58  :  5-7. 

21.  These  words  explain  the  nature 
of  a  true  fast;  which  is  then  only  kept, 
when,  on  the  one  hand,  we  abstain 
from  sin,  subdue  the  wanton  lusts  of 
the  flesh,  and  keep  the  old  man,  with 
all  his  members,  under  constant  re- 
straint and  subjection:  and,  on  the 
other,  when  we  are  fervent  in  works 
of  charity,  in  the  practice  of  patience 
and  mercy,  and  of  the  other  virtues 
'springing  up  from  a  contrite,  sincere, 
and  penitent  heart.  And  it  is  with  re- 
gard to  these  inward  acts  of  humilia- 
tion, that  the  prophet  bids  us  rend  our 


hearts.  For  as  the  wounds  of  the 
heart  must  necessarily  be  very  pain- 
ful; so  the  grief  occasioned  by  our 
sins  should  affect  us,  as  if  our  ver}'- 
hearts  were  bruised  and  crushed.  And 
this  "broken  spirit,"  this  "contrite 
heart,"  is  that  sacrifice  which  is  so 
highly  acceptable  to  God.  Ps.  51  :  17. 
Such  a  heart  has,  by  faith,  obtained  a 
due  fitness  to  receive  the  influence  of 
the  grace  of  God,  the  consolations  of 
the  Holy  Spirit,  and  the  merit  and 
blood  of  Jesus  Christ.  As  a  hard  and 
massive  stone  cannot  be  penetrated 
by  the  oil  or  water  poui-ed  upon  it, 
until  it  be  broken  to  pieces;  so  the 
sovereign  balm  of  God's  grace  and 
consolation  cannot  comfort  and  quick- 
en the  heart,  except  it  be  first  broken 
and  softened  into  humility,  that  so  by 
faith  it  may  partake  of  the  merit  of 
Christ.  "  Not  the  whole,  but  the  sick, 
have  need  of  a  physician."  Matt.  9: 
12.  Let  no  one  think  that  he  be- 
longs to  Christ,  unless  he  has  first 
"crucified  the  flesh,  with  its  affec- 
tions and  lusts."  Gal.  5  :  21.  The 
blood  of  Christ  will  be  of  no  profit  to 
any  except  to  those  who  embrace  it 
with  a  contrite,  afflicted,  penitent, 
humble  and  believing  heart. 

22.  As  for  the  motives  to  repentance, 
which  make  up  the  third  head,  they 
are  thus  expressed  by  the  prophet: 
"  Turn  unto  the  Lord,  for  he  is  gra- 
cious and  merciful,  slow  to  anger,  and 
of  great  kindness,  and  repenteth  him 
of  the  evil."  Joel  2  :  12,  13.  He  lays 
down  in  these  words,  a  gradual  dis- 
play of  the  manifold  mercies  offered 
to  returning  sinners.  As  if  he  had 
said,  "If  you  think  it  a  small  thing 
that  I  am  gracious,  then  know  that  I 
am  merciful  also:  if  this  be  not  enough, 
I  am  Y\kQ\Yi?>Q  jpatient  and  slow  to  anger: 
if  this  will  not  yet  suffice,  then  I  am, 
moreover,  of  great  kindness.    If,  after 


Chai».  IX.] 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


199 


all,  you  still  require  something  more, 
then  undci'staiid,  that  I  easily  repent 
of  intended  punishments;  yea,  even 
when  my  avengin<^  hand  is  lifting  up, 
I  am  ready  to  let  fall  the  rod,  upon 
your  serious  repentance." 

23.  First,  then,  the  prophet  calls 
God  gracious  (Ps.  103  :  8)  ;  that  is, 
ready  to  be  entreated  and  reconciled. 
God  is  easy  to  be  prevailed  with,  for- 
gives offences,  deals  not  in  strict  jus- 
tice and  tiio  rigor  of  the  law,  accord- 
ing to  what  w^e  have  deserved.  And 
all  these  marks  of  mercy  should  lead 
us  to  repentance.  There  are  many 
admirable  promises,  all  tending  to  the 
same  end.  "If  thou  afflict  them,  they 
will  cry  unto  me,  and  I  will  surely 
hear;  for  I  am  gracious."  Ex.  22  :  23, 
27.  ''Therefore  will  the  Lord  wait 
that  he  may  be  gracious  unto  you. 
Thou  shalt  weep  no  more;  he  will  be 
ver}^  gracious  unto  thee,  at  the  voice 
of  thy  cry;  when  he  shall  hear  it,  he 
will  answer  thee."  Isa.  30  :  18.  That 
is,  the  Most  High  is  so  rich  in  grace, 
that  he  waits  for  yon.  In  him  there 
is  expecting  grace ^  by  which  he  readily 
receives  those  that  truly  return  :  pre- 
venient  grace,  expressed  by  the  Psalm- 
ist— "Let  thy  tender  mercies  speedily 
prevent  (that  is,  meet,  or  anticipate) 
us"  (Ps.  79  :  8):  protecting  grace,  no- 
ticed by  the  same  prophet;  "He  that 
trusteth  in  the  Lord,  mercy  shall  com- 
pass him  about"  (Ps.  82:10):  pre- 
serving  grace;  "Surely,"  says  David, 
"  mercy  shall  follow  me  all  the  days 
of  my  life."  Ps.  23  :  6.  Of  this  we 
have  given  examples  in  the  preceding 
chapter.  With  this  agree  also  the 
words  of  Scripture:  "With  the  Lord 
there  is  mercy;  and  with  him  is  plen- 
teous redemption."  Ps.  130:7.  Where- 
fore, let  the  divine  clemency  and 
grace  move  thee  to  sincere  and  un- 
feigned repentance. 


24.  Secondly,  the  prophet  declares 
that  God  is  merciful.  To  be  merciful, 
is  to  be  easily  moved  by  the  miseries 
of  another,  and  from  the  very  heart 
to  compassionate  his  case.  This  is  to 
be  seen  in  parents,  who,  not  only  with 
unfeigned  tenderness  love  their  chil- 
dren, but  are  at  tlic  same  time  so 
deeply  touched  with  their  misery  and 
weakness,  as  to  be  willing  even  to  die 
for  them,  if  that  were  possible.  Thus 
David,  when  he  lamented  the  death 
of  his  son  Absalom,  mournfully  ex- 
claimed: "O  my  son  Absalom,  my 
son,  m}^  son  Absalom!  would  God  I 
had  died  for  thee,  0  Absalom,  my  son, 
my  son!"  2  Sam.  18:33.  But  these 
bowels  of  mercy,  this  ardent,  cordial, 
and  tender  affection,  are  infinitely 
more  conspicuous  in  God  himself,  who, 
from  an  abounding  sense  of  love  and 
kindness,  has  given  up  his  Son  to 
death,  and  thereby  transcended  all 
the  affections  of  earthly  parents.  This 
is  declared  by  the  prophet:  "Can  a 
woman  forget  her  sucking  child,  that 
she  should  not  have  compassion  on 
the  son  of  her  womb?  yea,  they  may 
forget,  yet  will  I  not  forget  thee." 
Isa.  49  :  15.  And  by  another,  "  Is 
Ephraim  my  dear  son?  is  he  a  pleasant 
child?  for  since  I  spake  against  him, 
I  do  earnestly  remember  him  still: 
therefore  my  bowels  are  troubled  for 
him  :  I  will  surely  have  mercy  upon 
him,  saith  the  Lord."  Jer.  31  :  20. 
And  again  by  another,  "  The  Lord  thy 
God  is  a  merciful  God  ;  he  will  not  for- 
get the  covenant  of  thy  fathers,  which 
he  sware  unto  them."  Deut.  4  :  31. 
And  David  confirms  it :  "  The  Lord  is 
merciful  and  gracious."  Ps.  1U3  :  8. 
And  again,  calling  to  mind  this  mercy, 
when  of  three  punishments  he  had  it 
in  his  powder  to  chouse  which  he 
pleased,  he  answered,  "Let  us  fall 
now  into  the  hand  of  the  Lord;  for 


200 


TEUE  CIIEISTTANITY- 


[BOOK  II. 


his  mercies  are  great."  2  Sam.  24  : 14. 
Would  to  God  that  his  paternal  mercy 
might  also  allure  us  to  unfeigned  re- 
pentance !  St.  Paul  himself  refers  to 
this  most  povveri'ul  inducement,  when 
he  beseeches  us  ''by  the  mercies  of 
God,  etc."  Eom.  12  :1. 

25.  The  third  appellation  given  to 
God  by  the  prophet  is,  that  he  is 
patient,  or  slow  to  anger.  lie  is  not 
easily  moved  to  wrath ;  he  suffers 
many  provocations  offered  him,  and 
gives  time  for  repentance  and  conver- 
sion. All  which  he  has  abundantly 
evidenced  by  many  real  demonstra- 
tions, powerful  enough  to  convince  us, 
that  even  in  God  himself,  "Love  bear- 
eth  all  things,  endureth  all  things" 
(1  Cor.  13  :  7),  even  as  parents  bear 
with  their  children.  To  this  purpose 
saj'S  St.  Peter,  "  The  Lord  is  long  suf- 
fering to  usward,  not  willing  that  any 
should  perish,  but  that  all  should 
come  to  repentance."  2  Pet.  3  :  9.  And 
again,  "Account  that  the  long-suffer- 
ing of  our  Lord  is  salvation."  2  Pet. 
3:15.  And  Paul  wishes,  that  "the 
goodness  of  God  may  lead  us  to  repent- 
ance." Eom.  2:4.  To  this  long-suf- 
fering of  God  it  was  entirely  due,  that 
he  granted  the  old  world  a  hundred 
and  twenty  years  in  which  to  repent ; 
bearing  all  that  time  with  their  provo- 
cations, and  waiting  for  repentance. 
Gen.  6  :  3.  And  O  !  how  much  time 
hath  he  given  us  to  repent  in,  and  to 
work  out  our  salvation !  But  this 
divine  grace  is  abused  by  those  who 
only  grow  more  wanton  b}^  mercies, 
and  "turn  even  the  grace  of  God  itself 
fUto  lasciviousness."  Jude,  ver.  4.  But 
by  this  they  only  hasten  their  ruin, 
and  render  more  grievous  the  punish- 
ment which  they  deserve.  If  one, 
and  then  another  of  these  many  and 
provoking  affronts,  with  which  men 
offend  an  omnipotent  God,  were  daily 


put  upon  a  mere  mortal,  nothing  cer- 
tainly could  be  expected  but  the  ut- 
most severity  of  his  resentment.  How 
inconceivably  great  then  must  be  the 
patience  of  God,  who  not  only  pardons 
offences  so  numerous  and  so  heinous, 
but  also  returns  all  manner  of  kind- 
ness to  the  offender  himself  0  !  that 
the  inconceivable  patience  of  the  Lord 
might  inspire  us  with  a  hatred  of  sin, 
and  lead  us  all  to  repentance  ! 

26.  Fourthly,  God  is  represented  to 
be  of  great  kindness ^  so  great  indeed, 
that  no  sin,  how  great  soever,  can 
surpass  it.  For  as  God  is  essentially 
and  wholly  good,  so  is  he  desirous  to 
communicate  himself  w^holly  to  men, 
provided  they  be  willing  to  receive 
and  admit  him.  Yea,  by  his  nature 
he  can  be  and  do  nothing  but  good. 
He  takes  a  pleasure  therein,  and  "re- 
joiceth  over  us  to  do  us  good."  Jer. 
32  :  41.  His  mercy  is  as  great  as  him- 
self, that  is,  infinite.  It  extends  to 
all  mankind.  "Thy  mercy,  O  Lord, 
is  in  the  heavens."  Ps.  36  :  5.  "  As  the 
heaven  is  high  above  the  earth,  so 
great  is  his  mercy  toward  them  that 
fear  him."  Ps.  103  :  11.  And  we  read 
in  the  Lamentations  :  "  It  is  of  the 
Lord's  mercies  that  w^e  are  not  con- 
sumed, because  his  compassions  fail 
not:  they  are  new  every  morning: 
great  is  thy  faithfulness."  Lam.  3  :  22. 
See,  therefore,  O  man  !  that  a  good- 
ness so  inexpressible  be  no  longer 
abused,  but  that  it  animate  thee  to 
sincere  repentance. 

27.  And  lastly,  the  prophet  says  of 
the  Lord,  "  It  repenteth  Mm  of  the  evil'' 
This  is  as  if  he  w^ould  say  :  "  It  is  the 
nature  of  God,  to  punish  with  reluc- 
tance ;  and  wrhen  he  is  even  con- 
strained thereto,  it  is  not  for  our  de- 
struction, but  salvation,  that  we  be 
not  "condemned  with  the  world."  1 
Cor.  11 : 32.  He  then  doth  "  his  strange 


Chap.  X.] 


TEUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


201 


work"  (of  punishment),  that  he  may 
bring  to  pass  his  own  work  (of  mercy). 
Isa.  28  :  21.  Thus  he  repented  of  the 
evil  he  had  designed  against  Nineveh. 
Jonah  3  :  10.  And,  therefore,  "  it  is 
good,  that  a  man  should  both  hope, 
and  quietly  wait  for  the  salvation  of 
the  Lord.  For  the  Lord  will  not  cast 
off  for  ever :  but  though  he  cause  grief, 
yet  will  he  have  compassion  according 
to  the  multitude  of  his  mercies.  For 
he  doth  not  afflict  willingly,  nor  grieve 
the  children  of  men."  Lam.  3  :  26,  31- 
33.    Therefore,  repent  of  thy  sins. 

28.  For  as  soon  as  thou  repentest  of 
sin,  and  siipplicatest  the  Lord  in  true 
faith,  God  will  also  repent  of  the  pun- 


ishment ho  intended  to  inflict.  The 
words  of  the  Lord  to  .Jonah  are  very 
memorable :  "  Doest  thou  well  to  be 
angry  for  the  gourd?  Thou  hast  had 
pity  on  the  gourd,  for  the  which  thou 
hast  not  labored,  neither  madest  it 
grow,  which  came  up  in  a  night,  and 
perished  in  a  night:  and  should  not  I 
spare  Nineveh,  that  great  city,  where- 
in are  more  than  six  score  thousand 
persons?"  Jonah  4:9-11.  This  bound- 
less mercy  is  still  the  same  even  at 
this  day,  and  will  continue  so  forever 
to  penitent  and  returning  sinners.  Go, 
therefore,  O  man,  and  let  this  over- 
flowing mercy  of  God  lead  thee  to  re- 
pentance ! 


CHAPTER  X. 

THE  FOUR  PROPERTIES  OF  TRUE  REPENTANCE. 

1  have  eaten  ashes  like  bread,  and  mingled  my  drink  with  weeping^  because  of  thine  indignation 
and  thy  wrath  :  for  thou  hast  lifted  me  vp,  and  cast  me  down.  My  days  arc  like  a  shadow 
that  deelineth;  and  lam  withered  like  grass.  But  thou^  0  Lord,  shalt  endure  for  ever,  and 
thy  remembrance  unto  all  generations. — Ps.  102  :  9,  etc. 


IIST  these  words  four  jyroperties  of  true 
repentance  are  enjoined  on  a  sin- 
ner. The  first  is,  to  account  himself  un- 
worthy of  all  the  mercies  of  God.  This 
is  contained  in  these  words  :  "  I  have 
eaten  ashes  like  bread,  and  mingled 
my  drink  with  w^eeping:"  that  is, 
There  is  nothing  I  can  take  any  more 
delight  in,  and  I  account  myself  un- 
worthy of  any  good  or  delicious  fare. 
This,  however  pleasing  it  may  bo  to 
the  palate  of  others,  is  not  more 
savory  to  me  than  mere  ashes. — The 
same  regard  to  our  own  unw^orthiness 
is  thus  inculcated  by  the  Lord:  "If 
any  man  will  come  after  me,  let  him 


deny  himself,  and  take  up  his  cross 
daily,  and  follow  me."  Luke  9  :  23. 
And,  "  If  any  man  come  to  me,  and 
hate  not  his  own  life,  he  cannot  be 
my  disciple."  Luke  14  :  26.  Herein  is 
expressed  a  threefold  reference  which 
a  true  Christian  ought  to  have  to  his 
own  un worthiness. 

2.  (a)  First  then,  he  is  commanded 
to  deny  himself:  that  is,  to  die  to  self- 
will,  to  selflove,  and  self-honor,  es- 
teeming himself  utterly  unworthy  of 
any  of  the  benefits  conferred  by  God 
on  other  men ;  or  judging  himself 
not  "  w^orthy  of  the  least  of  all  the 
mercies"  of  God  (Gen.  32  :  10);  and 


202 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


1 

[Book  II, 


reputing  lumself  the  most  inconsider- 
able, not  only  of  all  men,  but  even  of 
all  other  creatures;  after  the  words 
of  the  Psalm :  "  I  am  a  worm,  and  no 
man."  Ps.  22  :  6.  In  this  manner,  for 
a  man  to  despise  himself,  is  truly  to 
deny  himself. 

3.  {b)  lie  is  commanded,  secondly,  to 
hate  /ilniself;  that  is,  to  condemn  in 
himself  whatever  is  pleasing  and  ac- 
ceptable to  the  flesh;  as  honor,  lux- 
ury, revenge,  anger,  avarice,  and  what- 
ever else  savors  of  the  flesh,  lie  is  to 
crucify  the  flesh  with  its  aftections 
and  lusts,  and  to  abhor  in  himself  its 
whole  offspring,  as  the  work  of  the 
devil  himself,  tending  only  to  increase 
and  nourish  the  perverse  seed  of  orig- 
inal depravity.  And  such  self-abhor- 
rence in  a  sinner,  will  then  of  neces- 
sity be  followed  by  pleading  guilty, 
and  by  looking  upon  himself  as  one 
worthy  of  eternal  death. 

4.  (c)  The  third  lesson  enjoined  in 
these  words,  consists  in  taking  up  the 
cross,  and  in  following  the  Lord:  that 
is,  that  we,  not  with  a  morose  and  dis- 
contented, but  with  a  ready  mind, 
bear  all  manner  of  sufl'erings,  and 
deem  ourselves  worthy,  not  only  of 
these,  but  even  of  far  more  grievous 
afflictions.  Thus  Christ  himself,  whose 
example  is  set  before  us,  "endured  the 
cross,  and  despised  the  shame"  (Ileb. 
12  :  2),  thereby  teaching  us,  that  in 
"quietness  and  confidence  shall  be  our 
strength."  Isa.  30: 15.  And  all  that  is 
comprehended  in  the  imitation  of,  or 
following  after,  Christ. 

5.  Upon  the  whole,  these  things 
make  it  appear^  that  a  soul  truly  hum- 
ble and  penitent,  thinks  itself  unwor- 
thy of  all  divine  benefits,  and  even  of 
daily  food  and  refreshment.  And  this 
accords  with  the  example  of  Christ 
himself;  who,  parched  with  thirst  on 
the  cross,  and  having  vinegar  given 


I  him  mixed  with  gall,  said  no  more, 
than,  "It  is  finished."  John  19:30. 
This  was  the  reason  also,  that  the 
true  penitents  under  the  old  law 
judged  themselves  entirely  unworthy 
of  any  good  thing.  They  put  sack- 
cloth on  their  bodies,  and  sat  in  ashes. 
They  satisfied  their  hunger  with  bread 
taken  from  the  ashes,  and  quenched 
their  thirst  with  water  mingled  with 
tears;  as  a  testimony  that  they  did 
not  deserve  any  cleaner  or  better  food, 
but  merited  rather  to  eat  and  to  dni.,k 
with  their  food,  the  very  tears  thiit 
trickled  upon  it. 

6.  Now  the  cause  of  this  great  self- 
abasement,  was  that  profound  sense 
with  which  they  were  atfected,  that, 
on  account  of  their  sin,  they  deserved 
an  eternal  curse  and  condemnation. 
This  consideration  lays  the  returning 
sinner  very  low.  He  deems  himself 
utterly  unworthy  even  of  the  least  of 
the  benefits  of  God.  An  illustration 
of  this  we  have  in  Mephibosheth,  the 
son  of  Jonathan.  When  David  was 
raised  to  the  royal  dignity,  he  culled 
to  mind  the  kindness  of  his  friend 
Jonathan,  who  formerly  had  delivered 
him  out  of  the  hand  of  his  lather 
Saul ;  and  commanding  search  to  be 
made,  whether  there  remained  any  of 
Jonathan's  family,  to  whom  he  might 
make  a  suitable  return  of  thanks;  he 
at  last  found  Mephibosheth,  a  lame 
and  poor  man,  w^ho,  being  ordered  by 
David  to  eat  bread  at  the  king's  table, 
bowed  himself,  and  exclaimed  :  "What 
is  thy  servant,  that  thou  shouldest 
look  upon  such  a  dead  dog  as  I  am?" 
2  Sam.  9  :  8.  This  is  a  pattern,  in- 
deed, of  a  soul  truly  contrite  in  spirit 
and  penitent  in  heart,  and,  therefore, 
sensible  of  both  its  own  unworthiness, 
and  of  all  the  mercies  bestowed  on  it 
by  the  Lord.  And  truly  we  may, 
with  far  greater  reason,  make  use  of 


Chap.  X.] 


TRUE  CHEISTIAJSIITY. 


203 


the  same  humble  speech,  whenever 
the  Lord  our  God  vouchsafes  to  us,  as 
it  were,  the  food  of  his  own  table,  and 
in  the  Holy  Supper  gives  us  his  body 
and  blood  to  eat  and  drink. 

7.  In  like  manner  does  the  Prodigal 
Son,  after  his  repentance,  express  his 
sorrowful  mind  to  his  Father:  "Fath- 
er," sa3S  he,  "I  am  no  more  worthy 
to  be  called  thy  son ;  make  me  as  one 
of  thy  hired  servants."  Luke  15  : 19. 
The  woman  of  Canaan  was  even  con- 
tent to  be  called  a  dog,  if  she  were 
but  permitted  to  "eat  of  the  crumbs 
falling  from  the  master's  table."  Matt. 
15  :  27.  Peter  says  to  the  Lord  :  "  De- 
part from  me,  for  1  am  a  sinful  man  1" 
(Luke  5:8);  that  is,  I  am  not  worthy 
that  thou  shouldest  have  any  further 
converse  with  me.  And  the  centurion 
of  Capernaum  was  of  the  same  mind: 
"Lord,"  says  he,  "I  am  not  worthy 
that  thou  shouldest  come  under  ray 
roof"  Matt.  8:8.  So  also  St.  Paul 
professes  himself  to  be  not  meet  to 
be  called  an  apostle"  (1  Cor.  15:9): 
and  declares,  that  he  '-'counted  not 
his  life  dear  unto  him,  so  that  he 
might  finish  his  course  with  joy." 
Acts  20  :  24.  This  inward  sense  of 
self-abasement  David  expresses  when 
he  speaks  of  "eating  ashes  like  bread, 
and  mingling  his  drink  with  weep- 
ing." If  the  heart  of  a  Christian  be 
brought  to  a  sense  of  this  vileness, 
then  it  is  truly  contrite  and  humble, 
and  fit  to  be  made  a  living  sacrifice 
unto  the  Lord.  Ps.  51 :  19. 

8.  A  second  property  of  true  re- 
pentance, is,  to  grieve  at  nothing  so 
much  as  at  the  offences  offered  to  God 

'  himself.  This  is  intimated  in  these 
'  words :  "  Because  of  thine  indigna- 
;  tion  and  thy  wrath,  for  thou  hast 
[  hfted  me  up,  and  cast  me  down." 
That  is,  Of  all  my  other  miseries  and 
griefs,  the  greatest  and  most  insup- 


portable, is  the  sense  I  have  of  my 
having  so  heinously  offended  the  in- 
finitely good,  holy,  and  righteous  God. 

9.  Since  God  is  nothing  but  love, 
grace,  righteousness,  goodness,  and 
mercy,  yea,  the  original  source  of  all 
virtue,  lie  must  of  necessity  be  of- 
fended with  every  sin  comnntted  by 
men;  since  the  nature  of  sin  indirectly 
opposite  to  the  nature  of  God.  Thus 
by  injustice,  the  justice  of  God  is  of- 
fended, he  being  justice  itself  By  ly- 
ing, the  truth  of  God  is  oflTended,  he 
being  truth  itself.  By  hatred  the  love 
of  God  is  ofi^ended,  he  being  love  itself. 
In  a  word,  since  God  is  the  perfection 
of  all  virtue,  goodness,  and  love,  it  can 
be  no  other  than  diabolical  malice  to 
offend  such  infinite  goodness,  such  im- 
mense love,  nay,  JOove  itself.  Ilad  he 
at  any  time  injured  us,  it  might  be  no 
such  great  Avonder,  if  we  hated  him, 
and  offended  him  in  our  turn  :  but 
now,  that  he  gives  us  nothing  but  what 
is  good — soul,  body,  and  life  itself; 
that  he  feeds  and  clothes  us;  that  he 
heals  our  body  when  it  is  sick;  yea, 
pardons  our  sins  when  we  pour  out  to 
him  our  souls;  is  ready  to  receive  us 
into  favor,  as  often  as  we  return;  now 
that  he  has  given  us  his  only  Son  with 
the  Holy  Spirit,  yea,  and  Himself  too, 
and  adopted  us  into  the  number  of  his 
children  :  and  having  done  all  this  for 
men,  to  be  yet  offended,  opposed,  and 
hated  by  them,  is  a  madness,  a  malice 
altogether  unaccountable  and  mon- 
strous. Would  it  not  be  most  wicked 
and  impious  to  kill  him  who  gave  thee 
life;  to  beat  and  wound  him,  who 
kindly  embraced  and  cherished  thee 
in  his  bosom;  to  insult  and  affront 
him,  who  heaped  honors  and  dignities 
upon  thee;  and  to  disown  and  reject 
him,  who  had  chosen  thee  for  his  son  ? 
But  all  these,  and  far  greater  indigni- 
ties, thou  offerest  to  thy  heavenly  Fa- 


204 


TEUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


[Book  II. 


ther,  to  tlic  supreme,  the  righteous, 
the  holy  God,  whom  angels  adore  and 
fear,  and  wliom  seraphim  worship  with 
the  acchimations  of  "Holy,  holy,  holy 
is  the  Lord  of  hosts;  the  whole  earth 
is  full  of  his  glory!"  Isa.  6:3.  And 
thou,  who  art  but  dust  and  ashes,  art 
not  afraid  to  offend  him  !  If  a  peni- 
tent man  earnestly  calls  to  mind  this 
monstrous  sin,  it  is  impossible  but  he 
must  be  atfected  with  the  keenest  sor- 
row of  heart,  and  feel  the  smart  of  his 
wounded  conscience  to  equal  and  even 
exceed  that  of  a  wounded  body.  And 
there  is  all  the  reason  in  the  world 
why  it  should  be  so.  For  hence  must 
necessarily  arise  a  dread  and  terror, 
inwardly  threatening  the  conscience 
with  w^rath  and  judgment,  and  out- 
wanlbj  setting  before  it  the  approach 
of  temporal  calamities:  whence  a  man, 
even  as  Job  complains  (ch.  6 :  1,  etc.), 
finds  no  rest,  takes  no  delight  in  any- 
thing, loathing  even  his  meat  and 
drink.  These  terrible  pangs  of  con- 
science are  described  by  David : 
"  Thine  arrows,"  says  he,  "  stick  fast 
in  me:  and  thy  hand  presseth  me 
sore."  Ps.  38 : 2.  For  as  a  w^ound 
grievously  smarts  and  grows  worse 
whilst  the  arrow  remains  fixed  in  it; 
so  also  it  is  with  the  conscience,  whilst 
the  sting  of  sin  and  judgment  is  not 
taken  aw^ay.  And  these  lashes  and 
clamors  proceed  from  nothing  but  the 
sentence  of  divine  justice  proclaimed 
in  the  conscience,  and  the  terrors  of 
hell  and  death  attending  it.  Therefore, 
David  exclaims,  "Thou  hast  lifted  me 
up,  and  cast  me  down:"  like  one 
thrown  down  from  a  lofty  rock  into  a 
low  valley,  who  is  so  bruised  and  maim- 
ed, that  not  one  sound  limb  remains. 

10.  But  how  terrible  soever  the  fear 
of  the  judgments  of  God  may  prove  to 
an  awakened  conscience,  3^et  is  there 
some  ground  of  comfort;   since  the 


prophet  tells  us,  that  these  arrows, 
these  threats,  these  terrors,  are  the 
arrows  and  terrors  of  God  himself. 
And  it  is  God,  who  having  thereby 
wounded  and  broken  the  heart,  heals 
and  restores  it  again.  It  is  he  that 
killeth,  and  it  is  He  that  maketh 
alive;  He  boweth  down,  and  He  rais- 
eth  again  (Ps.  14G  :  8) ;  He  bringeth 
down  to  the  grave,  and  He  bringeth 
up  again.    1  Sam.  2  :  6. 

11.  Whosoever,  therefore,  accounts 
and  feels  nothing  to  be  more  bitter 
and  grievous,  than  to  have  offended 
God^  the  infinite  Good,  and  Love  it- 
self;  he  only  has  experimentally  learn- 
ed the  doctrine  of  contrition,  and  laid 
a  firm  foundation  for  sound  and  gen- 
uine godliness.  This  w^as  one  of  Da- 
vid's acts  of  repentance:  "Against 
THEE,"  says  he,  "  Thee  only,  have  I 
sinned."  Ps.  51  :  4.  As  if  he  had  said, 
"  This  is  my  anguish  and  sorrow,  that 
I  have  offended  thee."  And  Daniel 
thus  expresses  himself :  "■  Lord,  right- 
eousness belongeth  unto  thee,  but  unto 
us,  confusion  of  face,"  because  we  have 
offended  so  righteous  a  God.  Dan. 
9  :  7. 

12.  The  third  property  of  repent- 
ance is  contained  in  these  words: 
"My  days  are  like  a  shadow  that 
declineth;  and  I  am  withered  like 
grass."  That  is,  a  heart  truly  peni- 
tent, is  deeply  sensible  of  its  own 
weakness.  It  entirely  despairs  of  its 
own  strength  and  ability,  knowing 
itself  to  be  as  destitute  of  life  and 
power,  as  the  very  shadow;  and  as 
empty  of  spirit  and  moisture,  as  the 
grass  that  fadeth  away.  The  same 
is  affirmed  in  another  Psalm  :  "  Be- 
hold, thou  hast  made  my  days  as  a 
handbreadth,  and  mine  age  is  as  noth- 
ing before  thee  :  verily,  every  man  at 
his  best  state  is  altogether  vanity." 
Ps.  39  :  5. 


ClIAP.  X  ] 


TEUE  CHEISTIAOTTY. 


205 


13.  0 !  how  noble  a  step  would  it 
be  toward  the  attainment  of  substan- 
tial wisdom,  were  man  but  sensible  of 
his  own  NOTHINGNESS !  Man  is  noth- 
ing, as  a  shadow  is  nothing.  As  a 
shadow  is  without  life,  and  without 
substance  of  itself,  and  vanishes  at 
the  departure  of  the  sun  ;  so  is  the 
condition  of  man,  whenever  the  Lord 
withdraws  the  light  of  life  from  him  ! 
And  it  is  worthy  of  observation^  that, 
the  nearer  the  sun  is,  the  less  are  the 
shadows  observed  to  be ;  and  on  the 
contrary,  the  farther  the  sun  removes 
from  us,  the  larger  the  shadows  appear. 
The  same  happens  to  man  :  the  more 
of  God  and  his  gifts  is  present  with  a 
good  man,  the  less  he  esteems  himself, 
the  less  he  boasts  of  himself,  and  of 
what  he  calls  his.  On  the  contrary, 
the  farther  a  man  is  removed  from 
God;  the  greater  he  is  in  his  own  eyes ; 
the  more  he  is  puffed  up  with  his  parts 
and  abilities,  the  more  he  extends  the 
bounds  of  his  pride,  and  the  less  be 
knows  how  to  keep  within  proper 
compass.  Again,  as  shadows  at  the 
setting  of  the  sun  are  greatest,  though 
then  just  ready  to  disappear  and  van- 
ish away ;  their  greatness  being  but  a 
forerunner  of  their  approaching  end ; 
so  it  is  with  the  shadows  of  this  world, 
and  the  whole  train  of  vain  pomps  and 
pleasures.  They  pass  away  suddenly 
when  we  are  most  lifted  up  by  them. 
As  the  shadows  vanish  upon  the  with- 
drawing of  the  sun ;  so  when  an  empty 
man  becomes  great  in  his  own  eyes, 
the  divine  sun  sets  upon  him  unex- 
pectedly, and  he  returns  to  be  nothing, 
even  when  he  thought  to  be  something. 
Moreover,  as  the  shadow  has  no  life 
of  itself,  but  entirely  moves  with  the 
motion  of  the  sun,  upon  which  it  de- 
pends: so  man  of  his  own  nature,  is 
nothing  but  a  body  destitute  of  life 
and  motion ;  and  it  is  God  alone  who 


is  able  to  put  life  and  motion  in  it. 
The  shadow  of  a  tall  and  goodly  tree 
moves  not,  except  as  the  tree  itself  is 
moved ;  so  man  only  liveth  and  moveth 
in  God  (Acts  17  :  28),  of  whom  he  is  a 
shadow  and  reflected  image.  The  hour 
of  death  will  at  length  fully  declare, 
that  man's  "  days  on  the  earth  are  as 
a  shadow"  (1  Chron.29:15;  Job  8  :  9), 
as  a  vain  shew  or  image  (Ps.  39  :  5); 
nay,  as  grass  which  grows  up,  but  soon 
withereth  when  it  is  mown  down  :  so 
fades  our  life  away  immediately,  when 
it  is  cut  down  by  the  fatal  scythe  of 
death.  Ps.  102  :  3, 11 ;  Ps.  103 : 15.  Lo ! 
thus  are  our  days  consumed  like  smoke, 
and  we  are  "gone  like  the  shadow  when 
it  declineth/'  Ps.  109:23. 

14.  ^^ow  when  a  man  by  true  humil- 
ity is  thoroughly  persuaded  of  all  this, 
and  is  convinced  that  he  is  nothin«c  in 
the  sight  of  God  but  a  lifeless  shadow, 
then,  verily,  his  repentance  is  un- 
feigned, and  his  heart  right  before  the 
Lord.  And  as  it  is  appointed  unto  all 
men  once  to  undergo  a  natural  death, 
so  ought  all  daily  to  die  unto  sin,  that 
they  may  live  unto  God,  and  depart 
happily  out  of  this  mortal  life,  when 
all  the  shadows  disappear.  This  daily 
dying  to  the  world,  as  it  is  the  best 
exercise,  so  it  is  also  the  best  prepara- 
tion for  the  hour  of  death;  and  if  we 
earnestly  practise  the  former,  we  shall 
then  be  fitted  for  undergoing  the  lat- 
ter. That  which  we  most  frequently 
practise,  becomes  most  perfect  to  us. 

15.  The  fourth  property  of  true  re- 
pentance, is  union  with  God^  implied  in 
these  words :  But  thou,  0  Lord,  shalt 
endure  forever,  and  thy  remembrance  unto 
all  generations.  As  if  the  prophet  had 
said :  "  Though  I  am  persuaded,  that 
I  am  a  perishing  shadow,  and  wither 
like  grass  (Ps.  102  : 11),  yet  1  am  no 
less  certain,  that  in  thee  I  shall  abide 
forever;  for  thou  thyself  art  eternal" 


206 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  II. 


As  by  sin  a  man  is  divorced  from  God, 
so  by  true  conversion,  he  is  again 
united  to  him.  Even  as  the  Person 
of  Clirist  is  indivisible,  and  as  the 
eternal  Deity  united  the  human  nature 
in  Christ  Jesus  with  itself  in  so  firm 
a  bond,  as  is  not  to  be  dissolved  by 
death  itself  (the  humanity  of  Christ 
remaining  in  perpetual  union  with  the 
Divinity,  and  with  the  glory  therein 
residing)  :  so,  in  the  work  of  true  con- 
version to  God,  penitent  and  believing 
souls  are  so  closely  and  intimately 
united  to  God,  that  neither  life  nor 
death  can  separate  them  from  him 
(Rom.  8  :  38) :  for  "  he  that  is  joined 
to  the  Lord,  is  one  spirit  "  (1  Cor.  6: 
17),  God  betrothing  us  unto  himself 
forever.  Ilosea  2: 19.  In  a  \yord,  Christ 
himself  is  our  only  Witness;  and  he  is 


the  Book  of  Life  wherein  we  are 
plainly  taught,  that  as  his  human  na- 
ture abides  eternally  united  with  the 
divine,  so  all  believers  shall  be  eter- 
nally united  with  their  Lord  and 
Head,  being  one  spirit  with  him.  Now, 
as  God  is  eternal,  and  Christ  eternal; 
so  the  promises  of  God  in  Christ  are 
also  eternal  and  inviolable,  he  having 
made  with  us  a  covenant  of  everlast- 
ing grace.  Ps.  Ill  :  5.  Therefore, 
though  a  true  Christian  be  forsaken 
of  the  world;  be  vexed  and  tormeutod 
by  sin,  death,  hell,  and  the  devil  him- 
self; nay,  though  even  his  own  flesh 
and  heart  fail  at  last,  and  be  wholly 
consumed,  yet  is  God  "the  strength 
of  his  heart,  and  his  portion  for  ever." 
Ps.  73 :  26. 


CHAPTER  XL 

SHOWING  THAT  THE  FRUIT  OF  CONVERSION  IS  THE  NEW  CREATURE;  ALSO,  THAT 
THE  CHRISTIAN  IS,  BY  FAITH,  A  LORD  OVER  ALL,  AND,  BY  LOVE,  A  SERVANT 
OP  ALL;  AND,  THAT  THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST  IS  A  MIRROR  FOR  US. 

Jf  any  man  be  in  Christy  he  is  a  new  creaiitre. — 2  Cor.  5:17. 


ALL  that  are  in  Christ  by  faith, 
are  ''new  creatures;"  that  is, 
they  are  the  children  of  God,  are 
righteous  before  God,  have  forgive- 
ness of  sin,  and  the  Holy  Ghost;  they 
are  partakers  of  the  divine  nature  (2 
Peter  1  :  4),  arc  hcir.s  of  everlasting 
life,  and  are  liberated  in  their  con- 
sciences from  the  law,  the  curse, 
death,  the  devil,  hell,  and  damnation. 
All,  whatever  appertains  to  their  sal- 
vation, is  in  them  begotten  of  Christ 
by  grace,  and  is  conceived  by  them 
through  faith;   hence,  neither  time 


nor  place,  neither  law,  nor  command- 
ment, nor  ceremonies,  nor  anything 
w^hatsoever,  can  be  an}^  hindrance  to 
them.  They  are  made  perfect  in 
Christ,  who  is  now  become  a  vital 
principle  in  them,  and  they  have  in 
him  the  accomi^lishment  of  the  law 
through  faith.    Eom.  10  :  4. 

2.  Thence  the  name  of  a  Christian 
is  a  hiijher  and  more  excellent  name 
than  all  the  names  in  the  world.  It 
is  a  greater  name  than  is  to  be  found 
in  palaces  and  courts,  a  name  above 
all  posts  of  greatnesS;  above  the  whole 


Chap.  XII.] 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


207 


world,  with  all  that  it  contains.  But, 
on  the  other  hand,  the  name  of  a 
Christian  is  also  the  lowest  name  of 
uU  the  names  in  the  world,  without 
exception.  Thus,  in  the  same  degree, 
faith  exalts  a  Christian  above  all ;  love 
brings  down  a  Christian  under  all. 
This  thou  wilt  then  best  understand, 
when  thou  seriously  considerest  the 
holy  life  of  Christ ;  w^hich  is  the  bright- 
est mirror  both  of  love,  and  of  all  other 
virtues.    See  Phil.  2  :  5-8. 

3.  Behold  how  Christ  made  himself 
the  servant  of  all!  how  humble  was 
he  in  heart!  how  meek  in  spirit!  how 
kind  and  gracious  in  words!  how  be- 
nevolent in  his  behavior!  how  merci- 
ful towards  the  poor!  how  compas- 
sionate towards  the  distressed !  how 
patient  towards  his  slanderers!  how 
calm  in  his  answers!  how  merciful 
towards  sinners !  Whom  did  he  ever 
despise?  whom  did  he  ever  revile,  be- 
ing reviled?  How  condescending  was 
he  to  the  very  meanest !  how  ready 
to  show  acts  of  grace  to  all,  without 
distinction!  how  heartily  did  he  seek 
the  salvation  of  all  men,  praying 
for  his  very  enemies  and  murderers! 
Luke  23  :  84.    How  did  he  bear  our 

i 


sickness,  sorrows,  reproaches,  stripes, 
wounds,  and  punishments!  And  in- 
deed, what  else  is  the  life  of  Christ, 
but  a  most  accomplished  pattern  of 
love,  humility,  patience,  and  all  other 
virtues  whatsoever!  This  we  ought 
to  look  into,  and  to  reflect  upon  it  in 
our  hearts;  but  especially  when  we 
are  alone.  This  is  better  than  all  the 
high  boasts  of  knowledge,  and  all  the 
art  and  wisdom  of  the  world.  This 
life  of  Christ  is  like  a  seal  (Cant.  8  :  6) 
to  be  stamped  upon  our  hearts,  and 
leave  there  the  impression  of  his  image, 
life,  love,  humility,  patience,  cross,  re- 
proach, and  death.  This  would  prove 
a  true  celestial  light  to  our  hearts,  and 
a  powerful  means  both  to  renew  us 
in  the  inner  man,  and  to  transform  us 
more  and  more  into  the  divine  image. 
Now  as  Christ  was  under  all  men,  yea, 
under  all  creatures,  in  his  state  of  hu- 
miliation in  this  world ;  but  is  now  in 
his  state  of  exaltation^  a  Lord  over  all : 
so  a  Christian  is,  with  reference  to  his 
faith^  a  lord  over  all,  nothing  being 
excepted  but  God ;  but  w4th  regard  to 
his  life  and  conduct,  a  servant  of  ser- 
vants, being  under  all  persons  and 
things. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

SHOWING  THAT  CHRIST  IS  THE  ONLY  WAY  AND  END  OP    TRUE    GODLINESS;  AND 
THAT  MAN  GOES  ASTRAY,  WHEN  GOD  DOES  NOT  GUIDE  AND  DIRECT  HIM. 


Teach  me  thy  way,  0  Lord:  I  will  ivalk  in  thy  truth;  unite  my  heart  to  fear  thy  name. — Ps.  86  :  11. 


THIS  way  is  Christ.  He  says,  "I 
am  the  way."  John  14  :  6.  But 
I  thou  wilt  here  ask.  How  am  I  to  come 
j  to  him?  The  answer  is:  By  faith. 
I  For  faith  unites  us  with  Christ;  love 


binds  us  fast;  and  hope  upholds  and 
sustains  us  while  we  walk  in  this  way; 
that  is,  in  the  life  of  Christ.  Yet  at 
the  same  time,  faith,  hope,  and  love, 
all  proceed  from  Christ  himself,  and 


208 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  II. 


arc  his  work  in  us.  All  these  graces 
flow  from  him,  and  return  to  him. 
This  way  goes  out  from  him,  and 
leads  back  to  him  again. 

2.  Faith  apprehends  the  Person  of 
Christ;  and  his  office;  Love  follows 
Christ  in  his  life  and  conversation; 
Hope  seizes  on  the  glory  that  is  here- 
after to  be  revealed  in  Christ.  Faith 
must  have  no  other  Christ,  no  other 
Redeemer,  no  other  Saviour,  no  other 
Mediator  and  Way  to  life,  but  Jesus 
Christ  only.  Love  sets  before  itself 
the  one  only  life  of  Christ,  as  the  most 
perfect  and  shining  pattern  to  which 
to  conform  itself  Hope  looks  up 
steadfastly  to  Christ,  as  the  glorious 
Captain  of  our  salvation,  keeping  its 
eye  fixed  upon  his  everlasting  king- 
dom above.  This,  this  is  the  right 
way ;  this  is  the  unerring  truth,  where- 
in w^e  are  to  Avalk ;  and  this  is  what 
is  meant  by  having  the  heart  united^  to 
fear  the  Lord's  name. 

3.  These  three  chief  virtues  are 
allied  again  to  three  other  virtues. 
The  alliance  of  faith,  is  with  humility; 
of  love,  with  patience;  and  of  hope, 
with  prayer.  For  he  that  believeth, 
hiimbleth  himself ;  he  that  loveth,  is 
patient;  and  he  that  hopeth,  learns  to 
pray,  and  boldly  to  approach  the 
throne  of  grace.  O  how  goodly  and 
beautiful  is  this  way!  This  is  the 
way  of  God,  the  way  of  salvation,  the 
path  to  glory,  even  our  great  Master's 
way!  And  may  lie  himself  teach  us 
this  way  of  truth,  and  inspire  us  with 
courage  to  w^alk  in  it !  Where  this 
frame  of  mind  is,  there  the  soul  is 
firmly  united  to  the  fear  of  the  Lord; 
and  this  is  that  one  thing  which  David 
desired.  Ps.  27  :  4.  Such  a  one  is  re- 
solved heartily  to  follow  Christ  in  his 
humility  and  love,  meekness  and  pa- 


tience, expelling,  through  the  lowli- 
ness of  Christ,  the  venom  of  pi-ide  that 
lurks  w^ithin.    Consider  how  Cln'ist 
th}^  Lord  was  made  for  thee  a  despica- 
ble worm  (Ps.  22 :  6),  and  trampled 
upon  by  the  basest  of  men  !  and  b\' 
looking  to  him,  learn  to  restrain  thy 
haughty  temper.    In  a  word,  let  his 
humility  slay  thy />riVie;  and  do  thou 
suppress  the  assaults  of  covetous nes-^. 
by  meditating  on  the  poverty  of  Christ. 
Behold,  he  had  not  so  much  as  even 
where  to  lay  his  head  (Matt.  8  : 20), 
and  how  eager  art  thou  to  grasp  iu 
possession  whatever  thy  unbounded 
desires  fix  themselves  upon  !    Let  tho 
spirit  of  envy  die,  by  the  consideration 
of  the  overflowing  love  of  Christ.    He  j 
hath  given  thee  life  itself,  and  thou 
grudgest  thy  neighbor  even  a  morsel 
of  bread.    Let  the  thirst  for  revenge  be 
overcome  in  thy  breast  by  the  meek-  j 
ness  of  Christ.     Behold!  he  prayed  I 
for  his  enemies  (Luke  23:34);  and 
thou   dost   not  even   pray   for  thy  ^ 
friends.    His  face  being  bufl'eted  and  f 
spit  upon  by  sinners,  he  quietly  en- 
dured it;  and  thou  canst  hardly  en- r 
dure  a  severe  look,  or  an  unkind  word  |l 
from  thy  neighbor  !    Let  the  entice- 
ments to  lust  and  voluptuousness  be 
beaten  down,  by  the  agony  and  pains  I 
which  thy  Lord  sufl'ered  in  his  holy 
body.   Behold,  and  see,  whether  the 
sorrows  of  any  man  Avere  ever  like 
unto  his  sorrows  !  Lam.  1  : 12.    This  j 
consideration  will  prove  a  check  to  ' 
the  wanton  lusts  of  thy  flesh,  and  n 
curb  to  thy  thirst  after  worldly  pleas- 1 
ure.    He  wore  a  crown  of  thorns  ;  and  | 
w^ouldest  thou  wear  one  of  gold  ?  He 
wept  for  the  sins  of  others;  and  refus- 
est  thou  to  weep  for  thine  own  ?  He 
was  a  man  of  sorrows;  and  shouldest 
thou  wish  to  be  a  man  of  pleasure? 


Chai'.  XIII.] 


TRtJE  CHRISTIANITY. 


209 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


SHOWING  THAT  JESUS  CHRIST  IS  THE  TRUE  BOOK  OF  LIFE,  AND  THAT  HIS 
POVERTY  TEACHES  US  TO  DESPISE  THE  GLORY  OF  THE  WORLD. 


Ve  know  the  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesvs  Christ,  that,  thovgh  he  was  rich,  yet  for  your  sakes  he  became 
poor,  that  ye  through  his  poverty  might  be  rich. — 2  CoR.  8  :  9. 


ALL  who  believe  in  Jesus  Christ, 
the  Son  of  God,  are  written  "  in 
the  book  of  life  "  (Phil.  4  : 3),  or  as 
the  Lord  expresses  it,  "  in  heaven." 
Luke  10:20.  This  shall  be  made  man- 
ifest in  that  great  day,  when  the  Lord 
will  "  confess  their  names  before  his 
Father,  and  before  his  angels."  Eev. 
3:5.  But  besides  this,  the  Lord  Jesus 
himself  is  a  most  complete-  Book  of  a 
truly  Christian  life  :  he  being,  as  the 
WORD  and  wisdom  of  the  Father,  made 
man,  and  come  into  the  world  to  teach 
us  by  his  life  and  death;  and  by  his 
conduct  and  conversation,  to  set  a 
pattern  before  us  for  our  imitation. 

2.  The  whole  of  his  life,  from  his 
tender  infancy  to  his  death,  was  made 
up  of  nothing  but  a  continual  series 
of  crosses  and  afflictions;  insomuch 
that  he  took  hardly  any  step  without 
the  inseparable  attendance  either  of 
a  pressing  poverty,  or  of  great  con- 
tempt, or  of  most  exquisite  pains  and 
sufferings :  and  into  these  three  heads 
the  entire  extent  of  the  life  of  Christ 
may  be  fitly  resolved. 

8.  The  poverty  which  the  Lord  en- 
dured, may  be  considered  again  under 
a  threefold  aspect.  In  the  tirst  place, 
he  was  poor  in  relation  to  outward 
things.  This  he  himself  declared  : 
"The  foxes,"  says  he,  "have  holes,  and 
the  birds  of  the  air  have  nests;  but 
the  Son  of  Man  hath  not  where  to 
lay  his  head."  Matt.  8  :  20. 

4.  This  indigence  in  worldly  goods 
was  attended  by  another,  which  was 


a  poverty  of  friends.  Nothing  was 
more  visible  in  his  birth  than  mean- 
ness and  poverty.  He  w^as  born  at 
Bethlehem,  the  least  among  the  cities 
of  Judah,  and  of  a  mother  that  was 
destitute  of  all  wealth  and  worldly 
greatness.  Luke  2:4,7.  Nor  did  he 
ever  court  the  favor  and  friendship  of 
the  great  and  wealthy  of  this  world. 
It  is  true,  that  Lazarus  of  Bethany 
was  his  friend,  the  Evangelist  taking 
particular  notice,  that  the  Lord  loved 
him,  and  thought  him  worthy  of  the 
title  of  his/ne?i6Z(Johnll:3,5, 11,  36); 
but  this  friendship  was  not  founded 
on  any  worldly  advantage  which  the 
Lord  expected  from  him,  but  on  that 
faith,  whereby  he  was  induced  to  be- 
lieve, that  Jesus  was  really  the  true 
Messiah. 

5.  The  third  degree  of  the  Lord's 
poverty,  was  the  state  of  his  humilia- 
tion, Avhereby,  laying  aside  the  form 
of  God,  he  humbled  himself,  and  made 
himself  of  no  reputation.  Phil.  2:6,  7. 
He  thereby  entered  into  the  depth  of 
our  misery.  He  was  wearied  in  the 
journeys  he  undertook,  when  he 
"  went  about  doing  good  "  (Acts  10  : 
38);  but  particularly,  when  he  healed 
multitudes  of  sick  and  diseased,  that 
continually  crowded  to  him  from  all 
parts,  and  surrounded  him  often  to 
that  degree,  that  he  could  not  so 
much  as  eat  bread,  and  even  his  very 
friends  thought  him  beside  himself. 
Mark  3  :  20,  21.  He  fulfilled  also 
what  was  said  by  the  prophet,  and  is 


14 


210 


TEUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


[Book  II. 


repeated  in  the  Gospel  :  "  Himself 
took  our  infirmities,  and  bare  our  sick- 
nesses" (Isa.  53  ;  4;  Matt.  8  : 17);  never 
withdrawing  from  any  hardship  or  ap- 
proaching calamity,  never  shrinking 
under  the  burden  of  povert}^,  or  cruel 
mockings,  or  unjust  reproaches,  or 
other  evils,  though  they  were  sharp 
and  numerous.  And  whereas  he 
might  have  been  served  by  all  the 
creatures  of  God,  and  waited  on  by 
legions  of  angels,  yet  he  dispensed 
with  all  this  glory,  and  did  not  exert 
that  sovereign  power  which  he  pos- 
sessed. He  suffered  his  head  to  be 
torn  by  thorns,  his  hands  to  be  bound, 
his  sacred  body  to  be  scourged,  his 
hands  and  feet  to  be  nailed  to  the 
cross,  his  side  to  be  pierced  with  a 
spear.  All  this  he  freely  allowed, 
though  it  was  in  his  power  to  prevent 
it,  and  with  one  word  to  restrain  all 
creatures  from  inflicting  an  injury  on 
him. 

6.  In  a  word,  for  our  sakes,  he  made 
himself  subject  to  all  creatures.  He 
took  upon  him  the  form  of  a  servant, 
that  by  his  lowliness,  he  might  repair 
our  losses,  and  reinstate  us  in  that 
sovereign  dominion  over  all  the  crea- 
tures, w^hich  we  had  lost.  He  rose 
from  the  dead  again,  and  gained  a  per- 
fect conquest  at  last,  thereby  to  pur- 
chase for  us  an  everlasting  victory. 
He  suffered  himself  to  be  tempted  by 
the  devil  (Matt.  4:1,  8),  hurried  about 
by  his  malice,  tormented  by  his  instru- 
ments, the  Jews,  fastened  to  the  cross 
by  their  cruelty;  and  all  this  he  un- 
derwent, in  order  to  rescue  mankind 
from  the  power  of  the  devil  and  all 
his  subordinate  tools  and  agents. 

7.  Thus  the  Strongest  became  weak; 
the  Almighty  infirm ;  the  most  Glori- 
ous, became  most  despicable ;  the  most 
Beautiful,  most  abhorred  and  hated; 
the  most  Exalted,  most  exposed  him- 


self to  temptations  of  all  kinds,  to  suf- 
ferings and  difficulties,  to  pains  and 
hardships.  Hereby  he  designed  to 
check  and  put  to  shame  our  sinful 
tenderness  and  effeminacy.  We  are, 
alas!  so  tender  and  delicate  that  the 
smallest  cross  is  now  complained  of 
as  an  insufferable  burden,  and  a  little 
trouble  and  toil  undergone  for  the 
sake  of  God  and  our  neighbor,  seems 
a  sufficient  plea  why  men  should  start 
back  into  the  smooth  way,  and  forsake 
the  Lord ;  whereas  he  sends  such 
trials  upon  men  for  the  purpose  of 
promoting  thereby  the  recovery  of 
their  own  souls,  and  the  glory  of  his 
name. 

8.  Thus  the  Lord  laid  aside  for  a 
while  the  form  of  God.  But  this  was 
not  all.  He  did  no  less  lay  aside  the 
use  of  the  divine  wisdom  which  re- 
sided in  him.  His  conversation  with 
others  was  plain  and  easy;  and  be 
behaved  himself  like  a  man  who  had 
not  learned  letters^  as  the  Jews  ex- 
pressed it.  John  7  : 15.  He  did  not 
assume  to  himself  the  wonted  formali- 
ties of  a  great  doctor,  or  of  an  acute 
reasoner  and  disputer.  Neither  did  he 
act  like  men  that  value  themselves  on 
account  of  their  parts,  skill,  polite 
learning,  and  high  descent.  Nothing 
was  more  visible  in  his  life  and  con- 
duct than  that  quiet  serenity  of  mind 
which  he  enjoyed  in  the  midst  of  all 
the  storms  of  the  world.  This  was 
attended,  however,  by  a  divine  power, 
an  unaffected  holiness  of  manners,  an 
unfeigned  charity,  meekness,  and  hu- 
mility. He  made  use  of  plain  and 
easy  terms  when  he  "  taught  the  way 
of  God  in  truth  "  (Matt.  22  : 16) ;  there- 
fore he  was  despised  by  the  proud 
Jews  as  an  unlearned  man.  Thus  the 
eternal  wisdom  of  God,  speaking 
through  the  prophets  of  old,  was  cast 
aside  as  folly,  and  the  true  light  of 


Chap.  XIII.] 


TEUE  CHEISTIAKITY. 


211 


souls  rejected  as  deception  :  all  which 
may  serve  to  instruct  us  not  to  over- 
value ourselves  upon  our  parts  and 
abilities ;  but  to  consider  that  they  are 
not  given  us  for  the  gratifi^jation  of 
pride;  and  to  employ  them  solely  for 
advancing  the  glory  of  God,  and  the 
orood  of  our  fellow-creatures. 

o 

9.  This  simplicity  of  our  Lord  was 
manifested  herein  also,  that  he  made 
no  display  of  his  glory  and  majesty. 
So  great  was  his  condescension,  that 
be  freely  conversed  with  sinners.  He 
did  eat  and  drink  with  them  ;  and  this 
for  no  other  reason,  but  to  complete 
thereby  the  great  work  for  which  he 
was  sent,  which  was,  to  "  seek  and  to 
save  that  which  was  lost."  Luke  19  : 
10.  It  was  on  this  account  that  he 
was  so  grievously  defamed  with  a  mul- 
titude of  odious  names  by  his  enemies, 
who  called  him  "a  gluttonous  man,  a 
wine-bibber,  a  friend  of  publicans  and 
sinners"  (Luke  7:34)  :  and  at  another 
time,  they  exclaimed  against  him  as  a 
Samaritan,  that  had  a  devil.  John  8: 
48.  And,  at  last,  he  suffered  them  to 
crucify  him  between  two  malefactors, 
as  if  he  were  the  greatest  criminal, 
whereas  he  then  bore  our  transojres- 
sions. 

10.  Now  he  might  have  gained  a 
greater  repute  than  John  himself, 
who,  according  to  the  Lord's  own  tes- 
timony, was  a  "  burning  and  a  shining 
light."  John  5  :  35.  But  he  readily  re- 
nounced any  such  honor,  thereby  to 
give  a  check  to  all  superficial  pretend- 
ers to  piety,  who  are  too  apt  to  value 
themselves  on  account  of  an  outward 
show  of  religion  :  though  those  that 
busy  themselves  so  much  about  form 
and  appearance,  may  have  but  little 
of  the  life  and  power  of  God  within 

j  them. 

1     11.  In  short,  the  Lord  forsook  all 
that  is  lofty  and  grand  in  the  world. 


He  was  a  king,  and  yet  would  be  sub- 
ject to  kings  and  magistrates,  nay,  to 
Joseph  and  his  mother,  though  they 
were  so  mean  and  indigent.  "Ho 
went  down  with  them  to  Nazareth, 
and  was  subject  unto  them."  Luke 
2  :  51.  He  was  Lord  over  all,  and 
yet  w^hen  he  came  into  the  world, 
"He  came  not  to  be  ministered  unto, 
but  to  minister"  (Matt.  20  :  28),  cloth- 
ing himself  in  the  attire  of  poverty 
and  meanness.  He  was  the  great  and 
wise  Prophet,  and  chose  disciples 
of  the  lowest  rank,  plain  and  simple 
people.  And  when  it  was  in  his  power 
to  beliave  himself  as  a  Lord  and  Mas- 
ter in  the  small  company  of  his  follow- 
ers, yet  did  he  even  there  divest  him- 
self of  that  right,  being  "  among  them 
as  one  that  serveth."  Luke  22  :  27. 
He  assumed  no  lordlike  air  over  thera, 
but  chose  rather  to  be  a  master  in  life 
and  doctrine,  than  to  have  any  other 
distinguishing  character  of  grandeur 
and  pre-eminence.  Thus  when  he 
taught  the  duty  of  obedience,  he 
showed  at  the  same  time  a  pattern 
of  obedience  in  his  own  conduct. 
When  he  endeavored  to  instil  into 
his  disciples  a  sense  of  humility,  of 
patience,  of  subjection  to  their  supe- 
riors, and  of  other  Christian  virtues; 
he  practised  them  first  himself,  that 
so  his  own  example  might  have  the 
greater  influence  upon  the  lives  of 
others.  3eing  Head  and  Master,  he 
thouo-ht  it  becomino;  his  character  to 
be  chief  also  in  bearing  affronts,  re- 
proaches, injuries,  poverty,  misery, 
and  in  performing  the  most  humble 
services,  even  such  as  that  of  washing 
his  disciples'  feet.  John  13  :  5.  Thus 
he  proved  a  Master,  Head,  and  Teacher, 
not  in  doctrine  only ;  but  in  life,  in 
example,  and  practice. 

12.  Alas!  how  great  is  our  folly! 
Our  Head   despised  worldly  honor. 


212 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  II. 


and  lo !  we  are  in  pursuit  of  it.  He 
submitted  to  crosses  and  trials,  and 
we  shrink  back  at  the  sight  of  them. 
He  became  obedient  unto  death;  and 
we  seek  liberty,  so  that  we  may  follow 
our  own  will.  But  this  does  not  agree 
with  the  example  which  the  Lord  has 
set  before  us,  nor  with  the  spiritual 
maxims  contained  in  the  Book  of  Life, 
which  he  has  left  us  for  imitation. 
13.  Consider,  therefore,  O  man,  whe- 


ther the  way  wherein  thou  walkest 
agrees  with  that  excellent  way  where- 
in th}'  Lord  and  Master  walked  him- 
self If  thou  despisest  the  narrow 
way  of  Jesus,  and  foUowest  the  way 
of  the  world,  then  know  certainly  that 
thy  way,  though  smooth  and  pleasing 
for  a  while,  will  end  in  utter  destruc- 
tion at  last !  And  thus  the  first  part 
of  Christ's  life  of  sorrow  and  poverty 
has  been  described. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

SHOWING  HOW  CHRIST,  BY  THE  SHAME  AND  CONTEMPT  WHICH  HE  ENDURED,  AND 
BY  HIS  SELF-DENIAL,  TEACHES  US  TO  DESPISE  THE  HONOR  AND  GLORY  OF 
THE  WORLD. 

He  is  despised  and  rejected  of  men ;  a  man  of  sorrows,  and  acquainted  with  grief. — IsA.  53  :  3. 


THE  second  head  of  the  life  of 
poverty  of  Christ,  is  the  con- 
tempt which  he  endured  from  the 
world.  After  thou  hast  read  over 
and  seriously  considered  the  lesson  of 
poverty  exhibited  by  the  Lord,  take 
also  a  view  of  the  deep  and  unaffected 
humility,  which  was  so  eminently  seen 
in  his  whole  life  and  conduct.  Never 
did  he  catch  at  the  applause  of  men; 
never  was  he  actuated  by  ambition, 
or  any  thirst  after  temporal  honor 
and  greatness:  on  the  contrary,  when- 
ever men  offered  to  bestow  honors 
and  praises  upon  him,  he  refused 
them,  both  by  word  and  by  deed : 
never  did  he  accept  of  any  honor 
from  men;  nay,  not  even  when  "they 
would  take  him  by  force  to  make  him 
a  king."  John  6 :  15.  On  the  other 
hand,  with  what  inexpressible  humil- 
ity did  he  bear  all  the  insults,  the  re- 
proaches, and  calumnies  with  which 
his  enemies  loaded  him  ?    He  was  ex- 


ecrated as  a  Samaritan,  and  his  mira- 
cles were  maliciously  ascribed  to  the 
power  of  Beelzebub.  John  8:48;  Matt. 
12:  24.  The  sound  doctrine  which  he 
brought  down  from  heaven,  was  de- 
nounced as  blasphemy;  and  he  who 
taught  it,  was  everywhere  insulted  by 
foul  and  uncharitable  censures,  and 
such  base  lies  and  slanders  as  the  mal- 
ice of  men  could  contrive.  He  was 
betrayed  and  sold;  he  was  denied  and 
buffeted;  he  was  spit  upon  and 
crowned  with  thorns;  he  was  derided 
and  scourged;  he  was  smitten,  and 
sentenced  to  death;  he  was  rejected, 
and  condemned  to  undergo  the  igno- 
minious "  death  of  the  cross."  Phil. 
2  :  8.  He  was  forsaken  by  God  and 
men  ;  and,  in  fine,  being  stripped  of 
all,  was  executed  in  the  midst  of  scan- 
dalous malefactors,  hanging  on  the 
tree  like  one  accursed.  Gal.  3: 13.  He 
was  made  the  common  gazing-stock 
of  all  his  enemies,  and  derided  by  all. 


CiiAP.  XIY.] 


TKUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


213 


Ilia  prayers  were  turned  into  ridicule; 
his  garments  were  parted  by  lot;  and 
at  the  approach  of  the  very  pangs  of 
death,  he  had  nothing  T\'hercwith  to 
refresh,  himself  but  vinegar  mingled 
with  gall.  Matt.  27:34.  At  last,  when 
all  was  finished,  he  expired  on  the 
cross,  amid  the  reproaches,  liatred, 
and  indignation  of  the  w^orld ;  his 
body  was  pierced  with  a  spear,  and 
he  made  his  grave  w^ith  the  wricked. 
John  19  :  34 ;  Isa.  53  :  9.  ^^ay,  his 
enemies  continued  to  fame  with  rao-e 

o 

and  malice,  even  now  when  he  had 
given  up  the  ghost;  and  called  him  a 
deceiver.  Matt.  27:63.  Beinc:  risen 
at  last  from  the  dead,  and  triumphing 
over  his  enemies;  they  boldly  denied 
the  truth  of  his  resurrection.  Thus 
was  the  Lord,  in  the  beginning,  prog- 
ress, and  end  of  his  ever-blessed  life, 
"despised  and  rej^ccted,  a  man. of  sor- 
rows, and  acquainted  with  grief" 

2.  In  the  course  of  our  Lord's  life, 
there  is  not  only  displayed  to  us  the 
abounding  treasure  of  redemption 
gained  by  Christ ;  but  it  is  also  most 
clearly  demonstrated,  that  in  this 
scene  of  suffering,  he  is  our  great 
teacher  and  master,  our  prophet  and 
shepherd,  our  instructor,  light,  and 
constant  monitor;  that  also  Ave,  by 
looking  unto  him,  may  learn  to  des- 
pise earthly  pomp  and  greatness;  and 


by  closely  adhering  to  him,  like  true 
members  to  their  head,  "  grow  up 
into  him  in  all  things  "  (Ephes.  4  :  15), 
being  rendered  conformaljlc  unto  his 
life,  "  and  rooted  and  grounded  in  his 
love."  Ephes.  3  :  17. 

3.  But  when  our  lives  are  contrary 
to  the  life  of  him  who  is  designed  to 
be  our  Head;  w4ien  in  our  actions, 
words,  and  endeavors,  we  do  not  en- 
tirely aim  at  God's  glor}',  but  our  own; 
it  is  more  than  evident,  that  Christ 
does  not  live  in  us,  but  rather  the 
prince  of  this  world.  It  is  then  plain, 
that  we  have  not  yet  learned  to  love 
Christ,  and  that  w^e  are  not  yet  loose 
from  the  various  ties  of  this  w^orld ; 
for  ^'  whatsoever  is  born  of  God,  over- 
cometh  the  world  "  (1  John  5:4);  and 
so  of  course  is  not  overcome  by  it. 
Nor  does  such  a  one  any  longer  love 
the  world;  for  "  if  any  man  love  the 
world,  the  love  of  the  Father  is  not 
in  him^'  (1  John  2:15);  and  conse- 
quentl}^,  that  of  Christ  must  be  absent 
likewise.  For  the  w^hole  life  of  Christ 
teaches  us  how  to  die  unto  the  world. 
Consider  then  the  beginning,  together 
with  the  progress  and  conclusion  of 
his  life,  and  remember  the  profound 
HUMILITY  with  which  he  bore  the 
contempt  and  reproaches  of  all  those 
that  love  the  world. 


214 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  II. 


CHAPTER  XY. 

SHOWING  HOW  WE  SHOULD,  THROUGH  CHRIST,  BEAR  AND  OVERCOME  THE  TRIALS 
AND  CONTEiMPT  OF  THE  WORLD. 


Consider  lam  that  endured  such  contradiction  of  sinners  against  himself,  lest  ye  he  wearied  and 
faint  in  yonr  minds. — Heb.  12:3. 


IT  is  a  most  moving  complaint  ut- 
tered by  tlie  Messiah  :  "  I  became 
a  reproach  unto  them ;  when  they 
looked  upon  me,  they  shaked  their 
heads.  Ilelp  me,  O  Lord  my  God;  O 
save  me  according  to  thy  mercy;  that 
they  may  know  that  this  is  ihj  band; 
that  thou  Lord  hast  done  it.  Let  them 
curse,  bat  bless  thou;  when  they  arise, 
let  them  be  ashamed  ;  bat  let  thy 
servant  rejoice.  Let  mine  adversaries 
be  clothed  with  shame;  and  let  them 
cover  themselves  with  their  own  con- 
fusion as  with  a  mantle.  I  will  greatly 
praise  the  Lord  with  my  mouth;  yea, 
I  will  praise  him  among  the  multi- 
tude. For  he  shall  stand  at  the  right 
hand  of  the  poor,  to  save  him  from 
those  that  condemn  his  soul."  Ps. 
109:25-31. 

2.  This  pathetic  complaint  of  the 
Lord  our  Eedeemer,  every  Christian 
ought  to  represent  to  himself  as  a 
mirror,  in  which  to  behold  the  life  of 
Christ  under  the  cross,  together  with 
that  of  all  the  saints  in  general.  This 
way  of  the  cross  has  been  copiously 
set  forth  in  the  Book  of  Psalms,  in 
order  to  render  it  the  more  familiar  to 
us,  and  to  teach  us  betimes,  that  "  we 
must  through  much  tribulation  enter 
into  the  kingdom  of  God."  Acts  14 : 
22.  Such  a  consideration  gives  present 
ease  and  comfort  under  the  contempt 
and  reproaches  incident  to  the  true 
followers  of  Christ,  and  accustoms 
them  to  a  conformity  to  the  image  of 


Christ  (Rom.  8  :  29) :  which  as  it  is 
one  of  the  greatest  honors  our  Master 
bestows  on  his  disciples  ;  so  it  is  by 
the  world  abhorred  and  loathed,  just 
as  a  healing  medicine  is  by  a  dis- 
tempered and  delicate  palate.  This 
conformity  is,  however,  the  grand 
duty  of  a  Christian,  inuring  him  to 
bear  his  Master's  i-eproach  (Heb.  13  : 
13)  and  abject  image  in  time,  that  he 
may  also  hereafter  bear  his  glorious 
image  in  eternity.  Phil.  3:21. 

3.  Now,  as  the  109th  Psalm  above- 
mentioned,  contains  a  prayer  of  Christ 
poured  out  in  the  midst  of  his  suffer- 
ings; so  it  mentions,  in  the  latter 
part,  three  kinds  of  trouble  more  par- 
ticularly, with  which  the  Lord  found 
himself  oppressed. 

4.  In  the  first  place,  the  Lord  com- 
plaineth  of  a  vehement  anxiety  of 
heart,  declared  in  this  manner:  "I  am 
poor  and  needy,  and  my  heart  is 
wounded  within  me."  Yer.  22.  Be- 
hold, what  complaints  this  holy,  this 
eminent  Person  is  reduced  to!  And 
what  is  the  reason  of  them  ?  Surely, 
to  acquaint  us  in  the  most  affectionate 
terms,  with  all  that  he  hath  suflfered 
for  our  sake.  He  says,  "I  am  poor;" 
and  lo  !  thou  toilest  to  get  estates,  to 
hoard  up  riches;  and  yet  when  thou 
hast  them,  thou  art  still  poor  and  dis- 
contented in  the  possession  of  them. 
He  says,  "  1  am  needy  ;"  and  thou,  0 
man,  art  entirely  bent  upon  thy  ease, 
prosperity,  and  fulness  of  bread  I  He 


Chap.  XY.] 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


215 


complains,  "my  heart  is  wounded 
within  me;"  how  unreasonable  is  it 
then,  O  man  !  that  thou  shouldest  de- 
sire to  be  humored  and  gratified  in  all 
thy  vain  and  carnal  propensities! 
Now,  if  nothing  will  awaken  in  thee 
a  love  of  the  cross  of  Christ,  let  at 
least  the  consideration  of  the  sacred- 
ness  of  the  afflicted  Person,  infinitely 
exalted  above  thee,  work  thee  into  a 
ready  compliance  with  his  life.  Such 
a  consideration  will  give  thee  ease  and 
patience  under  any  grief  that  may  at- 
tend thee,  and  make  thee  relish  better 
those  pure  and  untainted  pleasures 
which  Avill  succeed  the  cross.  There- 
fore, think  with  thyself  in  this  man- 
ner: I  am  now  put  to  trouble  and 
anxiety  of  heart ;  but  the  same  befell 
also  my  Lord  and  Master,  whose  very 
soul  was  surrounded  with  sorrows  so 
heavy  and  acute,  w^ith  pains  so  great, 
that  nothing  of  what  I  shall  ever  un- 
dergo can  equal  them."  However, 
the  Lord,  after  his  sutferings,  entered 
into  everlasting  joy;  after  contempt, 
into  never-fading  glory;  through 
death  into  life;  and  through  hell  into 
heaven.  And  thus  will  it  be  Avith  the 
sincere  followers  of  the  Lord,  to  whom 
their  crosses  will  prove  but  as  so  many 
advances  to  a  more  excellent  glory, 
and  their  affliction  will  be  the  avenue 
to  everlasting  bliss  and  happiness. 

5.  The  Lord  continues  his  complaint 
thus:  ''I  am  gone  like  the  shadow 
when  it  declineth  :  I  am  tossed  up  and 
down  as  the  locust.  My  knees  are 
weak  through  fasting;  and  ray  flesh 
faileth  of  fatness."  Ps.  109  :  23,  24.  A 
most  expressive  description  of  the 
common  frailty  of  human  nature  I 
What  is  a  shadow,  but  a  mere  noth- 
ing, an  empty  lifeless  appearance  ? 
To  such  an  abject  lowliness,  to  such 
an  inconceivable  degree  of  humilia- 
tion, the  Lord  suffered  himself  to  be 


reduced  whilst  he  dwelt  among  us! 
He  who  is  life  and  light  itself,  and  the 
bottomless  fountain  of  life  and  happi- 
ness, is  exposed  to  labor  and  infirmi- 
ties; and  should  not  men  hereby  learn 
so  much  humility  at  least,  as  to  think 
themselves  far  more  emphatically  as 
shadows,  or  as  nothing,  than  the  Lord 
of  life  himself?  At  the  same  time,  it 
is  to  be  remembered  that  the  Lord 
here  refers  to  his  state  of  humiliation 
alone,  for,  in  his  own  glory  he  is  our 
Lord  and  our  life.  He  says, I  am 
tossed  up  and  down  as  the  locust." 
The  Lord  had  no  settled  habitation 
upon  earth,  as  men  of  the  world  have. 
He  was  in  a  constant  pilgrimage  to- 
wards that  kingdom  which  cannot  be 
moved.  For  this  reason  he  is  said  to 
have  only  dwelt  or  tabernacled  among 
us  (John  1  :  14),  and  is  here  compared 
to  a  locust,  which  having  no  abiding 
place,  is  fearful,  and  tossed  to  and  fro 
with  every  wind.  Nahum  3: 17;  Exod. 
10:19.  And  even  in  this  our  blessed 
Saviour  has  left  us  a  pattern,  to  walk 
as  be  walked;  and  since  we  have  no 
continuing  city  here,  to  seek  one  to 
come,  which  "  hath  foundations,  whose 
builder  and  maker  is  God."  Heb.  11 : 10. 
AYhat  is  farther  added  of  the  weakness 
of  his  knees,  and  the  failing  of  his 
flesh,  abundantly  appeared  about  the 
time  of  his  passion,  when  his  "strength 
was  dried  up  like  a  potsherd  "  (Ps.  22: 
15)  ;  and  this  may  be  a  monitor  to  us 
under  bodily  diseases  and  infirmities. 
Should  we  complain  of  a  fit  of  sick- 
ness, when  the  Lord  of  life  pined  away 
into  w^eakness,  and  languished  in  mis- 
ery ?  What  matters  it,  how  languid, 
weak,  and  neglected  our  body  be^  if 
our  soul  and  spiritual  life  be  but  vig- 
orous and  sound?  The  soul  ouixht  to 
"  eat  that  which  is  good,  and  delight 
itself  in  spiritual  fatness"  (Isa.  55:2), 
that  so  it  may  grow  "  strong  in  the 


216 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  I[, 


Lord,  and  in  the  power  of  his  might." 
Ephes.  6  :  10. 

6.  Tliirdl}',  the  Lord  complains  of 
the  great  contempt  lie  underwent  in 
this  world,  in  order  to  stop  us  in  our 
pursuit  after  vain  honor,  pride,  and 
self-esteem.  "I  became,"  sa^'s  he,  '-a 
reproach  unto  them :  when  they  looked 
upon  nie  they  shaked  their  heads." 
What  indignity  is  there  like  unto  this! 
But  the  Anointed  of  tiie  Lord  en- 
dured it  all  for  no  other  end,  than  to 
rescue  mankind  from  eternal  scorn  and 
infamy;  for  man  having  become  a 
scorner  and  hater  of  God,  Christ  was 
designed  to  make  atonement  for  so 
heinous  a  sin,  by  the  extreme  con- 
tempt which  he  willingly  endured. 
However,  as  the  Lord  by  his  humble 
submission  to  the  contempt  of  the 
world,  has  laid  a  mighty  obligation  on 
all  Christians  to  be  his  followers  there- 
in; so  the  considerations  here  annexed, 
may  be  of  use  for  supporting  a  man 
under  sufferings  of  that  nature. 

7.  First  consider,  that  in  bearing  the 
contempt  of  the  world,  thou  bearest 
no  less  than  the  very  image  of  Christ, 
and  foUowest  him  who  is  thy  Head 
and  Master.  Eom.  8  :  17. 

8.  (2)  To  be  contemned  and  disre- 
spectfully used  by  the  world,  is  of 
great  efficacy  for  improving  thyself  in 
true  humility;  a  virtue  Avhich  finds 
favor  with  God.  "  For  God  resisteth 
the  proud,  but  giveth  grace  to  the 
humble."  1  Peter  5  :  5. 

9.  (3)  Thy  suffering  of  reproaches 
for  the  sake  of  truth,  is  an  evidence 
that  thou  art  ranked  with  that  cloud 
of  witnesses,  who  in  all  ages  have 
been  made  as  the  filth  of  the  world, 
and  the  offscouring  of  all  things/'  and 
so  continue  to  be  esteemed  ^'  unto  this 
day."  1  Cor.  4  :  13. 

10.  (4)  llemember  that  those  that 
are  come  out  "  of  great  tribulation, 


shall  be  before  the  throne  of  God  "at 
last  (Rev.  7  :  14),  and  be  tliere  "con- 
fessed before  the  angels  of  God."  Luke 
12:8;  1  Cor.  4  :  5. 

11.  (5)  Of  what  consequence  is  it 
how  contemptuously  the  world  uses 
thee,  since  thou  art  not  to  rise  in  the 
last  day  (as  many  shall),  "to  shame 
and  everlasting  contempt"  (Dan.  12: 
2),  (the  Lord  having  redeemed  thoo 
from  that),  but  to  honor  and  glory ! 

12.  (6)  Remember  that  God  does 
not  withhold  his  grace  from  thee  in 
this  world.  When  the  world  frowns. 
God  favors.  When  men  withdraw 
their  kindness,  then  God  confers  his 
mercy.  For  this  purpose  the  Psalmist 
prays  :  "  Help  me,  O  Lord  my  God  : 
O  save  me  according  to  thy  mercy; 
that  they  may  know  that  this  is  thy 
hand,  and  that  thou.  Lord,  hast  done 
it."  Ps.  109:  26,  27.  That  is  to  say: 
As  the  Lord  removed  at  hist  his  Son 
from  the  cross,  from  all  the  labors  of 
his  soul,  from  all  the  insults^of  his  en- 
emies, and  crowned  him  with  glory  in 
heaven;  so  will  he  deal  with  thee  also, 
if  thou  continuest  faithful  in  bearing 
the  cross,  and  all  the  injuries  of  a  pro- 
fane world.  All  shall  see  and  shall 
know,  that  it  is  the  Lord's  hand  that 
hath  done  it. 

13.  (7)  It  was  God  himself  who  suf- 
fered his  beloved  Son  to  be  thus  con- 
temned, reproached,  and  reviled,  ac- 
cording to  the  words  of  the  Psalm: 
"  Because  for  thy  sake  I  have  borne 
reproach ;  shame  hath  covered  my 
face."  Ps.  69  :  7.  Remember,  there- 
fore, that  the  same  God,  who  gave  a 
bitter  cup  to  his  dear  Son,  hath  also 
allotted  thee  thy  trials,  to  humble 
thee,  and  to  know  what  is  in  thy 
heart. 

14.  (8)  Be  sure  that  the  Lord  will 
change  all  the  undeserved  reproaches 
thrown  upon  thee,  into  so  many  bless- 


Chap.  XY.] 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


217 


ings,  and  in  bis  own  time  pour  shame 
and  confusion  upon  the  scoffers.  This 
is  expressed  in  the  following  verse: 
"  Let  them  curse,  but  bless  thou : 
when  they  arise,  let  them  be  ashamed; 
but  let  th}'  servant  rejoice."  Ps.  109  : 
28.  Na\',  if  the  wicked  curse  ever  so 
much,  yet  "shall  the  curse  causeless 
never  come  "  (Prov.  26  :  2"*,  as  plainly 
appears  from  Balaam's  attempt,  who 
could  not  "curse,  whom  God  had  not 
cursed."  Numb.  23:8.  Whereas,  who- 
soever feareth  the  Lord,  it  shall  go 
well  with  him  at  the  last,  and  he  shall 
find  favor  in  the  day  of  his  death. 
The  same  blessing  is  bestowed  on 
Abraham,  and  on  all  those  that  walk 
in  the  steps  of  his  faith:  "  I  will  bless 
them  that  bless  thee,  and  curse  him 
that  curseth  thee."  Gen.  12  :  3.  And 
in  another  place  we  have  this  en- 
couragement: "Fear  ye  not  the  re- 
proach of  men,  neither  be  ye  afraid 
of  their  revilin<2:s."  Isa.  51:7.  And 
our  Redeemer  himself  hath  declared  : 
Blessed  are  ye,  when  men  shall  re- 
vile you."  Matt.  5  :  11.  And  his  apos- 
tle 8a3^s:  "If  ye  be  reproached  for  the 
name  of  Christ,  happy  are  ye ;  for  the 
spirit  of  glory  and  of  God  resteth 
upon  you."  1  Pet.  4  :  14. 

15.  (9)  The  Lord  goes  on  in  the 
aforesaid  Psalm :  "  I  will  greatly  praise 
the  Lord  with  my  mouth;  yea,  I  wnll 
praise  him  among  the  multitude."  Ps. 
109:30.  Christ  now  returns  thanks 
to  his  heavenly  Father  for  the  very 
crosses  and  reproaches  that  were  al- 
lotted him.  This  is  the  temper  of 
every  sincere  Christian.  He  is  thank- 
ful in  the  midst  of  afflictions  and  re- 
proaches, particularly  when  he  looks 
on  the  hand  of  that  kind  Father  who 
entails  all  this  upon  him,  but  who  also 
delivers  him.  And  truly,  the  Lord 
never  inflicts  a  judgment  on  any  soul, 
but  he  affords  at  the  same  time  suffi- 


cient reason  for  thankin^j  and  blessing 
him  for  that  affliction.  Thus  i.s  grati- 
tude the  happy  product  of  crosses  and 
trials.  And  this  consideration  is  fit  to 
sweeten  the  duty  of  resignation  to  the 
will  of  God.  He  that  for  the  love  of 
Christ  readily  submits  to  the  contempt 
of  a  vain  world,  shall  be  honored  by 
God  again,  both  in  this  world  and  in 
the  world  to  come.  There  is  a  time, 
wherein  the  Lord  "  raiseth  up  tlie 
poor  out  of  the  dust,  and  lifteth  the 
needy  out  of  the  dunghill;  that  he 
may  set  him  with  princes,  even  with 
the  princes  of  his  people."  Ps.  113  :  7. 
Surely,  it  argues  an  excellent  spirit, 
when  a  man  for  Christ's  sake  bears 
the  insults  of  the  wicked,  and  main- 
tains an  unshaken  calmness  of  mind, 
in  the  midst  of  all  the  calumnies  of 
the  world.  This  is  "the  ornament  of 
a  meek  and  quiet  spirit,  which  in  the 
sight  of  God  is  of  great  price."  1  Pet. 
3  :4. 

16.  (10)  The  Psalm  concludes,  "For 
he  shall  stand  at  the  right  hand  of  the 
poor,  to  save  him  from  those  that  con- 
demn his  soul."  Ps.  109  :  31.  Here  is 
comfort  sufficient  to  make  a  Christian 
bear  up  against  the  hardships  and  re- 
proaches he  is  exposed  to  in  his  war- 
fare. It  is  never  said  that  the  Lord 
will  stand  at  the  right  hand  of  the 
violent  and  great  ones,  of  the  oppres- 
sors and  persecutors ;  but  he  will 
stand  at  the  right  hand  of  the  poor, 
who  being  destitute  of  the  arm  or  sup- 
port of  men,  flee  to  the  Lord  alone  for 
help  and  refuge,  as  to  the  sole  object 
of  their  faith  and  trust.  Those  are 
"remembered,  when  he  maketh  in- 
quisition for  blood"  (Ps.  9:12);  and 
those  are  the  afflicted,  or  the  humble, 
"  whose  cry  the  Lord  doth  not  forget." 
TertuUian  tells  us,  "We  are  then  ab- 
solved by  God,  when  the  world  con- 
demns us."    For  though  "the  wicked 


218 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  II. 


watcheth  the  righteous,  and  seeketh 
to  slay  him;  yet  will  the  Lord  not 
leave  him  in  his  hand,  nor  condemn 
him  when  he  is  judged."  Ps.  87  :  32,  33. 
Thus  will  the  Lord  attend  thee,  O 
man!  with  a  wonderful  deliverance, 
and  afford  thee  reason  enough  to  extol 
his  name  among  many,  for  his  marvel- 
lous kindness.  David  himself  "had 
fainted,  unless  he  had  believed  to  see 
the  goodness  of  the  Lord  in  the  land 


of  the  living.  Wait,  therefore,  on  the 
Lord;  be  of  good  courage,  and  he 
shall  strengthen  thine  heart:  wait,  I 
say,  on  the  Ijord."   Ps.  27  :  18,  14. 

Therefore  judge  nothing  before  the 
time,  until  the  Lord  come,  who  both 
will  bring  to  light  the  hidden  things 
of  darkness,  and  will  make  manifest 
the  counsels  of  the  heart :  and  then 
shall  every  man  have  praise  of  God.'^ 
1  Cor.  4  :  5. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

SHOWING  HOW  CHRISTIANS  ARE  TO  SEEK  AND  OBTAIN  FAVOR  AND  GLORY 
THROUGH  CHRIST,  IN  HEAVEN. 

Hold  not  thy  peace,  O  God  of  my  praise^  etc. — Ps.  109  :  1,  etc 


THIS  is  a  prayer  of  the  eternal  Son 
of  God.  The  purport  or  substance 
of  this  prayer,  may  be  more  fully  ex- 
pressed in  this  manner: 

"  My  Heavenly  Father  !  thou  know- 
est  that  in  this  world  I  have  not 
sought  my  own  glory,  but  the  glory 
of  thy  hol}^  name,  and  the  salvation 
of  all  men  :  and  therefore  am  I  so  bit- 
terly persecuted,  blas2:)hemed,  con- 
temned, and  vilified.  Nevertheless, 
this  is  my  comfort,  that  thou  art  my 
Father,  and  that  I  am  thy  only  begot- 
ten Son :  lo !  this  is  my  glory,  in 
heaven  with  thee.  And  this  my  glory 
wilt  thou  in  due  time  manifest  and 
bring  to  light;  that  by  thy  glorifying 
of  me,  the  world  may  see  who  it  is 
whom  thc}^  have  blasphemed  and  per- 
secuted." John  12 :  28. 

2.  Hence  we  are  to  learn,  that  such 
have  the  greatest  glory  and  praise  in 
heaven,  who  in  this  world  are  the 
most  persecuted  for  righteousness' 
sake,   This  we  may  gather  from  the 


example  of  our  Lord  himself  From 
him,  the  true  Book  of  Life,  we  may 
learn  true  wisdom.  But  that  we  may 
the  better  understand  that  his  exam- 
ple and  holy  life  are  our  Book  of  Life, 
let  us  carefully  observe  the  follow- 
ing considerations:  (1)  Christ  never 
sought  upon  earth  his  own  glory  in 
anything,  but  accounted  it  sufficient 
for  him,  that  God  alone  was  his  glory. 
So  let  us,  in  like  manner,  reject  the 
empty  glory  and  praises  of  this  world, 
in  whatever  we  do;  endeavoring  only 
that  God  be  glorified  in  us,  saying, 
"  Ah,  Lord  God  !  give  us  also  such  a 
heart,  even  the  heart  of  Christ  thy 
Son,  that  we  may  have  our  glory  in 
Thee  alone,  and  not  in  ourselves ;  that 
we  may  have  our  glory  in  heaven,  and 
not  upon  earth." 

3.  (2)  It  w^as  the  highest  glory  of 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  that  he  was  the 
only  begotten  Son  of  God.  And  for 
this  reason  did  the  world  persecute, 
vilify,  and  blaspheme  him.    Here  lot 


Chap.  XYL] 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


219 


our  prayer  be  like  this :  Grant  us 
also,  Holy  Father,  that  we  may  count 
it  our  greatest  glory  and  joy,  that  we 
are  thy  children  ;  that  so  we  may  also 
obtain  the  eternal  enjoyment  of  thy 
love  and  promise,  and  may,  by  virtue 
of  our  adoption,  come  to  possess  in 
thee  an  everlasting  inheritance.  Re- 
mind us,  also,  that  if  the  world  hate, 
envy,  reproach,  and  persecute  us,  it 
has  done  the  same  to  thy  dear  and 
holy  child  Jesus." 

4.  (3)  It  is  the  glory  of  the  Lord 
Jesus,  that  he  wrought  so  many  di- 
vine works,  that  he  went  about  con- 
tinually doing  the  most  wondrous  acts 
of  grace  and  beneficence  to  mankind: 
and  that  ho  did  this  from  pure  love 
only,  and  from  the  highest  compassion 
for  the  miseries  of  fallen  nature ;  al- 
though he  received  nothing  but  hatred 
and  most  heinous  ingratitude  in  re- 

j  turn.    "  Grant  us,  blessed  God,  grate- 
i  ful  and  faithful  hearts,  so  that  we  may 
j  be  always  ready  to  do  good  to  as  many 
I  as  we  possibly  can ;  and  that  we  may 
never  be  deterred  from  acts  of  charity, 
by  the  unthankful ness  of  the  world, 
ascribing  not  to  ourselves,  but  to  thy 
,  name  only,  the  glory  of  all  that  we 
i  do." 

5.  (4)  It  is  the  highest  glory  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  that  out  of 
pure  love,  he  laid  down  his  life  for 
us;  that  he  purchased  us  with  his  own 
blood;  that  he  was  obedient  to  the 

I  Father,  even  unto  death ;  that  with 
the  greatest  meekness  he  endured  the 
}  vilest  reproach  ;  and  with  the  utmost 
•  patience,  bore  the  pains  of  the  cross. 
"0  God,  our  glory,  help  us,  that  we 
may  also  overcome  our  enemy  with 
■  love;  that  we  may  subdue  our  flesh 
j  with  godly  obedience ;  bear  the  re- 
I  proach  of  the  world  with  the  meek- 
i  ness  and  long  suffering  of  Christ;  ob- 
i  tain  the  victory  through  patience; 
l| 


and  being  thus  made  strong  in  the 
Lord,  be  more  than  conquerors 
through  him  that  loved  us  V 

6.  (5)  The  highest  glory  of  the 
blessed  Jesus,  is  his  exaltation  to  the 
right  hand  of  God,  and  the  name  given 
him,  which  is  "  above  every  name ; 
that,  at  the  name  of  Jesus,  every  knee, 
both  in  heaven  and  in  earth,  should 
bow,  and  all  tongues  confess  him  to  be 
their  Lord."  Phil.  2  :  9-11.  "Help,  O 
gracious  God!  tliat  we  may  esteem  it 
our  highest  glory  to  be  made  conform- 
able to  our  ever-blessed  Head  and  Sa- 
viour; that  so  when  he  shall  hereafter 
appear  in  power  and  majesty,  we  also 
may  appear  with  him  in*  glory,  after 
we  have  here  endured  the  contempt 
of  the  world,  and  continued  faithful  to 
the  end,  when  every  man  shall  have 
praise  of  God."  1  Cor.  4:5;  2  Cor.* 
4:17. 

7.  (G)  The  glory  of  Christ  the 
Lord  is,  that  he  is  the  only  Head  of 
his  Church  in  general,  and  of  every 
member  thereof  in  particular;  a  glo- 
rious King  of  his  people;  and  an  ever- 
lasting High  priest,  making  interces- 
sion for  us.  "  Help  us  with  thy  grace, 
O  God  most  gracious,  that  we  may  ever- 
more account  it  our  greatest  glory, 
that  we  are  members  of  thy  Son,  and 
subjects  of  his  kingdom,  and  that  we 
may  enjoy  all  the  privileges  and  bene- 
fits purchased  by  his  high-priestly  in- 
tercession, sacrifice,  and  benediction/* 

8.  (7)  Another  branch  of  the  glory 
of  Christ  is,  that  God  has  most  won- 
derfully displayed  and  magnified  his 
name  throughout  the  whole  world  : 
and  has  (in  opposition  to  all  his  ene- 
mies, blasphemers,  and  persecutors, 
who  would  not  own  him  to  be  the  Son 
of  God),  in  the  most  public  and  solemn 
manner  attested  his  cause,  declared 
him  to  be  his  Son  by  mighty  signs 
and  wonders,  and  established  faith  in 


220 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Bock  II. 


his  name  amongst  many  nations  and 
languages.  Notwithstanding  that  God 
held  his  peace  for  a  while,  and  vailed 
the  glory  of  his  Son  under  the  m3'S- 
tery  of  the  cross;  yet  did  it  break 
forth  the  more  gloriously  like  the  sun. 
For,  "out  of  Zion,  the  perfection  of 
beauty,  God  hath  shined.  Oar  God 
shall  come,  and  shall  not  keep  silence." 
For  though  God,  who  is  our  glory, 
may  seem  now  and  then  to  be  silent, 
and  to  hold  his  peace  when  we  are  in- 
sulted and  perj^ecutcd ;  yet  is  there 
nothing  more  certain,  than  that  after 
the  short  hour  of  probation,  he  will  no 
longer  keep  silence,  but  with  a  high 
hand  deliver  us  from  the  reproach 
which  we  suffered,  and  "remove  his 


stroke  away  from  us,"  that  we  may 
rejoice  in  his  salvation.  Ps.  39:10. 
However,  "it  doth  not  yet  appear 
what  we  shall  then  be."  1  John  3  :  2. 

9.  The  conclusion  of  the  whole  i 
this:  It  is  God  alone  who  is  to  bo  our 
glory;  it  is  not  the  world,  nor  wealth, 
nor  honor,  nor  greatness,  nor  the  arm 
of  flesh,  that  I  may  call  ray  glory; 
but  God,  and  only  God,  is  my  glory! 
Wherefore,  "  let  not  the  wise  mar. 
glory  in  his  wisdom  "  (as  it  is  written), 
"  neither  let  the  mighty  man  glory  in 
his  might,  nor  let  the  rich  man  glory 
in  his  riches  :  but  let  him  that  glo- 
rieth,  glory  in  this,  that  he  under- 
standeth  and  knoweth  me,  that  1  am 
the  Lord."  Jer.  9  :  23,  24;  1  Cor.  1 : 31. 


CHAPTER  XYII. 

SHOWING  HOW  WE  MAY  THROUGH  CHRIST,  AND  AFTER  THE   EXAMPLE  OF  ALL 
THE  SAINTS,  OVERCOME  THE  CALUMNIES  OF  MEN. 

Mine  enemies  reproach  me  all  ihe  day,  and  Viey  that  are  7nad  against  me  are  sworn  against 

me.— Ps.  102  :  8. 


AMONG  the  many  crosses  and 
troubles  of  a  Christian,  a  false 
and  slanderous  tonguo  is  none  of  the 
least,  as  we  may  evidently  see,  from 
the  example  of  Christ  himself,  whom 
the  Pharisees,  with  their  envenomed 
tongues,  both  in  his  life  and  at  his 
death,  did  most  maliciously  sting. 

2.  Herein  the  Lord  left  a  pattern 
of  patience  to  every  Christian,  who 
must  not  think  to  escape,  since  the 
great  Master  himself  was  wounded  by 
malicious  tongues.  The  more  con- 
formable any  one  is  to  Christ,  and 
the  more  zealously  he  follows  Christ's 
steps,  the  more  is  he  also  insulted 
by  false  and  deceitful  tongues.  This 


plainly  appears  from  the  example  of 
holy  David,  who  was  tormented  by 
slanderers,  as  he  himself  complains  in 
the  following  Psalms :  3,  4,  10,  12,  15, 
31,  50,  52,  55,  58,  64,  69,  102,  120,  and 
140.  Indeed,  there  is  no  one  of  tlie 
prophets  of  old  who  did  not  have 
these  deadly  arrows  shot  against  him 
by  murderous  tongues  ;  for  "  their 
tongue  is  an  arrow  shot  out :  he 
speaks  peaceably  to  his  neighbor  with 
his  mouth,  but  in  heart  he  layeth  his 
wait."  Jer.  9  :  8.  All  honest  hearts 
ought,  therefore,  to  beware  of  back- 
biters. As  he  that  toucheth  a  man 
infected  with  leprosy,  or  any  in- 
fectious distemper,  must  expect  to  be 


Chap.  XYII.] 


TEUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


221 


so  infected;  so  he  that  gives  ear  to 
lying  tongues,  too  dften  catches  the 
same  distemper. 

3.  Now,  since  a  Christian  is  forbid- 
den to  retort  evil  for  evil  (Eom.  12  : 
17;  Matt.  5  : 39),  (this  agreeing  in  no 
wise  with  the  Christian  faith);  there 
is  no  other  conn.sel  left,  but  that  by  a 
conscience  void  of  offence,  he  derives 
his  comfort  from  those  divine  oracles 
with  which  the  Lord  has  furnished 
him  for  that  purpose. 

4.  (1)  Let  thy  first  comfort  be  the 
example  of  Christ  and  of  all  the 
saints.  It  fares  no  worse  with  us  in 
this  respect,  than  with  Christ  our 
Ilead,  and  with  all  that  have  ever 
been  most  dear  to  him.  Nothing  of 
this  kind  has  befallen  us,  which  has 
not  been  before  in  all  ages  undergone 
by  his  followers.  And  since  the  ex- 
amples of  others  have  generally  a 
strong  influence  on  our  lives,  and 
readily  suggest  themselves  to  our  re- 
membrance in  time  of  trouble;  we 
ought,  therefore,  to  improve  all  those 
instances  into  an  encouragement  to 
bear  our  treatment  with  patience,  for 
the  sake  of  the  joy  that  usually 
springs  up  from  the  reproach  of  the 
cross.  Look  then  upon  the  Prince  of 
thy  salvation,  look  upon  the  lives  of 
all  the  saints  of  old,  those  who  have 
been  the  greatest  lights  in  their  gen- 
eration, (yonsider  the  example  of 
Moses,  who  esteemed  the  reproach  of 
Christ  greater  riches  than  the  treas- 
ures in  Egypt  (Heb.  11:23),  and  who, 
by  reason  of  the  continual  contradic- 
tions, he  underwent,  is  said  to  have 
been  a  man  meek,  or  afflicted,  above 

,  all  the  men  which  were  upon  the  face 
of  the  earth.  Numb.  12:  3.  And  what 
shall  we  say  of  David  ?  He  was 
I  truly,  in  his  time,  the  very  mark,  as  it 
I  were,  at  which  all  the  false  tongues 
;  in  the  land  shot  their  murderous  ar- 


rows. "Mine  enemies,"  said  he,  "  re- 
vile mo  all  the  day  long :  and  they 
that  are  mad  against  me,  arc  sworn 
together  against  me."  Ps.  102  :  8. 
They  affronted  him  daily  with  the 
reproach  of  his  misery,  turning  him, 
as  it  were,  into  a  proverb,  and  offer- 
ing him  the  most  heinous  indignity 
that  can  be  offered  to  a  man.  What 
shall  we  say  of  Job?  IIow  was  he 
upbraided  by  his  friends,  and  grieved 
with  their  tongues!  And  how  fell 
Daniel,  that  holy  prophet,  into  an 
open  sepulchre,  yea,  into  a  den  of 
lions!  Yet  how  powerfully  did  the 
Lord  rescue  Moses,  Job,  and  Daniel ! 
All  these  are  gone  before  thee,  and 
their  examples,  if  duly  considered, 
will  excite  in  thee  a  spirit  of  holy 
emulation,  and  draw  thee  into  the 
same  way  of  the  cross  by  which  they 
entered  into  the  kingdom  of  God. 
Acts  14  :  22.  Behold,  thy  Lord  Jesus 
goeth  before  thee,  pursued  with  the 
curses  and  revilino^s  of  the  Pharisees! 
There  goeth  Moses  before,  and  the 
faction  of  Korah,  Dathan,  and  Abi- 
ram,  following  behind,  with  execra- 
tions in  their  mouths,  and  stones  in 
their  hands,  to  rid  themselves  of  him! 
Numb.  16.  There  is  David  in  sore 
trials,  and  Shimei  behind,  cursing  his 
kino;!  2  Sam.  16:5.  And  there  are 
the  apostles  of  our  Lord,  and  an  un- 
believing multitude  behind,  stopping 
their  ears,  and  running  madly  upon 
them. 

5.  (2)  It  is  not  enough,  however, 
slightly  and  superficially  to  reflect  on 
the  example  of  the  saints;  but  we 
must  learn  also  to  be  fGlloicers  of 
them,  when  we  are  tried  as  they 
were,  and  in  every  tribulation  copy 
after  their  meekness  and  patience. 
How  shall  meekness  appear,  or  how 
shall  patience  be  exercised,  if  thou  be 
not  contradicted;  or  if  there  be  none 


222 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  II 


to  deride,  slander,  or  vilify  thee  ? 
Thou  must,  therefore,  patiently  take 
up  thy  cross  with  them,  and  meekly 
follow  the  Lord  Christ  in  his  steps. 
Thou  art  called  to  svffer  with  thy 
Saviour,  and  not  to  avenge  thyself, 
not  to  return  evil  for  evil,  not  to  re- 
vile again  beiug  reviled,  not  to  threat- 
en being  slandered,  but  quietly  to 
commit  thy  cause  "  to  him  that  judg- 
eth  righteously/'  1  Pet.  2:23.  Evil 
tongues  must  give  an  account  in  the 
day  of  judgment  of  every  idle  word 
which  they  have  spoken.  Matt.  12  : 
36.  And  this  will  at  the  last  day 
prove  a  burden  heavy  enough.  Leave 
all,  therefore,  to  the  Lord,  to  do  as  he 
pleaseth,  who  will  not  fail  to  do  right. 
Recompense  and  vengeance  belong  to 
him  alone.  Deut.  32 :  35.  Fix  thine 
eye  on  the  Lord  Jesus:  "He  was  op- 
jDressed,  and  he  was  afflicted,  yet  he 
opened  not  his  mouth :  he  was  brought 
as  a  lamb  to  the  slaughter ;  and  as 
a  sheep  before  his  shearers  is  dumb, 
so  opened  he  not  his  mouth."  Isa. 
53:7. 

6.  (3)  From  the  examples  of  the 
saints,  we  are,  in  the  next  place,  to 
learn  a  sovereign  remedy,  which  they 
made  use  of  against  the  venom  of 
evil  tongues.  Tiiis  is  prayer.  They 
prayed,  and  so  they  were  healed  and 
comforted.  When  they  were  bitterly 
cursed  by  their  adversaries,  they  sent 
up  only  their  cry  to  God,  saying: 
"  Let  them  curse ;  but  bless  thou." 
Ps.  109  :  28  )  Luke  6  :  28.  Consider 
the  whole  Book  of  Psalms  through- 
out. How  did  David  defend  himself 
with  prayer,  as  with  a  wall  of  iron, 
against  false  tongues !  They  are  all 
foolish  marksmen,  who  bend  their  bow 
against  the  innocent;  and  draw  the 
sword  to  slay  such  as  are  of  a  right 
conversation  :  for  their  lies  and  slan- 
ders shall  return  at  last  upon  their 


own  heads,  and  shall  enter  into  their 
own  bowels;  as  it  is  written  :  "Their 
sword  shall  enter  into  their  own  heart, 
and  their  bows  shall  be  broken."  Ps, 
37  : 15.  All  this  can  be  obtained  by 
prayer.  "Whenever  any  one  prays 
earnestly  against  an  evil  speaker  or  a 
liar,  it  is  as  if  he  wrestled  and  fought 
with  him;  even  as  David  wrestled 
vrith  Goliah  (1  Sam.  17  :48,  49),  or  as 
Moses  contended  with  the  Egyjjtiau 
sorcerers.  Ex.  7  : 12.  Here  two  spirits 
fight  with  each  other;  that  is,  the 
])rayer  of  faith  proceeding  from  the 
Holy  Spirit,  the  Spirit  of  Truth ;  and 
the  spirit  of  lies  proceeding  from  the 
devil,  the  father  of  lies.  But  all  these 
devilish  serpents  of  the  Egyptians 
shall  eventually  be  subdued,  and,  as  it 
were,  swallowed  up  by  the  divine  rod 
of  Moses;  that  is,  by  prayer. 

7.  (4)  Another  remedy  against  the 
poison  of  a  wicked  tongue,  is  the  fre- 
quent reading  and  meditating  upon  the 
Word  of  God.  This  is  an  excellent 
means  of  consolation  and  refresh- 
ment, whenever  a  soul  is  insulted  and 
pursued  by  enemies.  An  upright  heart 
hunted  by  men  of  falsehood  and  mal- 
ice, is  like  a  hart,  whose  thirst  in- 
creases by  being  hunted;  and  as  this 
pants  after  the  water  brooks  (Ps.  42 : 
1),  so  must  a  soul  in  affliction  long 
after  the  cooling  streams  of  the  di- 
vine Word,  and  thirst  for  the  living 
waters  of  grace,  thereby  to  be  quick- 
ened and  refreshed.  For  by  this  word 
of  grace  the  Lord  revives  a  drooping 
soul,  speaking  to  her  in  a  kind  and 
gracious  manner.  "Blessed  are  ye,' 
says  our  Master,  "  when  men  shall  re- 
vile you,  and  persecute  you,  and  shall 
say  all  manner  of  evil  against  you 
falsely.  Eejoice  and  be  exceeding 
glad ;  for  great  is  your  reward  in 
heaven  ;  for  so  persecuted  they  the 
prophets  which  were  before  you." 


Chap.  XYII.] 


TEUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


223 


Matt.  5  : 11,  12.  In  this  saying  of  our 
Lord,  there  is  a  threefold  ground  of 
comfort.  1.  Blessed  are  ye.  2.  Ec- 
joice.  3.  Great  is  your  reward.  Who 
would  not  be  willing,  for  the  sake  of 
BO  great  and  endless  a  good,  to  endure 
here  reproach  and  persecution  for  a 
short  period  ?  Yea,  who  would  not 
even  rejoice,  since  he  is  made  by  this 
means  a  partaker  of  Christ's  suffer- 
ings, in  order,  "  that  when  the  glory 
of  Christ  shall  be  revealed,"  he  may 
also  partake  with  his  Lord  in  that 
joy?  "If  ye  be  reproached  for  the 
name  of  Christ,  happy  are  ye,  for  the 
Spirit  of  glory  and  of  God  resteth 
upon  you."  1  Pet.  4  : 13,  14.  Eemem- 
ber  also,  that  "  it  is  good  for  a  man 
that  he  bear  the  yoke  in  his  youth 
that  he  "  sit  alone  and  keep  silence," 
when  he  hath  anything  laid  upon  him 
to  bear;  yea,  that  he  "put  his  mouth 
in  the  dust,"  and  wait  in  hope;  and 
that  he  "give  his  cheek  to  him  that 
smiteth  him,"  when  he  is  "filled  full 
with  reproach.  For  the  Lord  will  not 
cast  otf  for  ever."    Lam.  3  :  27-31. 

8.  (5)  Thou  art  further  to  learn,  that 
such  calumny  is  a  hellish  storm,  which 
soon  rises,  and  soon  blows  over.  As  a 
traveller  is  not  disheartened  at  any 
tempestuous  weather  lie  is  liable  to 

I  meet  with  upon  the  road,  but  provides 
himself  the  more  against  it :  so  let  the 
spiritual  pilgrim  never  be  cast  down 

I  by  storms  and  tempests ;  but  let  him 
go  on  in  hope,  and  continue  faithful 
to  the  end  of  his  journey.  This  has 
been  uniformly  the  state  of  the  true 
church.  "  0  thou  afflicted,"  says  the 
prophet,  "tossed  with  tempest,  and 
not  comforted  !"  Isaiah  54  :  11.  Is  it 
a  "strange"  thing  that  has  happened 
unto  thee  ?  1  Pet.  4  :  12.  What  is 
more  common  to  a  traveller,  than  to 
be  overtaken  by  foul  and  stormy 
weather?    A  persevering  diligence 


will,  notwithstanding, bring  him  home 
at  last.  The  world  makes  every  one 
a  gazing-stock,  that  looks  with  con- 
cern upon  the  vain  follies  of  men,  and 
drops  a  serious  word  in  favor  of  virtue. 
What  is  to-day  the  fate  of  one  good 
Christian,  may  to-morrow  be  the  fate 
of  another,  according  as  the  humor  of 
the  world  works,  which  allows  no  one 
to  pass  un censured  that  is  not  in  league 
with  it.  The  best  method  a  Christian 
can  adopt  in  all  these  storms,  is  to  be 
quiet  under  them,  and  to  keep  his 
mind  free  from  anger  and  bitterness. 
He  that  considers  every  hard  word  to 
be  a  stain  on  his  character,  which 
ought  to  be  wiped  otf,  will  by  so  doing 
only  render  things  worse.  Hence  it 
remains,  that  the  most  effectual  way 
to  stop  the  fury  of  slanderous  tongues, 
is  to  yield  to  it  for  the  present,  and 
patiently  wait  till  time  itself  shall  set 
things  in  a  better  light.  He  that  will 
dispute  every  thing  at  the  sword's 
point,  as  it  were,  is  like  a  man  that  is 
stung  by  a  bee,  and  being  thereby  j^ut 
in  a  passion,  runs  headlong  upon  the 
whole  hive  in  order  to  be  revenged, 
by  turning  it  upside  down.  Had  he 
not  better  have  borne  it,  than  feel  the 
smart  which  must  attend  an  attempt 
so  rash  ?  The  fire  of  malicious  tongues 
burns  the  more  fiercely  when  we 
seek  to  quench  it  by  too  hasty  efforts. 
An  evil  tongue  is  like  that  serpent 
called  the  Hydra,  which,  as  some  tell 
us,  brought  forth  seven  other  heads 
w^hen,  in  order  to  destroy  it,  you  cut 
off  one.  Thus  a  wicked  tongue  is  so 
far  from  being  restrained  by  contra- 
diction, that  it  spreads  the  farther  by 
it,  and  broaches  seven  lies  instead  of 
one.  Whereas  he  that  is  deaf  to  popu- 
lar rumors,  and  is  not  easily  alarmed 
at  every  little  noise,  will  not  only  bet- 
ter repel  the  darts  of  wicked  tongues, 
but  enjoy  also  an  unshaken  tranquillity 


224 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  II. 


both  of  soul  and  bod}^  This  is  a  truly 
noble  method  to  overcome  the  worst 
of  our  enemies.  He  that  rejects  this 
heroic  meekness  of  soul,  sets  himself 
entirely  out  of  God's  protection,  and 
whilst  he  eagerly  endeavors  to  save 
his  name  and  reputation,  must  be  the 
more  harassed  by  the  perpetual  alarms 
of  malignant  tongues. 

9.  (G)  Besides  this,  there  are  some 
other  particular  reasons,  why  the  Lord 
permits  his  children  to  be  persecuted 
by  virulent  tongues.  When  David  in 
his  sore  troubles  was  cursed  by  Shimei, 
he  said  no  more  than,  "  Let  him  curse ; 
for  the  Lord  hath  bidden  him."  2  Sam. 
16:11.  And  what  other  reason  can  be 
assigned  for  this,  but  that  the  Lord 
hereby  seeks  to  preserve  his  children 
from  exalting  themselves  above  meas- 
ure, on  account  of  such  eminent  gifts 
as  have  been  conferred  upon  them;  and 
that  they  may  at  the  same  time  improve 
themselves  in  the  practice  of  mutual 
love,  mildness,  and  humility?  What 
is  said  by  David  of  Shimei,  namely, 
that  he  was  bidden  to  curse  his  king, 
is  expressed  by  Job  in  more  general 
terms :  "  He  poureth  contempt  upon 
princes."  Job  12  :  21.  Now,  who  is 
able  to  fathom  all  the  mysterious 
depths  of  divine  judgments  ?  The  car- 
nal mind  by  no  means  likes  to  be  re- 
viled, insulted,  or  undervalued.  Pride 
and  self-love  so  naturally  adhere  to  us, 
that  they  taint  all  our  works  and 
actions.  Every  one  loves  to  be  ex- 
tolled, and  to  be  made  much  of,  to  b^e 
esteemed  and  admired.  Alas  !  it  is  this 
natural  self-love,  wliicli  having  once 
led  man  astray,  now  propagates  noth- 
ing but  error  and  folly  in  the  world. 
It  was  this  self-love  that  ruined  both 
Lucifer  and  Adam,  and  stripped  them 
of  the  divine  love  and  life  with  which 
they  were  once  adorned.  In  order 
that  we  may  obtain  the  victory  over 


this  spirit  of  self-love,  and  with  a  view 
to  facilitate  this  conquest,  the  Lord 
thinks,  as  it  were,  with  himself:  "I 
will  permit  a  lying  tongue  to  assail 
thee,  as  I  formerly  permitted  Satan 
to  harass  my  servants  Job  and  Paul, 
for  their  greater  humiliation.  This 
slandering  tongue  shall  be  th}-  devil, 
thy  scourge,  thy  plague,  to  buffet  thee 
(2  Cor.  12  :  7),  and  help  to  beat  down 
that  proud  heart,  that  haughty  look, 
that  aspiring  temper,  which,  without 
this  curb,  would  at  last  carry  all  before 
it."  Thus  the  Lord  leaves  nothiDg 
untried  to  accustom  the  soul  to  that 
excellent  spirit  of  humility,  and  to  re- 
strain the  spirit  of  self-love,  by  which 
men  become  allies  to  Lucifer,  who,  en- 
deavoring to  have  a  will  of  his  own, 
opposite  to  that  of  his  Maker,  entirely 
lost  his  principality,  and  that  original 
state  in  which  he  was  at  first  created. 
Jude,  ver.  6. 

10.  (7)  Therefore  as  the  Lord  is 
faithful  on  his  side,  so  he  seeks  to  con- 
vert the  venom  of  impious  tongues 
thrown  upon  his  children,  into  a  pre- 
cious medicine,  by  which  to  heal  that 
self-love  which  is  fostered  within,  and 
which  engenders  abundance  of  other 
spiritual  diseases  in  the  mind.  When 
the  world  meditates  evil  against  them, 
then  God  brings  good  out  of  the  evil. 
As  out  of  a  certain  poisonous  serpent 
an  antidote  is  prepared  against  poison 
itself,  so  God  overrules  the  worst  of 
counsels,  and  makes  them  turn  to  the 
greatest  good  to  his  children.  Thus 
"  all  things  work  together  for  good 
to  them  that  love  God."  Rom.  8  : 28 
They  are  taught  thereby  to  practise 
one  of  the  noblest  of  the  works  of  char- 
ity,  which  is,  to  bless  their  enemies, 
and  to  pray  for  them  who  despitefuUy 
use  them."  Matt.  5  :  44.  He  that  has 
thus  far  gained  the  conquest  over  cor- 
rupt nature,  so  as  to  pray  heartily  for 


Chap.  XYII.] 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


225 


bis  enemies,  is  almost  arrived  at  the 
sublimest  degree  of  true  evangelical 
charity,  which  alone  is  able  to  soften 
our  stubborn  hearts  into  the  mild  and 
compassionate  heart  of  Christ,  who 
has  also  set  us  a  blessed  pattern  to 
follow:  "Father!"  said  he,  "forgive 
them;  for  they  know  not  what  they 
do."  Luke  23 :  34.  For  wherever  true 
love  is  rooted  in  a  soul,  it  will  most 
certainly  produce  a  tender  commiser- 
ation towards  enemies;  who,  as  the 
Christian  knows,  whilst  they  hate 
men,  render  themselves  entirely  unfit 
for  any  communion  with  God  and 
Christ,  and  give  up  their  hearts  to  the 
devil,  that  great  hater  of  souls.  And 
this  should  inflaence  every  Christian 
to  commiserate  such  evil  men,  who  are 
not  of  God,  but  of  their  father  the 
devil ;  and  lest  they  should  forever  sink 
into  the  jaws  of  Satan,  the  Lord  com- 
mands his  people  to  pray  for  them, 
with  this  motive  annexed  to  the  com- 
mand :  "That  ye  may  be  the  children 
of  your  Father  who  is  in  heaven." 
Matt.  5  :  45.  What  has  been  said  of 
the  overruling  power  of  God,  where- 
by he  converts  the  venom  of  lying 
tongues  into  a  healing  medicine,  will 
more  fully  appear  from  the  following 
instances.  Joseph  would  never  have 
been  exalted  to  the  dignity  of  ruler 
over  the  land  of  Egypt,  had  he  not 
fallen  under  the  malicious  lashes  of  a 
wanton  tongue,  and  thereby  been  con- 
demned to  prison.  Gen.  39  :  17  ;  41  : 
40.  Had  Moses  not  been  persecuted 
by  the  violent  accusations  of  his  ene- 
mies, and  obliged  to  flee  from  the  face 
of  Pharaoh  (Exod.  2  :  15),  he  had 
never  seen  the  Lord  in  the  bush,  after 
having  led  Jethro's  flock  to  Horeb. 
Exod.  3  :  2.  The  spiteful  tongue  of 
Doeg  the  Edomite,  and  of  other  ene- 
mies of  David  (1  Sam.  22  :  9 ;  Ps.  52), 
drew  many  a  noble  Psalm  from  the 


latter.  Thus  Doeg's  poisonous  tongue 
was  David's  medicine.  The  same 
overruling  wisdom  of  God  appeared 
for  Daniel,  when,  by  the  virulence  of 
his  accusers,  he  was  cast  into  the  den 
of  lions,  but  was  most  triumphantly 
exalted  again  by  divine  Providence, 
for  many  good  and  noble  ends;  his 
enemies  themselves  being  made  to  lay 
the  foundation  of  his  greatness.  Dan. 
6.  Mordecai  had  the  same  experience. 
His  ruin  was  devised  by  the  murder- 
ous tongue  of  Haman  (Esther  3:6); 
but  the  Lord  returned  his  wickedness 
upon  his  own  head,  and  his  bloody 
machinations  only  hastened  the  de- 
struction of  their  contriver.  Esther  7: 
10.  Therefore,  "commit  thy  way  un- 
to the  Lord:  trust  also  in  him,  and  he 
shall  bring  it  to  pass.  And  he  shall 
bring  forth  thy  righteousness  as  the 
light,  and  thy  judgment  as  the  noon- 
day." Ps.  37  :  5,  6.  Only  endeavor  to 
be  in  constant  union  with  the  Lord 
thy  God,  and  to  love  him  with  all  thy 
heart,  and  then  he  will  direct  thy 
steps.  For  "  when  a  man's  ways  please 
the  Lord,  he  maketh  even  his  enemies 
to  be  at  peace  with  him."  Prov.  16:7. 
If  the  world  be  permitted  to  stain  thy 
reputation  here,  and  to  detract  from 
thy  honor,  what  matters  it,  provided 
the  Lord  dignify  thee  with  a  crown 
of  glory  hereafter  ?  It  is  he  that  will 
deliver  and  honor  thee  at  last  (Ps.  91 : 
15);  and  it  is  he  that  will  give  thee 
both  grace  here,  and  glory  hereafter. 
Ps.  84:  11. 

11.  (8)  Another  comfort  in  trials 
of  this  nature,  may  be  drawn  from 
the  control  which  the  Lord  exercises 
over  the  hearts  of  all  men.  It  is  he 
that  "looks  upon  all  the  inhabitants 
of  the  earth,  from  the  place  of  his 
habitation."  He  "fashioncth  their 
hearts;  he  considereth  all  their 
works"  (Ps.  33:  14,  15);  and  he  "will 


15 


226 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  II. 


not  deliver  thee  unto  the  will  of  thine 
enemies."  Ps.  41 :  2.  A  man  is  often 
transported  with  rage  and  malice  to 
such  a  degree,  that  he  would  bear 
down  all  that  comes  in  liis  way;  but 
a  little  while  after,  3'ou  will  find  that 
the  man  is  altogether  cooled ;  his  heat 
is  allayed,  and  he  is  reduced  to  such  a 
moderation  of  temper,  as  if  he  were 
become  quite  another  man.  Nay,  how 
olten  do  we  see  that  a  bad  man,  de- 
signing nothing  but  spite  and  malice, 
is  stopped  in  the  midst  of  his  passion- 
ate pursuit,  and,  as  it  were,  obliged 
not  only  to  drop  his  wicked  design, 
but  also  to  bestow  tokens  of  favor 
upon  the  person  whom  he  was  about 
to  affront.  This  is  an  operation  pe- 
culiar to  the  wisdom  of  God,  who,  by 
his  secret  power,  often  renders  abor- 
tive the  most  malicious  projects  con- 
ceived against  his  children.  Thus  the 
Lord  came  to  Laban,  when  incensed 
against  Jacob,  and  commanded  him  to 
"  speak  not  to  him,  either  good  or  bad." 
Gen.  31  :  24.  And  Esau,  who  bore  his 
brother  no  good  will,  when  he  came 
within  sight  of  him,  must  needs  run 
and  meet  him,  embrace  him,  fall  on 
his  neck,  kiss  him,  and  receive  him 
with  the  most  endearing  expressions 
of  love  and  kindness.  Gen.  33  :  4. 

12.  (9)  Lastly,  it  is  the  nature  of  a 
malignant  tongue,  to  swell  high  sud- 
denly, and  by  rage  and  fury  to  gain 
universal  applause  and  admiration ; 
but  its  downfall  is  as  sudden  as  its 
rise.  Calumny  is  like  a  fire,  the  flame 
of  which  mounts  up  to  the  very  sky ; 
but  the  want  of  fuel  will  soon  make 
it  go  down  again.  The  reason  is,  be- 
cause God,  who  is  the  everlasting 
Truth,  hates  a  spirit  of  lies,  and  can- 
not endure  it.  And  this  is  also  the 
reason,  why  those  that  have  raised 
their  greatness  on  no  other  foundation 
than  lying  and  self-conceit,  may  in- 


deed dazzle  the  eyes  of  others  for  a 
season  ;  but  when  they  flatter  them- 
selves  as  fixed  in  an  unshaken  condi- 
tion, then  generally  their  ruin  is  ready 
at  hand,  and  the  Lord's  judgment  de- 
stroys all.  Then  "the  lying  lips  are 
put  to  silence,  which  spoke  grievous 
things  proudly  and  contemptuously 
against  the  righteous"  (Ps.  31  :18); 
a  text  which  plainly  shows,  that  pride 
and  disdain  of  others,  are  wont  to 
accompan}^  a  slandering  and  lying 
tongue.  But  '-woe  unto  thee  that 
dealest  treacherously;  when  thou  shalt 
make  an  end  to  deal  treacherouslj^, 
they  shall  deal  treacherously  with 
thee."  Isa.  33  :1.  "For  the  rod  of  the 
wicked  shall  not  rest  upon  the  lot  of 
the  righteous;  lest  the  righteous  put 
forth  their  hands  unto  iniquity."  Ps. 
125  :  3.  Though  a  treacherous  man 
may  go  on  in  quest  of  more  honor  and 
greatness;  yet  shall  "evil  hunt  the 
violent  man  at  last,  and  overthrow 
him."  Ps.  140:  11. 

Sundry  condolatory  passages,  selected  from  the 
Psalms,  for  those  who  are  assailed  by  the  re- 
proaches of  enemies. 

13.  Thou,  O  Lord,  art  a  siiield  for 
me;  my  glory,  and  the  lifter  up  of 
mine  head.  Arise,  O  Lord;  save  me, 
O  my  God:  for  thou  hast  smitten  all 
mine  enemies  upon  the  check-bone; 
thou  hast  broken  the  teeth  of  the  un- 
godly. Ps.  3  :  3, 7. — 0  ye  sons  of  men, 
how  long  will  ye  turn  my  glory  into 
shame?  how  long  wnll  ye  love  vanity, 
and  seek  after  leasing  (lying)  ?  Bat 
know  that  the  Lord  hath  set  apart 
him  that  is  godly  for  himself;  the 
Lord  will  hear  when  I  call  unto  him, 
Ps.  4  :  2,  3. 

14.  Thou  shalt  destroy  them  that 
speak  leasing:  the  Lord  will  abhor 
the  bloody  and  deceitful  man. — There 
is  no  faithfulness  in  their  mouth ;  their 

*■ 


CiiAP.  XVIL] 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


227 


inward  part  is  very  wickedness;  their 
throat  is  an  open  sepulchre;  they  flat- 
ter with  their  tongue.  Destro^^  thou 
them,  O  God;  let  them  fall  by  their 
own  counsels. — But  let  all  those  that 
put  their  trust  in  thee  rejoice:  let  them 
also  that  love  thy  name  be  joyful  in 
thee.  For  thou,  Lord,  wilt  bliss  the 
righteous;  with  favor  wilt  thou  com- 
pass him  as  with  a  shield.  Ps.  5  :  6, 
9,  10,  11,  12. 

15.  Let  all  mine  enemies  be  ashamed 
and  sore  vexed  :  let  them  return  and 
be  ashamed  suddenly.    Ps.  6  :  10. 

16.  O  Lord,  my  God,  in  thee  do  I 
put  my  trust:  save  me  from  all  them 
that  persecute  me,  and  deliver  me: 
lest  he  tear  my  soul  like  a  lion,  rend- 
ing it  in  pieces,  while  there  is  none  to 
deliver. — Behold,  he  travaileth  with 
iniquity,  and  hath  conceived  mischief, 
and  brought  forth  falsehood.  He  made 
0  pit,  and  digged  it,  and  is  fallen  into 
the  ditch  which  he  made.  His  mis- 
chief shall  return  upon  his  own  head, 
and  his  violent  dealing  shall  come 
down  upon  his  own  pate.  Ps.  7  :  1,  2, 
14,  15,  16. 

17.  Keep  me  as  the  apple  of  the 
eye ;  hide  me  under  the  shadow  of  thy 
wings,  from  the  wicked  that  oppress 
me,  from  my  deadly  enemies,  who 
compass  me  about.    Ps.  17  :  8,  9. 

18.  I  will  call  upon  the  Lord,  who 
is  worthy  to  be  praised :  so  shall  I  be 
saved  from  mine  enemies. — In  my  dis- 
tress I  called  upon  the  Lord,  and  cried 
unto  my  God;  he  heard  my  voice  out 
of  his  temple,  and  my  cry  came  before 
him,  even  unto  his  ears.  Ps.  18  :  3,  6. 

19.  The  Lord  is  my  light  and  my 
salvation;  whom  shall  I  fear?  the 
Lord  is  the  strength  of  my  life;  of 
whom  shall  I  be  afraid?  When  the 
wicked,  even  mine  enemies  and  my 
toes,  came  upon  me  to  eat  up  my 
fleish,  they  stumbled  and  fell.  Though 


a  host  should  encamp  against  me,  my 
heart  shall  not  fear:  though  war  should 
rise  against  me,  in  this  will  I  be  confi- 
dent.— For  in  the  time  of  trouble  ho 
shall  hide  me  in  his  pavilion:  in  the 
secret  of  his  tabernacle  shall  he  hide 
me;  he  shall  set  me  up  upon  a  rock. — 
Teach  me  thy  way^  O  Lord,  and  lead 
me  in  a  plain  path,  because  of  mine 
enemies. — For  false  witnesses  are  risen 
up  against  me,  and  such  as  breathe 
out  cruelty.  I  had  fainted,  unless  I 
had  believed  to  see  the  goodness  of 
the  Lord  in  the  land  of  the  living. 
Wait  on  the  Lord.  Ps.  27  :  1,  2,  3,  5, 
11,  12,  13,  14. 

20.  But  I  trusted  in  thee,  O  Lord : 
I  said,  Thou  art  my  God.  My  times 
are  in  thy  hand :  deliver  me  from  the 
hand  of  mine  enemies,  and  from  them 
that  persecute  me. — Let  the  lying  lips 
be  put  to  silence;  which  speak  grievous 
things  proudly  and  contemptuously 
against  the  righteous. — Oh  how  great 
is  thy  goodness,  which  thou  hast  laid 
up  for  them  that  fear  thee;  which  thou 
hast  wrouo'ht  for  them  that  trust  in 
thee  before  the  sons  of  men  !  Thou 
shalt  hide  them  in  the  secret  of  thy 
presence  from  the  pride  of  man  :  thou 
shalt  keep  them  secretly  in  a  pavil- 
ion from  the  strife  of  tongues.  Ps. 
31  :  14,  15,  18,  19,  20. 

21.  Let  them  be  as  chaif  before  the 
wind :  and  let  the  angel  of  the  Lord 
chase  them.  Let  their  way  be  dark 
and  slippery  :  and  let  the  angel  of  the 
Lord  persecute  them.   Ps.  35  :  5,  6. 

22.  Fret  not  thyself  because  of  evil 
doers,  neither  be  thou  envious  against 
the  workers  of  iniquity.  For  they  shall 
soon  be  cut  down  like  the  grass,  and 
wither  as  the  green  herb. — The  wicked 
plotteth  against  the  just,  and  gnasheth 
upon  him  with  his  teeth.  The  Lord 
shall  laugh  at  him  :  for  he  seeth  that 
his  day  is  coming.    The  wricked  have 


228 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  11. 


drawn  out  the  sword,  and  have  bent 
their  bow,  to  cast  down  the  poor  and 
need}',  and  to  slay  such  as  be  of  up- 
right conversation.  Their  sword  shall 
enter  into  their  own  heart,  and  their 
bows  shall  be  broken. — The  wicked 
watcbeth  the  righteous,  and  seeketh 
to  slay  him.  The  Lord  will  not  leave 
him  in  his  hand,  nor  condemn  him 
when  he  is  judged. — I  have  seen  the 
wicked  in  great  power,  and  spreading 
himself  like  a  green  ba}^  tree.  Yet  he 
passed  away,  and,lo,  he  was  not:  yea, 
I  sought  him,  but  he  could  not  be 
found.  Ps.  37  :  1,  2,  12,  13,  14,  15,  32, 
33,  35,  36. 

23.  But  I,  as  a  deaf  man,  heard  not ; 
and  I  was  as  a  dumb  man  that  openeth 
not  his  mouth.  Then  I  was  as  a  man 
that  heareth  not,  and  in  whose  mouth 
are  no  reproofs. — For  I  am  ready  to 
halt,  and  my  sorrow  is  continually 
before  me.   Ps.  38  :  13,  14,  17. 

24.  I  was  dumb  with  silence,  I  held 
my  peace,  even  from  good;  and  my 
sorrow  was  stirred. — I  was  dumb,  I 
opened  not  my  mouth;  because  thou 
didst  it. — For  I  am  a  stranger  with 
thee,  and  a  sojourner,  as  all  my  fathers 
were.    Ps.  39  :  2,  9,  12. 

25.  Cast  thy  burden  upon  the  Lord, 
and  he  shall  sustain  thee :  he  shall 
never  suffer  the  righteous  to  be  moved. 
But  thou,  O  God,  shalt  bring  them 
down  into  the  pit  of  destruction : 
bloody  and  deceitful  men  shall  not 
live  out  half  their  days;  but  I  will 
trust  in  thee.    Ps.  55  :  22,  23. 

26.  Be  merciful  unto  me,  O  God,  be 
merciful  unto  me ;  for  my  soul  trusteth 
in  thee:  yea,  in  the  shadow  of  thy 
wings  will  I  make  my  refuge,  until 
these  calamities  be  overpast.  I  will 
cry  unto  God  most  high;  unto  God 
that  performeth  all  things  for  me.  He 
shall  send  from  heaven,  and  save  me 
from  the  reproach  of  him  that  would 


swallow  me  up.  God  shall  send  forth 
his  mercy  and  his  truth.  My  soul  is 
among  lions:  and  I  lie  even  among 
them  that  are  set  on  fire,  even  the 
sons  of  men,  whose  teeth  are  spears 
and  arrows,  and  their  tongue  a  sharp 
sw^ord.  Be  thou  exalted,  O  God,  above 
the  heavens;  let  thy  glory  be  above 
all  the  earth.  They  have  prepared  a 
net  for  my  steps;  my  soul  is  bowed 
down:  they  have  digged  a  pit  before 
me,  into  the  midst  whereof  they  are 
fallen  themselves.  My  heart  is  fixed, 
O  God,  my  heart  is  fixed  :  I  will  sing 
and  give  praise.  Awake  up,  my  glory ; 
awake,  psaltery  and  harp :  I  mj-self 
will  awake  early.  I  will  praise  thee, 
O  Lord,  among  the  people:  I  will  sing 
unto  thee  among  the  nations.  For  thy 
mercy  is  great  unto  the  heavens,  and 
thy  truth  unto  the  clouds.  Be  thou 
exalted,  O  God,  above  the  heavens: 
let  thy  glory  be  above  all  the  earth. 
Ps.  57  :  1-11. 

27.  Preserve  my  life  from  fear  of 
the  enemy ;  who  whet  their  tongue 
like  a  sword,  and  bend  their  bows  to 
shoot  their  arrows,  even  bitter  words; 
that  they  may  shoot  in  secret  at  the 
perfect :  suddenly  do  they  shoot  at 
him,  and  fear  not. — But  God  shall 
shoot  at  them  with  an  arrow;  sud- 
denly shall  they  be  wounded.  So 
shall  they  make  their  own  tongue  to 
fall  upon  themselves  :  all  that  see  them 
shall  flee  away.    Ps.  64  : 1,  3,  4,  7,  8. 

28.  Mine  enemies  speak  against  me ; 
and  they  that  lay  wait  for  my  soul  take 
counsel  together,  saying,  God  hath  for- 
saken him;  persecute  and  take  him; 
for  there  is  none  to  deliver  him. — I 
will  go  in  the  strength  of  the  Lord 
God:  I  will  make  mention  of  thy 
righteousness,  even  of  thine  only.  0 
God,  thou  hast  taught  me  from  my 
youth :  and  hitherto  have  I  declared 
thy  wondrous  works.    Now  also  when 


Chap.  XV  IL] 


TEUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


229 


I  urn  old  and  gray-headed,  O  God,  for- 
Bake  me  not ;  until  I  have  shewed  thy 
strength  unto  this  generation,  and  thy 
power  to  every  one  .that  is  to  come. — 
Thou,  which  hast  shewed  me  great 
and  sore  troubles,  shalt  quicken  me 
again,  and  shalt  bring  me  up  again 
from  the  depths  of  the  earth.  Thou 
shalt  increase  my  greatness,  and  com- 
fort me  on  every  side.  Ps.  71  :  10,  11, 
16,17, 18,20,21. 

29.  I  will  lift  up  mine  eyes  unto  the 
hills,  from  whence  cometh  my  help. 
My  help  cometh  from  the  Lord,  which 
made  heaven  and  earth.  lie  will  not 
suffer  thy  foot  to  be  moved  :  he  that 
keepeth  thee  will  not  slumber.  Be- 
hold, he  that  keepeth  Israel  shall 
neither  slumber  nor  sleep.  The  Lord 
is  thy  keeper:  the  Lord  is  thy  shade 
upon  thy  right  hand.  The  sun  shall 
not  smite  thee  by  day,  nor  the  moon 
by  night.  The  Lord  shall  preserve 
thee  from  all  evil:  he  shall  preserve 
thy  soul.  The  Lord  shall  preserve 
thy  going  out  and  thy  coming  in  from 
this  time  forth,  and  even  for  evermore. 
Ps.  121  :  1-8. 

30.  Deliver  me,  O  Lord,  from  the 
evil  man  :  preserve  me  from  the  vio- 
lent man  ;  which  imagine  mischiefs  in 
their  heart;  continually  are  they  gath- 
ered together  for  war.  They  have 
sharpened  their  tongues  like  a  ser- 
pent: adders'  poison  is  under  their 
lips.  Keep  me,  O  Lord,  from  the 
hands  of  the  wicked ;  preserve  me 
from  the  violent  man;  who  have  pur- 
posed to  overthrow^  m}^  goings.  The 
proud  have  hid  a  snare  for  me,  and 
cords;  they  have  spread  a  net  by  the 
way  side;  they  have  set  gins  for  me. 
I  said  unto  the  Lord,  Thou  art  my 


God  :  hear  the  voice  of  my  supplica- 
tions, O  Lord.  O  God,  the  Lord,  the 
strength  of  my  salvation,  thou  hast 
covered  my  head  in  the  da^^  of  battle. 
Grant  not,  O  Lord,  the  desires  of  the 
wicked:  further  not  his  wicked  device  ; 
lest  they  exalt  themselves.  As  for  the 
head  of  those  that  compass  me  about, 
let  the  mischief  of  their  own  lips  cover 
them.  Let  burning  coals  fall  upon 
them;  let  them  be  cast  into  the  fire; 
into  deep  pits,  that  they  rise  not  up 
again.  Let  not  an  evil  speaker  be 
established  in  the  earth:  evil  shall 
hunt  the  violent  man  to  overthrow 
him.  I  know  that  the  Lord  will 
maintain  the  cause  of  the  afflicted, 
and  the  right  of  the  poor.  Surely 
the  righteous  shall  give  thanks  unto 
thy  name  :  the  upright  shall  dwell  in 
thy  presence.    Ps.  140  :  1-13. 

31.  I  cried  unto  the  Lord  with  my 
voice ;  with  my  voice  unto  the  Lord  did 
I  make  my  supplication.  I  poured  out 
my  complaint  before  him  ;  I  shewed  be- 
fore him  my  trouble.  When  my  spirit 
wasoverwhelmed  within  me,  then  thou 
knewest  my  path.  In  the  way  wherein 
I  walked  have  they  privily  laid  a  snare 
for  me.  I  looked  on  my  riglit  hand, 
and  beheld,  but  there  was  no  man  that 
would  know^  me:  refuge  failed  me;  no 
man  cared  for  my  soul.  I  cried  unto 
thee,  O  Lord:  I  said.  Thou  art  my 
refuge  and  my  portion  in  the  land  of 
the  living.  Attend  unto  my  cry;  for 
I  am  brought  very  low  :  deliver  me 
from  my  persecutors ;  for  they  are 
stronger  than  1.  Bring  my  soul  out 
of  prison,  that  I  may  praise  thy  name : 
the  righteous  shall  compass  me  about : 
for  thou  shalt  deal  bountifully  with 
me.   Ps.  142:1-7. 


230 


TEUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


[Book  II. 


CHAP  TEE  XVI 11. 

SHOWING  HOW  THE  SORROWS  AND  PAINS  OP  CHRIST  SHOULD  TEACH  US  TO 
SUBDUE  THE  LUSTS  OF  THE  FLESH. 

My  soul  is  exceeding  soi^rowful,  even  unio  death. — Matt.  26  :  38. 


THE  third  branch  of  the  cross  of 
Christ  consists  in  the  unspeakable 
sorrow  and  sufferings  which  began  at 
his  very  birth.  For  as  his  most  holy 
human  soul  was  filled  with  the  light 
of  divine  knowledge  and  wisdom,  by 
virtue  of  the  personal  union  of  his  tw^o 
natures,  he  saw  all  that  he  should  ex- 
perience in  the  future,  as  if  it  were 
already  present;  and  thus  his  soul 
was,  from  the  beginning,  filled  with 
the  deepest  sorrow,  and  suffered  in- 
ward pain.  He  foresaw  his  future  in- 
conceivable and  inexpressible  agony 
of  soul,  and  his  unspeakable  bodily 
pains.  For  the  more  delicate,  pure, 
and  innocent,  the  human  nature  in 
Christ  w^as,  the  greater  were  the  pain 
and  anguish  that  affected  him.  Of 
this  those  sorrows  and  spiritual  tor- 
ments, that  are  wont  to  work  upon 
the  inmost  soul,  are  a  sufficient  proof. 
For  inasmuch  as  the  constitution  of 
the  soul,  by  reason  of  its  immortalit}^, 
exceeds  that  of  the  body  in  worth  and 
delicac}' ;  so  also  herpains  exceed  those 
of  the  body  in  depth  and  acuteness. 
For  this  reason  the  Lord  never  rejoiced 
upon  his  ow^n  account,  and  with  refer- 
ence only  to  himself;  but  it  was  when 
ho  saw^  that  his  Heavenly  Father  was 
known  and  worshipped,  and  his  divine 
works  manifested  unto  the  w^orld. 
Hence  "he  rejoiced  in  spirit"  at  the 
return  of  the  seventy  disciples.  Luke 
10:2L 

2.  Since  all  those  things,  wiiich  he 
was  to  suffer,  from  his  own  people  and 


countrymen,  were  known  to  him,  he 
could  not  but  be  highly  afflicted  aud 
in  constant  sorrow;  and  this  w^as  also 
still  more  the  case,  the  more  nearly  be 
approached  the  time  appointed  for  his 
passion.  This  he  himself  testifies,  say- 
ing, "I  have  a  baptism  to  be  baptized 
with,  and  how  am  I  straitened  till  it 
be  accomplished  !"  Luke  12  :  50.  And 
the  time  of  this  baptism  being  come, 
he  says,  "My  soul  is  exceeding  sor- 
rowful, even  unto  death"  (Matt.  26: 
38)  :  intimating  thereby  the  excessive 
and  unutterable  grief  and  anguish  of 
spirit,  that  forced  from  him  that 
sweat,  which  "'  was  as  it  were  great 
drops  of  blood."  Luke  22:44.  And 
what  pains  he  suffered  besides,  in  his 
tender  and  sensible  body,  no  tongue 
can  sufficiently  declare.  Fij'st,  be- 
cause sin  is  an  infinite  and  inexpres- 
sible evil.  For,  its  full  punishment 
and  atonement  could  not  bat  cause 
torment  so  exquisite,  that  to  a  mere 
man  it  had  been  altogether  insup- 
portable. 

3.  The  second  reason  of.  this  exqui- 
site grief  w^as,  because  he  bore  the  sins 
of  the  world  :  not  merely  those  sins 
wiiich  from  the  beginning  of  the 
world  had  been  committed,  but  those 
also  which  men  should  become  guilty 
of  through  all  ages,  down  to  the  very 
end  of  the  world.  And,  therefore, 
such  as  are  the  number  and  malignity 
of  all  sins,  of  all  men,  through  all  gen- 
erations ;  such  also  were  the  pain  and 
sorrow  endured  by  the  Lord.  For 


Chap.  XYIII.] 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


231 


which  cause  he  prayed  in  Gethseraane, 
"0  my  Father,  if  it  be  possible,  let 
this  cup  pass  from  me."  Matt.  2G  :  39. 

4.  Tlurdly,  the  sufferings  of  Christ 
were  heightened  by  that  perfect  love 
which  he  bore  to  his  heavenly  Father. 
The  greater  our  love  is,  the  greater  is 
also  the  grief  occasioned  by  what  in- 
terferes with  it:  as  on  the  contrary, 
the  less  it  is.  the  less  are  we  troubled 
by  that  which  thwarts  it.  Since, 
therefore,  Christ  loved  his  heavenly 
Father  with  most  exalted  and  consum- 
mate love,  his  affliction  must  needs 
have  been  the  more  grievous,  on  ac- 
count of  the  heinousness  of  sin,  with 
which  fallen  men  so  shamefully  in- 
sulted so  beloved  a  Father.  Hence 
the  sins  of  the  whole  world,  with  the 
pains  he  endured  for  them,  did  not  so 
much  aifcct  him,  as  the  sorrow  he 
felt  on  account  of  the  indignity  offered 
to  a  God,  who,  in  his  very  nature,  is 
love  itself.  And  it  was  upon  account 
of  this  love  of  the  Father  (which  de- 
served all  the  returns  of  love  the  crea- 
ture was  able  to  make),  that  Christ 
sustained  most  exquisite  pains,  and  a 
most  ignominious  death;  in  order  that 
hy  a  satisfaction  proportionable  to  the 
offence,  he  might  regain  for  wretched 
mortals  that  love  and  favor  of  God 
which  they  had  forfeited  by  their  of- 
fences. 

5.  In  the  fourth  place,  the  suffering 
of  Christ  was  endured  on  account  of 
his  perfect  love  to  mankind.  For  as 
he  died  for  all,  and  bore  the  sins  of  all, 
so  also  was  he  exceedingly  desirous  to 
see  the  object  of  his  death  accom- 
plished, which  is  the  salvation  of  all 
men.  Hence  the  unbelief  and  impeni- 
tence of  men,  which  hindered  this  love 
from  taking  effect  upon  sinners,  caused 
him  most  grievous  and  bitter  torments: 
but  especially  was  he  pained  that  they 
threw  away  their  souls  when  he  de-  | 


sired  to  save  them.  Not  to  mention 
the  cruel  hatred  and  envy,  wrath  and 
blasphemy,  by  which  some  were  hur- 
ried on,  even  to  trample  on  that  blood 
which  was  designed  to  redeem  them. 
He  himself  says,  "  Reproach  hatii  bro- 
ken my  heart"  (Ps.  G9  :  20) ;  lament- 
ing not  so  much  his  own,  as  the  con- 
dition of  them  who  reproached  him  in 
so  heinous  a  manner. 

6.  Fifthly:  another  circumstance 
which  pierced  the  very  heart  of  our 
Lord,  was  his  being  forsaken  of  God, 
notwithstanding  he  was  the  Son  of 
God  himself  For  though  it  is  true 
that  God  could  not  forsake  him,  who 
himself  was  God,  and  did  not  cease  to 
be  God  even  when  he  hung  on  the 
cross,  w^hen  he  expired,  and  when  he 
was  buried  ;  yet  does  he  complain  of 
being  forsaken  by  him.  Ps.  22 :  1 ; 
Matt.  27  :  46.  But  this  lamentable 
complaint  the  Lord  poured  out,  in 
order  to  show  that  God  withdrew 
from  him,  as  a  man,  the  support  of  his 
comfort,  hiding  himself  for  a  while  in 
this  dark  hour.  He  manifests  also, 
by  this  exclamation,  the  extreme  mis- 
ery in  which  he  then  was. 

7.  The  sixth  aggravation  of  the  an- 
guish of  Christ,  was  on  account  of  his 
Person,  for  he  was  very  God.  Whence 
it  is  plain,  that  all  the  reproaches  and 
blasphemies  uttered  against  him  were 
an  infinite  evil,  as  being  directed 
against  the  entire  Person  of  Christ, 
wdio  was  true  God  and  man  ;  and  so 
he  endured,  both  as  God  and  man,  the 
revilings  of  his  enemies  in  his  whole 
Person.  All  this  left  a  most  exqui- 
site impression  of  sorrow  upon  his 
soul. 

8.  And,  in  the  seventh  place,  who  is 
able  sufficiently  to  explain  what  pains 
the  Lord  suffered  in  his  most  innocent, 
most  holy,  inost  tender,  and  delicate 
body?   Or  wHio  can  doubt  that  a  body 


282 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  II. 


most  innocent,  most  delicate,  most 
nobh;,  most  jMire,  conceived  by  the 
Holy  Ghost,  personally  united  with 
the  divine  nature,  filled  with  the  Spirit 
of  God,  and  with  all  the  fulness  of  the 
Godhead  ;  I  say,  who  can  doubt  that 
such  a  body  should  not  feel  most  griev- 
ous and  bitter  pains,  when  smitten, 
scourged,  wounded,  pierced,  crucified, 
and  put  to  death  ?  No  words  arc  suf- 
ficiently expressive  to  set  forth  the 
pain  and  acuteness  thereof.  What  is 
all  our  nflSiction,  if  compared  with  this 
sulfering  of  the  Lord?  We,  as  sin- 
ners, have  justly  deserved  eternal 
death  and  damnation  ;  and  yet  even 
the  smallest  cross  is  too  heavy  a 
burden  for  tender  Christians,  who  do 
what  they  can  to  shake  it  off,  though 
it  is  designed  as  wholesome  medicine, 
to  procure  the  health  of  the  soul. 
Surely,  he  who  is  a  sincere  lover  of 
Christ,  can  wish  no  other  condition 
of  life,  but  such  as  comes  up  nearest 
to  the  original  of  the  blessed  life  of 
Christ.  1  Peter  2  :  21.  This  conform- 
ity of  our  lives  to  the  life  of  Christ 
we  ought  to  account  our  greatest  gain 
and  dignity  in  this  world.  Let  the 
true  lover  of  Christ  rejoice  in  this, 
that  he  has  been  thought  worthy  to 


suffer  with  Christ,  his  Head  and  Sav- 
iour. 

9.  Since,  then,  affliction  is  to  be  the 
companion  of  a  Christian  in  his  way 
to  heaven,  or,  to  use  the  apostle's 
phrase,  since  he  must,  "  through  much 
tribulation,  enter  into  the  kingdom  of 
God"  (Acts  14:22);  what  cause  can 
we  assign  why  Ave  should  not  wil- 
lingly walk  in  the  same  path  ?  For 
we  know  that  the  Son  of  God  himself 
travelled  this  way  before  us,  and  by 
his  holy  example  sanctified  it,  not 
having  entered  into  his  glory  but  by 
sufferings."  Luke  24  :  26.  And  since, 
notwithstanding  all  the  insults  of  the 
enemy,  he  entered  into  glory  at  last; 
we  may  also  assure  ourseK^es,  that  our 
affliction,  which  is  but  for  a  moment, 
shall  be  followed  in  the  end  by  an 
everlasting  weight  of  glory  and  hap- 
piness. 2  Cor.  4 :  17. 

10,  In  fine,  as  the  Lord  did  not 
spare  himself,  but  devoted  himself  en- 
tirely to  the  service  of  others,  under- 
going all  from  no  other  impulse  than 
fervent  love  and  charity;  so  this  love 
of  our  Redeemer  should  awaken  lovo 
in  our  souls,  and  never  should  we  grow 
faint  and  weary  under  any  affliction 
whatever. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


SHOWING  HOW  WE  SHOULD  BEHOLD  IN  THE  CRUCIFIED  CHRIST,  AS  IN  THE  BOOK 
OF  LIFE,  BOTH  OUR  SINS,  AND  ALSO  THE  DISPLEASURE,  THE  LOVE,  JUSTICE, 
AND  WISDOM  OF  GOD. 


And  I  saw  in  the  right  hand  of  him  that  sat  on  the  throne  a  hook  written  within  and  on  the  hack 

side. — Rev.  5  :  1. 


CHRIST  crucified  is  set  before  our 
ej^es  as  a  Book  of  Life,  whence 
we  may  learn  the  sacred  wisdom  of 
God,  which  is  in  him  eminently  dis- 


played. For  the  whole  Scripture,  the 
Law  and  all  the  prophets,  are  com- 
pletely fulfilled  in  him  by  his  most 
perfect  obedience,  wherein   he  was 


Chap.  XIX.] 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


233 


j  faithful  even  unto  death,  and  suffered 
•  the  most  cruel  torments  for  the  sins 
of  the  world.    And  this  perfect  inter- 
nal and  external  obedience  and  suffcr- 
1  ino-  is  that  Book  of  Life  ^Yritten  with- 
in  and  without.  Rev.  5  :  1, 

2.  In  the  first  place,  the  Crucified 
Jesus  presents  us  with  a  deplorable 
siirht  of  our  sins,  both  as  to  their  nuni- 
ber  and  heinousness.    By  the  lament- 

!  able  complaint  into  which  he  burst 
)  forth,  he  manifested  that  inward  an- 
I  guish  of  soul,  which  he  suffered  for 
;  the  hidden  and  secret  sins  of  our 
(  hearts.  In  his  wounded  and  mangled 
;  body,  bleeding  on  the  cross,  he  leads 
i  us  to  behold  and  read,  as  in  a  book, 
I  the  malignity  of  those  sins  which  we 
i  have  committed  by  all  our  members, 
in  having  3-ielded  them  up  to  the  gov- 
ernment of  lust. 

3.  Besides  this,  the  devout  soul  may 
'  behold  in  Christ  Crucified,  the  justice 
i  of  God  in  judging  sinners.  There  was 
I  no  other  means  by  which  to  remove 
i  both  our  sin  and  the  punishment  at- 
i  tending  it,  than  this  high  atonement 
I  made  by  the  Lord  himself.  And 
'  hence  we  may  learn  that  God  is  so 
,  far  from  letting  any  sin  go  unpunished, 
I  that  he  will  rather  deliver  up  his  most 

beloved  Son  unto  death  than  connive 
at  the  transgression  of  a  sinner.  Rom. 
4:25. 

4.  Hence  the  soul  may,  further,  con- 
template the  infinite  love  and  con- 
descending mercy  of  the  Heavenly 
Father,  most  wonderfully  displayed 

j  in  our  Crucified  vSaviour.  Rather  than 
that  we  should  forever  perish  in  our 
wretched  state,  and  be  subject  to  eter- 
nal death  and  damnation,  he  would 
have  his  own  Son  make  satisfaction 
for  us ;  which  we  ourselves,  yea,  and 

I  all  the  other  creatures  besides,  had 

{never  been  able  to  perform. 

5.  The  contemplation  of  Christ  Cru- 


cified will,  in  the  next  place,  lead  us 
to  a  sight  of  the  most  gracious  will, 
providence  and  fatherly  care  of  God, 
as  it  respects  the  recovery  of  lost  man- 
kind. No  opposition  was  so  great,  no 
difficulty  so  stubborn  and  obstinate, 
which  he  did  not  conquer  by  his  be- 
loved Son,  the  author  of  our  salvation. 
That  we  might  inherit  everlasting  jo}', 
he  left  nothing  untried,  nor  did  ho 
spare  even  his  own  Son. 

6.  In  the  same  Book  of  Life  (the 
Crucified  Jesiis),  appears  also  the  infi- 
nite wnsdom  of  God,  namely,  in  finding 
out  a  means  of  salvation,  such  as  could 
never  have  entered  into  the  thoughts 
of  any  creature  whatever,  and  which, 
at  the  same  time,  revealed  both  the  jus- 
tice and  the  mercy  of  God.  For  the 
work  of  our  salvation  was  so  wisely  or- 
dered, that  by  manifesting  the  infinite 
mercy  of  God,  his  justice  was  not  at  all 
infringed;  as,  on  the  other  hand,  Christ 
by  his  death  has  so  atoned  for  sin, 
that  in  satisfying  the  claims  of  strict 
justice,  his  infinite  mercy  is  rendered 
more  bright  and  conspicuous.  And  as 
by  eating  of  the  forbidden  tree,  the 
first  Adam  (Gen.  3  :  1),  brought  us 
under  the  curse ;  so  God  in  his  marvel- 
lous wisdom  has,  by  the  tree  of  the 
cross,  taken  aw^ay  the  curse,  and  re- 
stored his  blessing.  1  Peter  2  :  24. 
Yea,  by  the  unsearchable  counsel  of 
the  divine  wisdom,  it  is  so  brought 
about,  that  through  the  death  of  Christ, 
all  things  detained  under  the  power 
of  death  are  restored  to  life,  death  it- 
self being  destroyed  at  last.  1  Cor.  15: 
26.  By  his  pains  and  torments  is  pur- 
chased for  us  eternal  pleasure  in  hea- 
ven ;  by  his  griefs  and  sorrows  are 
gained  joys  celestial  without  end.  And 
by  this  wonderful  work  of  God,  though 
foolish  in  the  eye  of  the  world,  he  hath 
confounded  the  wisdom  of  the  wise ; 
and  by  the  foolishness  of  God  (1  Cor. 


234 


TEUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


[Book  II. 


1  : 25),  he  has  manifested  a  wisdom  al- 
togetlier  unfathomable  to  men. 

7.  In  Christ  Crueified  farther  ap- 
pears the  brightest  and  fairest  pattern 
of  patience  and  meekness  that  was 
ever  seen.  So  far  was  he  from  re- 
venging the  injuries  done  him,  that  he 
made  intercession  to  his  Father  for  his 
revilers,  j'ca,  even  laid  down  his  life 
for  the  sins  of  those  who  put  him  to 
death. 

8.  The  believer  discovers,  moreover, 
in  Christ  the  most  astonishing  humil- 
ity, wherein  he  was  so  entiinent,  that 
he  readily  underwent  the  most  igno- 
minious death  of  the  cross.  Thus  are 
the  death  and  passion  of  Christ  be- 
come to  a  faithful  soul,  redemption 
from  hell,  an  avenue  into  paradise,  a 
complete  reconciliation  with  God,  a 
victory  over  the  devil,  that  great  en- 


emy of  souls;  a  full  satisfaction  for 
sins,  and  in  one  word,  an  entire  recov-j| 
ery  of  that    original   righteousness ' 
which  had  been  lost. 

9.  By  all  this,  it  sufficiently  appears 
to  a  Christian  soul,  that  Christ  Cruci- 
fied is  indeed  a  Book  of  Life,  teaching 
nothing  but  the  eternal  and  infallible 
truths  of  God.    Let  us  then  silently 
sit  down  at  the  feet  of  our  Crueiiii 
Lord,  wdio,  as  the  great  Teacher  of 
souls,  and  Book  of  Life,  will  not  ne-! 
gleet  to  instil  into  an  humble  heart, 
the  lesson  of  a  living  faith,  and  of  a  i 
hol}^  life  consequent  on  it;  provided  ' 
we  desire  to  bo  not  dead,  but  liviii 
members  of  his  body,  and  to  be  l> ^ 
controlled  and  influenced  both  by  bis 
life  and  his  death,  as  to  produce  abun- 
dant liviniz;  fruits. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

or  THE  POWER  AND  NECESSITY  OF  PRAYER,  IN  THESE  HOLY  CONTEMPLATIONS. 
I  will  seek  him  whom  my  soul  loveih. — Song  of  Sol.  3  :  2. 


SINCE  the  living  knowledge  of  God 
and  of  Christ  crucified,  is  not  to  be 
attained,  unless  w^e  keep  our  eye  con- 
stantly fixed  upon  the  innocent  and 
holy  life  of  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord;  and 
since  we  cannot  arrive  at  this  eleva- 
tion of  mind,  but  b}^  devout,  humble, 
believing  and  earnest  prayer;  it  is, 
therefore,  highly  necessary  to  make 
some  further  inquiry  into  the  nature 
of  prayer.  It  consists  not  so  much  in 
an  utterance  of  words,  as  in  a  medita- 
tion or  intercourse  of  the  believing 
heart  with  God,  and  in  a  lifting  up  of 
the  soul,  and  of  all  her  faculties  and 
powers,  to  our  Heavenly  Father.  Ps. 


19:  14;  25:1.  As  it  is  impossible  to 
find  God  without  prayer,  so  prayci- 
is  a  means  for  seeking  and  findiiii^- 
him.  Matt.  7  :  7,  8. 

2.  And  as  it  falls  under  a  threefold  j 
denomination,  it  being  either  oral,  in- 
ternal^ or  supernatural  (according  to 
St.  Paul:  "I  will  pray  with  the  spirit,  | 
and  I  will  pray  with  the  understand-  ' 
ing  also ;"  1  Cor.  14  :  15)  ;  so  we  shall 
now  consider  each  of  these  in  order. 

3.  Oral  prayer  is  an  humble  address 
to   God,  and  an   external  exercise, 
which  conducts  the  soul  to  the  internal  \^ 
duty  of  prayer,  and  leads  man  into  j! 
the  interior  recesses  of  his  own  heart; 


I  Chap.  XX.] 


TRUE  CimiSTIANITY. 


235 


especially  if  the  words  uttered  be  di- 
gested ill  fiiith,  and  if,  by  attentive 
application,  they  be  well  pondered 
and  considered.  This  often  proves  a 
j  means  of  elevating  the  spirit  and  soul 
so  near  unto  God,  as  to  enjoy  with 
faith  a  truly  filial  intercourse  with 
Iliin,  our  heavenly  Father. 

4.  Internal  prayer  is  offered  up  Avith- 
out  intermission,  in  faith,  spirit,  and 
■  mind,  according  to  the  words  of  our 
\  Saviour  :     The  true  worshippers  sluill 
'  worship  the  Father  in  spirit  and  in 
I  truth"  (John  4  :  23) ;  also  those  of  Da- 
vid :  "Let  the  meditation  of  my  heart 
bo  acceptable  in  thy  sight,  O  Lord." 
Ps.  19:  14.    And  again  :  "I  commune 
\  with  mine  own  heai't,  and  my  spirit 
!  made  diligent   search."    Ps.   77  :  G. 
Hereby,  saj's  St.  Paul  (speaking  of 
the  Spirit  of  adoption),  we  cry,  Abba, 
j  Father.  Eom.  8:15.    By  this  internal 
prayer,  we  are  led  on   gradually  to 
that  which  is  supernatural ;  which,  ac- 
cording to  Tauler,  "  consists  in  a  true 
union  with  God  by  faith;  when  our 
created  spirit  dissolves,  as  it  were,  and 
i  sinks  away  in  the  uncreated  Spirit  of 
'  God.    It  is  then  that  all  is  transacted 
in  a  moment,  which  in  words  or  deeds 
i  has  been  done  by  all  the  saints  from 
the  beginning  of  the  world."   For  this 
reason  this  supernatural  prayer  is  un- 
speakably more  excellent  than  that 
which  is  chiefly  external;  for  therein 
the  soul  is  by  true  faith  so  replenished 
with  the  divine  love,  that  it  can  think 
of  nothing  else  but  of  God  only.    Or  if 
'  another  thought  should  enter  inadvert- 
ently into  the  heart,  it  proves  but  an 
occasion  of  trouble  and  sorrow  ;  and 
ithe  soul  cannot  be  at  ease  till  the  in- 
'truding  thought  has  again  vanished. 
A  soul  that  has  once  arrived  at  this 
I  happy  state  gives  but  little  or  no  em- 
ployment to  the  tongue:  it  is  silent 
helbre  the  Lord  :  it  panteth  and  thirst- 


eth  after  God  (Ps.  42  :  1,  2)  :  it  long- 
eth,  yea,  even  fainteth  for  him  (Ps. 
63  :  1  ;  84  :  2).  It  loves  him  only  ;  it 
rests  in  him  alone,  not  at  all  mind- 
ing the  world,  nor  worldly  affairs. 
Whence  it  is  still  more  and  more  filled 
with  an  experimental  knowledge  of 
God,  and  with  such  love  and  joy  as  no 
tongue  is  able  to  utter.  Whatever 
the  soul  then  perceives,  is  beyond  all 
possibility  of  being  expressed  in  words. 
If  one  should  ask  a  soul  under  these 
contemplations  :  What  dost  ihou  per- 
ceive? the  answer  would  be:  A  good 
that  is  above  all  good.  What  seest 
thou?  A  pei'fection  of  beauly,  tran- 
scending all  other  beauty.  What  feel- 
est  thou?  A  joy  surpassing  all  joys. 
}yiiat  dost  thou  taste  ?  The  inexpres- 
sible delight  of  love.  Nay,  such  a  one 
would  tell  you  that  all  the  words  that 
possibly  could  be  framed,  were  but  a 
shadow,  and  came  infinitely  short  of 
the  inw^ard  delight  which  was  ex- 
perienced. This  is  the  voice  of  the 
eternal  Word;  this  His  speech  to  a 
loving  soul;  according  to  that  sa^'ing 
of  the  Lord  :  "He  that  loveth  me — I 
will  manifest  myself  unto  him."  John 
14  :  21.  Whatever  is  felt  here,  what- 
ever is  seen  here,  is  above  nature. 
Here  voices  are  heard,  and  words  per- 
ceived that  are  termed  words  of  the 
understanding  and  the  mind. 

5.  This  is  the  school  in  which  the 
soul  learns  to  know  God  aright,  and, 
as  it  were,  to  taste  him.  Ps.  34:8. 
Whilst  she  knows  him,  she  loves  him: 
and  whilst  she  loves  him,  she  longs  for 
the  full  enjo3'ment  of  him.  This  is 
the  true  sign  of  love,  to  desire  wholly 
to  possess  the  beloved  object,  to  be  in- 
timately united  with,  and  altogether 
transformed  into  it. 

6.  This  the  soul  now  and  then  per- 
ceives in  a  glance,  which  lasts  but  for 
a  moment,  and  then  vanishes  again; 


236 


TEUE  CHETSTIAI^ITY. 


[Book  II. 


but  it  puts  the  soul  upon  fervent  de- 
sires, to  recover,  if  possible,  that  beam 
of  heavenly  joy  which  darted  upon 
her,  and  to  regain  this  divine  taste, 
which  60  lovingly  moved  her.  And 
she  desires  all  this,  in  order  to  be  more 
intimately  united  to  her  beloved. 
From  this  affectionate  desire  spring 
up  both  internal  and  oral  prayer;  the 
soul  being  I'ully  convinced  that  these 
heavenly  pleasures  and  visitations  are 
to  be  attained  only  by  pra3'er.  And  in 
all  this,  the  wonderful  wisdom  of  God 
ai)pears,  by  which  everything  is  man- 
aged in  the  most  perfect  order. 

7.  Thus  none  is  permitted  to  attain 
unto  mental  prayer,  but  he  who  be- 
gins with  that  which  is  oral ;  and  none 
can  iiave  an  access  to  the  supernatural 
prayer,  or  to  a  union  with  the  highest 
and  most  delightful  Good,  but  by  men- 
tal prayer.  But  this  highest  can  only 
be  known  by  an  experimental  percep- 
tion, not  expressible  by  words. 

8.  And  this  is  the  cause  why  God 
so  strictly,  so  frequently,  and  so  earn- 
estly enjoins  praj'er  (Ps.  50  :  14)  ;  be- 
cause it  is  a  sacred  pledge  and  bond, 
by  which  God  draws  us  up  to  himself; 
and  by  elevating  us  into  his  immediate 
presence,  detains  us  there  a  while,  and 
unites  us  with  himself,  who  is  the 
source  of  all  that  is  good.  And  thus 
we  are  always  reminded  of  him ;  with- 
out this  gracious  order,  we  would  think 
less  frequently  on  him,  and  would  not 
share  in  the  gifts  of  his  mercy. 

9.  If,  therefore,  thou  desirest  that 
thy  prayer  be  acceptable  to  God,  see 
that  thou  perform  it  not  with  a  divided, 
but  with  a  whole  and  entire  heart. 
But  this  is  not  to  be  attained,  except 
by  frequent  exercise  and  continual 
and  unwearied  application.  Without 
this,  thou  canst  not  reap  the  fruits  of 
prayer.  On  the  contrary,  as  often  as 
thou  givest  attendance  to  any  exter- 


nal work,  take  care  that  thou  set  not 
thy  heart  wholly  upon  it.  If  thou 
eatest  and  drinkest,  or  attendest  to 
any  other  outward  affair  incident  to 
this  life,  see  that  thou  bestow  not 
thyself,  that  is,  thy  whole  heart,  upon 
it.  For  thy  heart  is  to  rest  entirely 
in  God  alone,  and  closely  to  adhere  to 
him  by  internal  prayer.  The  moro 
thou  offerest  up  thj'self  to  God  by  thi 
praj-er,  the  more  will  the  divine  light 
display  itself  in  thy  mind.  And  again, 
the  more  the  knowledge  of  God  is 
enlarged,  the  more  delightful  will  be 
thy  sense  and  perception  of  the  high- 
est good;  the  more  ardent  also  an 
affectionate  will  be  thy  love  to  the 
Lord ;  and  in  fine,  the  more  capable 
wilt  thou  be  of  enjoying  him.  The 
soul  thus  disposed  will  in  a  super 
natural  manner  taste  of  a  happine- 
so  high  and  transcendent  as  infinitely 
to  exceed  all  the  language  and  expres- 
sions of  men. 

10.  Of  this  threefold  prayer,  Jesu.^ 
Christ  himself  has  furnished  us  with 
a  bright  and  perfect  pattern,  whence 
we  may  learn  the  nature  and  method 
of  it,  if  we  but  attentively  consider 
his  manner  of  praying.  We  find  that 
he  often  continued  whole  days  and 
nights  in  prayer  to  God.  Luke  6 :  12. 
He  prayed  with  a  fervency  that  mad 
him  triumph  in  prayer,  and  rejoice  iij 
spirit.  Luke  10  :  21.  He  has,  there- 
fore, both  by  example  and  words, 
taught  us  the  method  of  praying; 
and  leaving  us  a  pattern  to  follow, 
has  commanded  us  to  watch  and 
pray,  that  we  enter  not  into  tempta- 
tion. Matt.  6:9.  He  also  most  fre- 
quently recommends  to  us  the  duty 
of  prayer  (Matt.  26  :  41)  ;  thereby  tes- 
tifying that  nothing  was  more  pleasing, 
nothing  more  acceptable  to  him  than 
our  prayer;  he  having  enjoined  it 
for  no  other  reason  than  to  show 


Chap.  XX.] 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


237 


us  how  entirely  he  loved  us,  and  how 
!  desirous  he  was  that  by  prayer  we 
should  partake  of  the  highest  and 
.  most  precious  good. 
I     11.  Lest,  however,  we  should  allege 
'  that  so  noble  an  effect  as  that  which 
i  results  froni'  a  due  performance  of 
prayer  was  not  attainable  by  us,  the 
i  Lord  did  not  think  it  enough  to  say: 
I  "Ask,"  but  he  has  encouraged  us  also 
I  with  a  promise  annexed:  ''And  ye 
j  chall  receive,  that  your  joy  may  be 
'  full."    John  16  :  24.   He  moreover  ex- 
cites us  to  pray  by  his  own  example, 
f  for  amid  his  suiferings  he  prayed  for 
I  us,  as  the  Evangelist  records  :  "  For 
being  in  an  agony,  he  prayed  more 
.earnestly,  and  his  sweat  was  as  it 
were  great  drops  of  blood  falling  down 
to  the  ground."  Luke  22  :  44. 
I    12.  Set,  therefore,  this  mirror  of 
I  prayer  before  thine  eyes,  and  study 
to  persevere  therein.   "Whenever  thou 
feelest  thyself  faint   and   weak  in 
I  prayer,  then  seriously  advert  to  thy 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  prayed  not  for 
himself,  or  upon  his  own  account,  but 
!  for  thee  and  upon  thy  account,  and  thus 
'sanctified  thy  prayer  and  blessed  it, 
and  added  life  and  efficacy  to  it.  Him, 
j  therefore,  behold,  who,  though  he  was 
;true  God,  and  consequently  in  actual 
'possession  of  all  things,  yet  as  man, 
obtained  for  thee  of  his  Heavenly 
Father,  all  things  by  prayer.  And 
I  hence  as  his  whole  life  was  a  continual 
and  uninterrupted  prayer,  and  a  per- 
petual longing  to  do  the  will  of  God  : 
I  so  he  finished  it  with  praying  upon  the 
!  cross.    Luke  23  :  46. 
'    13.  If  then  thy  Lord  and  Saviour 
I  prayed  so  fervently  upon  thy  account, 
'  and  was  heard ;  surely  he  will  not  suf- 
^fer  thy  prayers  to  be  poured  forth  in 
jvain.    Did  he  procure  all  things  for 
thee  by  prayer  ?    And  thinkest  thou 
that  thou  canst  obtain  the  least  bless- 


ing without  it?  Thou  knowest  that 
without  divine  grace,  light,  and  knowl- 
edge, and,  in  fine,  without  faith,  not 
one  can  be  saved;  but  it  is  no  less 
plain  that  these  and  all  other  graces 
can  be  obtained  by  prayer  alone.  It 
is  the  Lord  whom  thou  must  entreat 
by  fervent  prayer,  so  as  to  obtain  from 
him  faith,  love,  hope,  humility,  pa- 
tience, the  Holy  Spirit,  together  with 
the  whole  train  of  Christian  virtues, 
which  he  is  both  able  and  willin<r  io 
give,  as  well  as  to  strengthen  in  thy 
soul.  It  is  He  alone  that  createth 
them  in  the  heart.  But  as  he  that 
hath  them  not,  cannot  give  them,  so 
the  Lord,  whose  gift  they  are,  will 
not  give  them  without  being  asked. 

14.  If  then  thou  art  tvnly  desirous 
of  pouring  out  thy  soul  before  the 
Lord  in  fervency  of  spirit,  there  is 
not  a  more  ready  and  effectual  means 
of  doing  this  than  with  the  eyes  of 
thy  mind  to  behold  the  mirror  of  the 
most  meek  and  humble  life  of  Christ: 
to  keep  thy  eyes  attentively  fixed  up- 
on the  poverty,  the  reproach  and  con- 
tempt, the  griefs  and  sorrows,  and  the 
most  ignominious  death  of  thy  blessed 
Redeemer.  Into  this  Book  of  Prayer, 
if  thou  diligently  look,  thy  heart  and 
mind  will  become  inflamed  with  most 
affectionate  and  ardent  desires.  And 
though  the  devil  and  the  flesh  will  not 
cease  to  assault  thee  with  temptations 
on  all  hands,  yet,  by  means  of  prayer, 
they  shall  be  subdued  at  last. 

15.  Nor  is  the  duty  of  prayer  only 
stirred  up  and  revived  by  the  contem- 
plation of  Christ  crucified,  but  the 
heart  is  also  cleansed  thereby.  AVith- 
out  this  purification  of  the  heart  by 
faith  (Acts  15  :  9),  our  prayers  will 
prove  altogether  ineffectual  in  the 
sight  of  God  :  whereas,  after  a  sincere 
application  to  the  Lord  by  prayer,  the 
Spirit  of  God  is  wont  to  visit  the  heart 


238 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  II. 


with  liis  gracious  presence,  as  he  de- 
Bcended  upon  the  apostles,  even  then, 
when  they  were  with  one  accord  pray- 
ing at  Pentecost.  Acts  2  : 1. 

16.  AVith  reference  to  the  tempta- 
tions that  are  wont  to  attend  the  duty 
of  prayer,  thou  must  behave  thyself 
under  them  as  the  Lord  himself  did. 
In  the  midst  of  the  agony  which  he 
suffered  on  the  mount  of  Olives,  "  he 
prayed  the  more  earnestly."  Luke 
22  :  44.  Thus  thy  prayer  shall  prove 
at  last  the  victory  over  all  thy  ene- 
mies. By  praj'er  the  Lord  manifests 
himself  unto  his  people.  By  prayer 
we  learn  to  practise  true  humility; 
for  by  prayer  the  highest  is  united  to 
the  lowest ;  the  most  High  God  to  the 
most  humble  heart.  And  this  humil- 
ity is  the  very  channel  through  which 
abundance  of  divine  grace  is  infused 
into  the  soul.  The  more  this  grace 
humbles  man,  the  more  grace  itself 
gets  rooted  in  the  soul.  And  again, 
the  more  a  soul  is  enriched  with  grace, 
the  more  she  improves  in  humility. 

17.  The  most  considerable  tempta- 
tion and  obstruction  in  prayer  seems 
to  be  when  Gad  withdraws  the  grace 


of  a  fervent  and  lively  devotion.  And 
yet  it  is  in  this  case  that  we  ought  the 
more  to  stir  ourselves  up  to  prayer  and 
supplication.  It  is  true,  a  prayer 
poured  forth  in  a  spirit  of  power  and 
fervency  must  needs  be  acceptable  to 
God;  yet  that  which  climbs  up  to  the 
throne  of  grace  in  affliction,  tempta- 
tion, spiritual  di'yness,  and  brokcnness 
of  soul,  is  still  more  pleasing  in  his 
sight.  For  as  the  heart  of  a  father  is 
sooner  softened  into  paternal  tendor- 
ness,  by  the  trembling  words  of  a  sick 
and  languishing  child,  than  by  tho 
strong  voice  of  one  in  perfect  health  : 
BO  is  the  secret  affliction,  and  feebh 
effort  of  a  soul  affected  with  a  sense 
of  her  weakness  in  faith,  of  her  pov- 
erty in  spirit,  and  of  her  want  of  spir- 
itual life  and  comfort,  far  more  accept- 
able to  our  infinitely  good  God  than 
the  more  vigorous  petition  of  a  soul 
elevated  by  a  sense  of  faith  and  diviin 
consolation.  Only  hold  out  patiently 
in  these  spiritual  straits,  and  be  as 
sured  that  the  Lord,  in  his  own  timo, 
will  certainly  "restore  unto  thee  th^ 
joy  of  his  salvation."  Ps.  51 :  12. 


CHAPTER  XXL 


OF  THE  POWER  OF  THE  NOBLE  VIRTUE  OF  HUMILITY. 

Be  clothed  with  humiliiy ;  for  God  resisieth  the  proud,  and  giveth  grace  to  the  humble.  Humble 
yourselves  there/ore  under  the  mighty  hand  of  God,  that  he  may  exalt  you  in  due  time. — i 
Pkt.  5  :  5,  6. 


WITHOUT  true  humility  all 
pra^'er  is  in  vain.  Our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  is  the  Book  from  which 
this  noble  virtue  is  best  learned ;  as 
he  i'^,  indeed,  a  perfect  mirror  to  us  of 
all  the  virtues  and  graces.  Look  on 
his  life,  and  thou  wilt  find  it  made  up 


of  nothing  but  love  and  humility. 
Look  on  his  doctrine,  and  thou  wilt 
discern  it  to  be  absolute  wisdom  and 
truth ;  a  doctrine  consisting  not  in 
words,  but  in  a  living  power;  and  in 
very  deed  itself 

2.  Now,  in  order  that  we  might 


iCnAP.  XXL] 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


239 


;  perfectly  learn  liow  to  practise  this 
;  virtue  of  bumilitj,  be  taugiit  it  not 
!only  by  words,  but  also  by  deeds  and 
i  by  bis  holy  example,  forasmuch  as  be 
j  humbled  himself  unto  death,  even  the 
death  of  the  cross.  Phil.  2  :  8.  Be- 
hold, tben,  O  Christian,  bow  this  gra- 
|cious  virtue  has  its  foundation,  and  its 
;  higbest  and  most  excellent  ground, 
not  in  any  angel,  not  in  any  apostle  or 
I  eminent  saint,  but  in  Jesus  Christ  bim- 
jself.  And  therefore  be  saith:  ''Learn 
iof  me"  (Matt.  11  :  29),  which  is  as  if 
|he  had  said:  '-Look  ye  upon  me  bow 
;I  abase  mj'self  under  all,  who  yet  am 
•above  all.  Behold,  as  much  higher  as 
|iny  majesty  is,  so  much  lower  is  my 
ihumilitj' :  and  so  much  dearer  should 
this  virtue  be  to  you,  as  I  3'our  Lord 
land  your  God  have  described  and  de- 
ilineatcd  it  in  my  whole  life."  Observe, 
|he  saith,  "Learn  of  me."  But  what? 
iNot  to  do  mighty  wonders,  not  to  woi"k 

P'  "gns  and  miracles,  or  show  any  great 
ork  of  creation,  but  to  be  meek  and 
\loioly.  "And  if  I  did  not  teach  you 
jtbis  with  mine  own  example,"  saith 
|the  meek  Lamb  of  God,  "ye  would 
not  believe  that  this  virtue  is  so  high 
and  so  noble." 

3.  The  humble  Jesus  chose  to  exem- 
plify this  as  bis  concluding  work :  after 
his  last  supper,  be  took  a  towel  and 
girded  himself,  and  tben  "  washed  bis 
disciples'  feet;"  that  so  he  might  by 
such  example  implant  this  virtue  in 
all  that  should  be  ever  called  by  his 
name,  and  might  most  sensibly  im- 
print it  on  the  heart  of  every  one  to 
jwhom  this  Gospel  should  come.  Where- 
fore be  also  saith  :  "  Know  ye  what  I 
.have  done  to  you  ?"  John  13  :  4,  5,  12. 
!"  Do  ye  indeed  consider  what  it  is  that 
1  have  done  ?  Will  ye  remember  this 
itbat  I  have  now  done  to  you?  Will 
ye  be  ready  to  serve  one  another  in 
the  same  manner?    And  w^ill  ye  bum- 


ble yourselves  one  to  the  other,  and 
submit  gladly  even  to  the  meanest 
offices  of  charity?  O  learn  of  me,  by 
what  you  have  at  this  time  seen  me 
do :  for  I  have  given  you  an  example, 
that  ye  should  do  as  I  have  done  to 
you.  Whosoever  then  shall  forget  my 
humility,  the  same  shall  fjrget  a  prin- 
cipal part  both  of  my  doctrine  and  my 
example,  and  shall  never  find  rest  unto 
his  soul.  Therefore  let  this  my  exam- 
ple be  a  rule  for  your  whole  lives,  and 
let  my  life  evermore  be  set  before 
3'our  eyes  as  a  representation  of  hu- 
mility." 

4.  And  now  let  us  show  that  with- 
out humility  all  prayer  to  God  is  ut- 
terly vain.  Humility  is  a  bright  light 
in  the  heart,  in  which  there  is  at  once 
discovered  to  us  our  own  nothingness, 
and  the  high  majesty  and  overflowing- 
goodness  of  God.  Hence  the  more 
any  man  knows  himself,  the  more  he 
must  needs  come  to  the  knowledge 
of  his  own  nothingness.  For  when 
a  man  sees  his  own  emptiness,  and 
learns  that  he  is  destitute  in  iiimself 
of  everything  that  is  good,  be  begins 
to  pray  the  more  earnestly  for  the 
grace  and  mercy  of  God.  He  pants 
after,  and  betakes  himself  to  God,  as 
to  the  origin  and  fountain  of  all  good 
things;  desiring  to  know  him  aright, 
to  praise  him,  and  to  honor  him  as  be 
should.  This  desire  being  thus  be- 
gotten in  him,  he  pours  out  his  heart 
by  himself,  and  saj's,  "  When  shall  I 
come  and  appear  before  God?"  In 
this  humility  be  looks  at  God's  majesty 
and  greatness,  as  also  at  his  supera- 
bundant love  and  grace.  And  here- 
upon the  streams  of  grace  flow  down 
into  such  a  faithful,  humble  soul,  by 
prayer.  And  divine  grace  being  thus 
communicated  to  the  thirsty  soul, 
there  is  hereby  begotten  in  it  a  spirit 
of  prayer,  which  ceases  not  to  ascend 


240 


TEUE  CHEISTIAXITY. 


[Book  II. 


in  holj  aspirations,  and  to  bring  down 
the  blessings  of  peace  and  righteous- 
ness. Through  such  grace  of  God 
there  is  a  descent  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
into  the  soul,  whose  influences  thereby 
grow  continually  stronger  and  strong- 
er: and  the  "love  of  God"  is  by  this 
means  "shed  abroad  in  our  hearts  by 
the  Holy  Ghost"  (Eom.  5:5),  which 
is  given  to  us  through  the  prayer  of 
humility.  For  when  the  believing 
soul,  conscious  of  her  own  vileness, 
reflects  upon  the  humiliation  of  the 
Son  of  God,  and  beholds  him  hum- 
bling himself  so  as  not  only  to  put  off 
the  form  of  God^  that  he  might  appear 
in  that  of  man^  but  even  to  suffer  the 
greatest  of  evils  in  this  vile  form,  for 
the  vilest  of  his  creatures;  by  this  re- 
flection and  consideration,  he  is  not 
only  made  humble,  but  hence,  also,  in 
this  his  humility,  there  springs  up  a 
most  noble  flame  of  love  to  God, 
which  burns  more  and  more  day  by 
day.  And  in  this  divine  flame  of  love, 
the  soul,  being  attracted  by  faith  to 
God,  is  hence  made  to  love  all  men  in 
God,  and  in  Christ ;  as  calling  to  mind 
the  exceeding  great  love  of  the  God- 
head towards  mankind;  and  particu- 
larly how  her  Heavenly  Father  has  in 
Christ  loved  her,  and  called  her  to  the 
jDarticipation  of  his  goodness.  When 
thus  the  soul  is  di'awn  to  God^  and  in- 
cluded in  his  love,  the  consequence  is 
this,  that  as  to  all  those  who  are  be- 
loved by  God,  the  soul  also  cannot  but 
love  in  like  manner  as  God  lovetli 
them. 

5.  Hence  it  follows,  that  if  any  good 
befall  our  neighbor,  charity  will  re- 
joice; but  if  any  evil  happen  to  him, 
it  will  sorrow.  And  the  humble  and 
the  charitable  person,  behaving  him- 
self courteously  and  lovingly  towards 
Ais  neighbor  on  all  occasions,  does  not 
rashly  judge  him,  if  he  behold  his 


misery;  much  less  does  he  behav. 
himself  haughtily  and  superciliously 
towards  him,  or  treat  him  with  con- 
tempt. 1  Cor.  13  :  4.  For  the  soul  that 
is  truly  humble,  can  never  so  put  off 
the  sense  of  her  own  misery  and  vile- 
ness, as  to  despise  another,  or  to  es- 
teem herself  better  than  any;  for  she 
remembers  the  mire  out  of  which  she 
herself  has  been  delivered.  And  while 
she  stands,  she  knows  well  enouffh 
that  she  does  not  stand  by  her  own 
strength,  but  solely  by  the  help  of  di- 
vine grace. 

6.  Humble  charity  judges  itself  in 
the  first  place^  examines  itself  before 
all,  and  influences  us  to  condemn  our- 
selves rather  than  others:  and  a 
neighbor's  calamity  will  cause  the 
soul  to  descend  into  herself,  and  de- 
plore herself  before  God.  In  another's 
fall,  the  lowly  and  loving  soul  reads 
her  own  defaults,  her  own  sins  and 
transgressions,  her  own  calamity  and 
misery. 

7.  Moreover,  by  humility  a  man  is 
confirmed  in  the  knowledge  of  Gocl 
and  established  in  hope.  Having  a 
consciousness  of  his  own  ignorance, 
blindness,  and  folly,  in  divine  matters, 
he  gives  thanks  to  God  for  the  revela- 
tion of  his  word,  and  imprints  it  more 
diligently  on  his  heart.  But  consider- 
ing also,  that  as  he  has  no  knowledge 
of  God  and  divine  things  in  himself, 
so  lil^ewise  all  his  own  abilities  are 
nothing  before  God :  he  is  hence  es- 
tablished in  a  godly  hope,  placing  his 
confidence  in  nothing  but  God  only. 

8.  Another  fruit  of  humility  is,  that 
it  renders  a  man  accei:)table  to  others, 
even  in  the  very  outward  course  of  his 
life.  For  it  avoids  contentions  and 
quarrels,  and  composes  the  whole  man 
to  gentleness  and  benignity.  Yea,  a 
man  is  conformed  b}^  means  of  it  even 
to  Christ  himself,  who  says  in  one  of 


Chap.  XXTL] 


TEUE  CIIEISTIANITY. 


241 


the  Psalms:  "But  I,  as  a  deaf  man, 
heard  not;  and  I  was  as  a  dumb  man 
that  opcneth  not  his  moutb.  Thus  I 
•was  as  ii  man  that  hcarctb  not,  and  in 
whose  moutb  are  no  rej^roofs."  Ps. 
38: 13,  14.  Sucb  a  faithful  and  bum- 
ble man  as  this  is  a  living  member  of 
Christ,  in  whom  Christ  livctb. 

9.  Besides,  humility  brings  with  it 
true  inward  peace  of  the  mind;  so 
that  he  who  is  the  possessor  of  it  can 
by  no  miseries  and  calamities  what- 
ever be  unduly  distressed  or  disquiet- 
ed, but  ma}^  with  St.  Paul  say  :  "  AVho 
shall  separate  us  from  the  love  of 
Christ?"  Eomans  8:35.  And  be  is 
mindful  always  of  that  saying:  "My 
grace  is  sufficient  for  thee."  2  Cor. 
12:9. 

10.  True  humility  also  begets  si- 
lence. He  who  is  endued  therewith, 
as  he  is  sensible  of  his  own  ignorance 
and  foolishness,  will  beware  of  speak- 
ing a  great  deal,  or  of  being  over-for- 
ward to  teach  others. 

11.  In  short,  it  is  impossible  to 
enumerate  how  many  spiritual  bene- 
fits and  fruits,  how  many  heavenly 


treasures  of  virtues  and  graces,  arc 
comprehended  in,  and  flow  from,  this 
most  noble  virtue;  so  that  it  may  de- 
servedly be  regarded  as  a  spiritual 
treasury.  It  is,  therefore,  not  without 
reason,  that  the  Son  of  God,  our  light, 
life,  salvation,  and  treasure,  would 
have  us  to  learn  it  even  of  himself.  O 
that  this  holy  wish  of  our  Lord  might 
be  fulfilled  by  all  Christians ;  and  that 
they  would  with  all  diligence  learn 
from  Ilim  this  most  excellent  virtue! 

12.  If  it  be  asked,  What  is  the  means 
for  acquiring  this  virtue,  and  by  what 
way  may  one  arrive  at  so  great  a  treas- 
ure, which  abounds  so  richly  in  the 
gifts  of  celestial  grace  ?  I  answer,  that 
there  are  two  :  first,  ardent  and  devout 
prayer;  and  secondly,  constant  medi- 
tation on  Christ  crucified.  Let  us  look 
earnestly  to  the  passion  and  death  of 
Christ,  and  let  us  meditate  on  it,  as 
on  a  holy  Book  of  life,  till  this  root  of 
the  Christian  virtues,  with  all  which 
accompany  it,  grow  up  day  by  day  in 
our  hearts,  as  in  a  fruitful  and  well- 
cultivated  soul. 


CHAPTER  XXIL 

ALL  THE  WORKS  OF  A  TRUE  CHRISTIAN   MUST  BE  DONE    IN  HUMILITY,  OR  THEY 
WILL,  OTHERWISE,  BECOME  AN  ABOMINATION  AND  IDOLATRY. 


That  which  is  highly  esteemed  among  men  is  abomination  in  the  sight  of  God. — Luke  16  :  15. 


ALL  works  that  are  a  well-pleasing 
and  acceptable  sacrifice  to  God, 
can  proceed  from  true  faith  alone; 
this  will  not  fail  to  beget  Christian 
humility  in  the  heart.  The  efi'ect  of 
this  will  be  meekly  to  acknowledge 
that  with  regard  to  any  good  that 
may  be  found  in  us,  it  is  whollj'  and 
solely  to  be  ascribed  to  the  grace  of 


God  :  "  ^^ot  I,  but  the  grace  of  God 
which  was  with  me."  1  Cor.  15  :  10. 
He  who  does  not  do  this,  commits  two 
sins  :  the  first  is,  apostasy  from  God, 
by  turning  himself  from  God  towards 
himself,  that  is,  from  the  Supreme 
Being,  towards  that  which  is  in  itself 
nothing.  The  second  is  sacrilege,  by 
taking  to  himself  that  honor  which  is 


16 


242 


TEUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


[Book  II. 


due  to  none  but  God;  to  whom,  and 
not  to  man,  ever3'thing  that  may  be 
called  good  belongs.  He,  therefore, 
that  doeth  not  all  things  in  humility, 
steals  from  God  the  glory  due  to  him. 
For  when  God  says  :  "  I  will  not  give 
my  glory  to  another,  neither  my  praise 
to  gi*aven  images"  (Isaiah  42  :  8) ;  he 
shows  that  all  glory  and  praise  are 
due  to  him  alone. 

2.  If,  therefore,  any  man  applaud 
himself,  either  for  knowing  or  doing 
anj'thirig,  verily  that  man  takes  to 
himself  the  glory  which  is  due  to  God 
only,  and  is  thereby  an  idolater  of 
himself  For  this  reason,  ambition  is 
abominable  idolatry :  and  sell-love,  and 
self-esteem,  are  no  less  than  having 
another  God  before  him  whose  name 
is  Jehovah.  For  this  very  reason  also, 
the  devil  seeks  to  be  honored  and  wor- 
shipped in  the  world. 

3.  Such  a  vainglorious  devil,  covet- 
ous of  honor  and  worship  from  the 
world,  every  proud  and  arrogant  per- 
son, by  thinking  highly  of  himself, 
cherishes  in  his  heart.  If  thou  be 
wise,  see  that  thou  break  down  and 
destroy  this  idol,  which  is  set  up  in 
thy  heart.  Many  persons  are  so  hoi}- 
that  they  will  not  even  look  upon  any 
outward  images,  lest  thc}^  should  hap- 
pen to  be  defiled  b}^  them ;  not  observ- 
ing, at  the  same  time,  that  great  idol 
which  they  carry  about  with  them  in 
their  hearts,  and  by  which  they  are 
1o  such  a  degree  defiled  as  to  become 
an  abomination  before  God.  For  all 
that  is  most  highly  esteemed  by  men 
(through  self-love  and  ambition)  is  an 
abomination  before  God.  Whence  all 
who  seek  only  their  own  honor,  or 
power,  or  ascribe  aught  to  themselves 
as  their  own,  are  idolaters.  Thus  the 
whole  world  lieth  in  idolatry;  and 
every  house  has  its  living  idols. 

4.  That  idolatry  which  defiles  thee, 


proceeds  from  within,  even  from  the 
heart.  To  whatsoever  thy  heart  in- 
clines, in  whatsoever  it  acquiesces  and 
rests,  and  unto  whatsoever  it  cleaves 
by  love  and  inclination,  whether  it  be 
good  fortune,  wealth,  honor,  power,  or 
long  life;  that  very  thing  immediately 
becomes  an  idol,  and  has  seduced  thee 
into  the  sin  of  idolatry.  Idolatry  is 
not  any  outward  pollution ;  but  that 
which  is  internal,  spiritual^  and  spring 
ing  up  within.  It  is  so  that  God  con- 
siders it;  He  judges  all  things  accord 
ing  to  the  heart;  and  it  is  so  only  that 
he  looks,  trying  the  hearts  and  reins  ! 
(Ps.  7  :  9),  and  judging  of  all  things 
according  to  the  faith  or  unbelief  there 
found  by  him.  Whence  Christ  has 
also  plainly  told  thee,  Where  thy 
treasure  is,  there  will  thy  heart  be 
also"  (Matt.  6  :  21);  that  is,  thy  God, 
thy  rest,  thy  peace,  thy  trust  will  be 
there;  and  there  will  be  thy  paradise, 
yea,  there  will  heaven  and  all  things 
be  to  thee.  Observe  closely  what  that 
object  is  on  which  thy  heart  loves  to 
dwell,  for  it  is  surely  thy  God,  what- 
ever its  nature  may  be.  If  thy  heart, 
cleave  fast  to  God  only,  then  is  Se 
thy  God,  and  blessed  art  thou  :  ac- 
cording as  it  is  w^ritten  :  Happy  are 
the  people  whose  God  is  the  Lord." 
Ps.  144  : 15.  And  again,  "  Delight  th} 
self  also  in  the  Lord,  and  he  shall  give 
thee  the  desire  of  ihy  heart."  Ps.  37. 
4.  But  if  thy  mind  cleave  to  the  world, 
then  the  world  is  thy  God.  And  so 
of  the  rest. 

5.  It  hence  appears  that  there  are 
really  in  the  world  no  other  idols  but 
such  as  the  heart  of  man  makes  for 
him.  The  devil  himself  is  called  ''  the 
god  of  this  world  "  (2  Cor.  4  : 4),  be- 
cause the  ungodly  follow  him,  do  his 
deeds,  love  darkness,  and  take  pleas- 
ure in  the  works  of  the  devil.  And 
thus  men  make  a  god  even  of  Satan- 


Chap.  XXIT]  TRUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


24« 


6.  Idols  of  wood  are  easily  avoided, 
but  take  heed  of  the  idols  of  gold. 
See  that  thou  be  not  ensnared  by 
these.  It  is  no  hard  matter  to  keep 
from  dead  idols;  but  take  heed  that 
thou  worship  not  living  ones^  and  es- 
peciall}'  thyself.  As  soon  as  thou  as- 
cribest  honor,  skill,  or  power  to  thy- 
self, thou  settest  up  thj'self  in  the 
place  of  God.  This  idolatry  is  prop- 
erly struck  at  by  God,  when  he  saj^s 
that  he  "  will  not  give  his  glory  to 
another."  Isa.  42  :  8.  For  whatsoever 
is,  or  is  called  by  the  name  of  honor 
and  glory,  is  due  to  none  but  him,  who 
is  the  Most  High,  and  the  most  Holy 
One,  and  the  sovereign  and  everlast- 
ing Good.  "Whosoever,  therefore,  thou 
art,  that  wouldest  not  make  an  idol 
of  thyself,  nor  pollute  thy  works  with 
the  foulest  of  abominations  before 
I  God,  learn  hence,  not  to  ascribe  to  thy- 
'  self  honor,  or  glory,  or  praise  ;  know- 
ing that  it  is  true  humility  to  shun 
honor,  and  to  account  one's  self  un- 

■  worthy  of  all  glory.  When  thou  shalt 
do  this,  and  shalt  have  mortified  all 
ambition  and  self-esteem,  then  thou 
shalt  be  known  to  be  dead  to  the 
world  indeed.  From  this  springs  up 
the  new  man,  in  whom,  is  found  the 
most  noble  life  of  Christ;  which  life, 
he  himself  has  described  as  being 
meekness  and  lowliness  of  heart.  Matt. 
11 :  29.  He,  on  the  contrary,  is  still 
carnal,  and  Lves  after  the  flesh,  ac- 
cording to  the  old  birth,  who  would 
be  honored  and  greatl}^  esteemed  :  be- 

■  cause  it  is  the  nature  of  the  carnal 
man  to  endeavor  to  be,  or  to  be  ac- 
counted above  all  others.  But  if  any 
man  seek  to  be  accounted  nothing  of, 
be  has  a  heart  truly  spiritual  and 

I  Christian.  But  alas  !  where  shall  we 
j  now  find  the  true  Christians,  that  is, 
1  such  as  are  willing  to  be  slighted,  and 
j  to  be  reputed  as  nothing?    For,  as 

I 


hath  been  said  before,  it  is  the  prop, 
erty  of  the  true  followers  of  Christ, 
to  deny  themselves,  to  hate  them- 
selves, to  despise  themselves,  and  to 
renounce  all  that  is  theirs^  for  his 
sake.  Matt.  10:38;  Luke  9:  23.  Such 
are  indeed  genuine  Christians. 

7.  If  any  one  should  here  ask  of  me, 
AVhat  then  is  a  Christian  to  do,  if  it 
please  God  so  to  honor  him  as  to  give 
him  grace  and  glory  before  the  world 
(Ps.  84  : 11),  as  in  the  case  of  Daniel : 
and,  since  God  has  appointed  certain 
distinctions  among  men,  several  orders, 
states,  and  oflSces ;  and  has  for  that 
end  variously  distributed  his  gifts 
among  them,  What  is  the  duty  of  a 
Christian,  if  he  be  advanced  to  some 
post  of  dignity  ?  I  answer.  If  this  be 
thy  lot,  then  render  all  the  honor 
which  is  conferred  upon  thee  to  God 
again;  and  ascribe  nothing  to  thy- 
self which  is  the  right  of  another,  or 
take  that  to  be  thine  which  is  God's 
only. 

8.  As  soon,  therefore,  as  any  honor 
is  given  thee,  see  that,  being  mindful 
of  thy  low  estate,  thou  transfer  it  all 
to  God,  and  keep  nothing  thereof  to 
thyself  If  thou  neglectest  to  do  this, 
and  shouldest  be  induced  to  attribute 
anything  to  thyself,  it  is  certain  that 
thou  must  thereby  lose  divine  grace, 
while,  with  a  sacrilegious  impiety, 
thou  invadest  that  which  of  right  be- 
longs to  God.  So  if  thou  excel  others 
in  spiritual  or  natural  gifts,  in  wisdom 
or  skill,  wealth  or  dignity,  be  watchful 
not  to  take  this  honor  to  thyself;  yea, 
let  it  be  thy  joy  and  delight  to  offer 
all  up  to  God  again,  from  a  most  deep 
and  intimate  devotion  of  thy  heart. 
This  thou  wilt  not  fail  to  do,  and  to 
give  that  glory  to  Him  which  is  due, 
when  thou  shalt  glory  in  nothing  but 
in  Him  only,  according  to  the  words 
of  the  Prophet :  "  Let  not  the  wise 


244 


TRUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


[Book  II. 


man  glory  in  his  wisdom;  neither  let 
the  mighty  man  glory  in  his  might; 
let  not  the  rich  man  glory  in  his 
riches:  but  let  him  that  glorieth,  glory 
in  this,  that  he  understandeth  and 


knoweth  me,  that  I  am  the  Lord 
which  exercise  loving-kindness,  judg- 
ment, and  righteousness  in  the  earth; 
for  in  these  things  I  delight,  saith  the 
Lord."  Jer.  9  :  23,  24. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 


A  MAN  WHO  DOES  NOT  PERCEIVE  HIS  OWN  EMPTINESS,  AND  DOES  NOT  GIVE 
ALL  THE  HONOR  TO  GOD,  COMMITS  THE  GREATEST  OF  SINS,  AND  FALLS  LIKE 
SATAN. 

Verily  every  man  at  his  best  state  is  altogether  vanity. — Ps.  39  :  5. 


TO  the  end  that  man  may  acknowl- 
edge his  own  vanity,  he  is  com- 
pared by  the  Psalmist  (Ps.  39  ;  144  : 4), 
to  a  shadow;  and  again  in  another 
place  (Ps.  90:5),  to  a  dream.  Now 
what  is  a  shadow  ?  It  is  a  lifeless  re- 
semblance of  that  thing  on  which  it 
depends;  and  has  in  itself  neither 
substance  nor  life,  but  is  nothing. 
In  like  manner,  man  of  himself  has 
neither  substance,  life,  strength,  nor 
indeed  any  ability  whatsoever;  but 
depends  on  God,  even  as  a  shadow  on 
the  body,  or  as  light  on  the  sun. 

2.  Whosoever,  therefore,  so  forgets 
himself  as  not  to  depend  on  God,  who 
alone  is  all  in  all,  ''thinking  himself 
to  be  something  when  he  is  nothing, 
he  deceiveth  himself"  Gal.  6  :  3.  He 
falls  from  the  true  eternal  and  Sov- 
ereign Being  into  his  own  nothing- 
ness; from  the  unchangeable  Good 
into  vanity ;  from  truth  itself  into  a 
lie. 

3.  This  is  not  only  the  greatest  of 
sins,  but  of  punishments  also.  For 
the  more  man  turns  from  God  to  him- 
self, the  more  he  approaches  extreme 
misery  and  calamity.  And  man  by 
this  means,  even  by  turning  himself 


away  from  God,  towards  his  own  fac- 
ulties and  powers,  in  truth  punishes 
thereby  the  very  sin  which  he  com- 
mits. He  is  then  accounted  to  turn 
himself  away  from  God,  and  to  for- 
sake "  the  rock  of  his  salvation " 
(Deut.  32  :  15),  whenever  he  ascribes 
to  himself  any  degree  of  power  oi 
strength,  art  or  skill,  wisdom,  or 
honor,  or  merit,  so  as  to  be  willing 
to  be  thought  somebody,  and  to  be 
much  accounted  of ;  when,  in  very 
deed,  all  these  in  no  wise  belong  to 
man,  or  to  any  creature,  but  to  God 
only.  Every  creature  is  but  a  mere 
shadow,  and  of  itself  merely  nothing; 
even  so  as  the  life,  substance,  faculty, 
wisdom,  powers,  and  strength  which 
it  seems  to  have,  are  not  properly  its 
own,  but  are  God's  only. 

4.  Wherefore,  as  soon  as  a  man  as- 
cribes all  or  any  of  these  to  himself, 
he  becomes  guilty  of  apostasy  from 
God.  Nor  indeed  was  the  devil's  apos- 
tasy aught  else,  but  the  not  abiding 
within  the  bounds,  duties,  and  prop- 
erties of  a  creature,  which  has  all  its 
life,  substance,  and  ability  in  God,  and 
ought  to  hold  the  same  from  him,  as 
the  shadow  does  with  respect  to  the 


Chap.  XXIY.]  TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


245 


body  and  the  motion  thereof.  For 
any  one,  therefore,  to  ascribe  those 

;  things  to  himself  which  arc  God's;  or 
to  challenge  to  himself  honor,  glory, 

i  wisdom,  or  esteem  (forasmuch  as  none 
of  these  suit  a  creature,  but  are  all  to 
be  transferred  to  God  alone,  to  whom 
they  really  appertain),  is  properly  to 
fall  like  Satan.  Hence  God  permitted 
him  to  fall,  not  sustaining  him  any 
longer  with  his  grace,  which  was  by 
him  disowned.  The  same  thing  must 
befall  all  men  who,  through  pride  and 
ambition,  presume  to  arrogate  to  them- 
selves any  of  those  things  which  are 
God's.  They  are  not  upheld  by  the 
grace  of  God,  who  arrogantly  turn 
themselves  away  from  Gcxi,  affecting 
to  be  as  God.  God  alone  being  All  in 
all,  and  moreover  being  the  only  Good, 
or  the  one  Good,  and  the  all-Good  es- 
sentially; it  would  be  most  unreason- 
able for  any  creature  to  claim  to  itself 
aught  of  that  which  is  good.  Ilence 
our  blessed  Lord  saitb,  "There  is  none 
good  but  one,  that  is  God"  (Matt.  19 : 
17);  meaning,  that  he  is  the  essential 
Good,  and  he  alone  is  all  that  is  good. 
This  property  of  God,  our  Saviour  was 
not  willing  to  take  unto  himself  in  his 


state  of  humiliation,  forasmuch  as  he 
was  then  held  to  be  no  more  than  a 
mere  man ;  that  thus,  by  his  most 
bright  example,  he  might  instruct  us 
that  man  ought  not  to  ascribe  to  him- 
self the  things  w^iich  are  God's. 

5.  When  man  does  otherwise,  he 
commits  the  greatest  of  all  sins,  and, 
aiming  at  divinity,  stains  himself 
thereby  with  a  most  nefarious  sacri- 
lege, being  turned  from  God  to  him- 
self. And  as  many  as  are  in  this  con- 
dition, seek  help,  counsel,  and  comfort, 
not  from  God  on]y,  as  the}:-  ought,  but 
from  creatures,  and  sometimes  even 
from  the  devil  himself  But  Avhat 
greater  madness,  or  what  worse  blind- 
ness is  there,  than  to  expect  good 
from  evil,  life  from  death,  blessedness 
from  the  damned,  help  from  the  help- 
less, blessedness  from  the  accursed, 
and  light  from  darkness  ?  Whereas, 
on  the  other  hand,  it  is  the  highest 
wisdom  to  look  for  good  from  the 
source  of  all  good,  to  seek  life  from 
the  fountain  of  life,  to  expect  blessed- 
ness from  the  spring  of  salvation,  and 
to  go  for  help  to  him  who  can  do  all 
things,  and  "  with  whom  nothing  is 
impossible."  Luke  1 :  37. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 


OF  THE  NOBLE  VIRTUE  OF  LOVE,  AND  OF   ITS  POWER,  SOUNDNESS^  AND  PURITY. 
He  that  loveth  not,  knoweth  not  God;  for  God  is  love. — 1  John  4  :  8. 


LOYE,  says  St.  Paul,  is  the  greatest 
of  all  virtues,  and  without  it  all 
gifts  are  unprofitable  (1  Cor.  13  :  13); 
therefore  he  admonishes  us,  saying, 
"Let  all  your  things  be  done  with 
charity."  1  Cor.  16  :  14.  Accordingly 
we  are  to  pray  with  charity,  as  our 


Lord  says  :  "  If  thou  bring  thy  gift  to 
the  altar,  and  there  rememberest  that 
thy  brother  hath  aught  against  thee 3 
go  thy  way;  first  be  reconciled  to  thy 
brother."  Matt.  5  :  23,  24.  And  in  the 
Lord's  Prayer/ourforgiving  our  neigh- 
bor's debts,  or  trespasses,  is  strictly 


246 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  II. 


joined  to  God's  forgiving  ours.  Matt. 
6  :  12,  14,  15. 

2.  Love  is,  however,  so  singular  a 
virtue,  that  a  man  may  mistake  there- 
in as  easily  as  in  anything  else.  There- 
fore nothing  ought  to  be  looked  upon 
with  a  more  suspicious  eye  than  love ; 
for  there  is  nothing  which  can  so  power- 
fully incline,  force,  or  restrain,  and  so 
thoroughly  penetrate  the  mind,  as  love. 
Therefore,  if  love  be  not  ruled  by  the 
true  light,  the  Holy  Ghost,  it  precipi- 
tates the  soul  into  a  thousand  calam- 
ities. 

3.  And  this  I  do  not  say  with  respect 
to  the  love  of  evil;  for  this,  as  a  dia- 
bolical thing,  is  by  all  Christians  to  be 
avoided;  but  I  speak  of  that  love  which 
is  betwixt  God,  and  man,  and  his  neigh- 
bor. Love,  when  not  regulated  by  di- 
vine wisdom,  can  easily  be  deceived, 
misled,  and  thrust  out  of  its  due  order, 
so  as  not  to  reach  the  true  end.  Many 
think  they  have  the  love  of  God  in 
their  souls,  and  yet  have  the  love  of 
the  world,  or  their  own  love,  nay,  it 
ma}^  be  the  love  of  Satan. 

4.  Take  an  instance  of  this  fact : 
any  one  that  loves  the  Lord  God  only 
for  the  sake  of  temporal  things,  that 
he  may  be  preserved  by  him  from  tem- 
poral misfortunes,  loves  himself  more 
than  God,  and  prefers  his  own  welfare 
before  God.  This  is  called  inordinate 
love.  He  ought  to  love  God  more  than 
himself,  nay,  love  him  above  all  things ; 
and  all  things,  both  good  and  evil  days, 
he  ought  to  love  for  the  sake  of  God. 

5.  But  when  man  prefers  himself  to 
the  love  of  God,  he  surely  makes  him- 
self God,  by  loving  himself  more  than 
God;  and  whilst  he  loves  not  God  as 
God,  for  his  sake,  but  merely  for  his 
own  private  interest,  he  has  a  false 
and  deceitful  love.  He  that  has  such  a 
love,  loves  all  things  for  his  own  sake, 
for  the  profit  and  honor  which  he  reaps  | 


from  them.  He  loves  also  holy  men, 
nay,  the  very  -word  of  God,  for  this 
reason  on]y,  that  it  may  afford  him  a 
show  and  name  of  holiness,  but  not 
for  the  sake  of  that  excellent  Good 
which  lies  hid  therein. 

6.  And  because  such  a  love  is  impure, 
it  brings  forth  impure  fruits,  which  are 
self-interest^  sell"  honor,  self  lust;  all 
which  are  carnal  and  earthly,  not 
heavenly  and  spiritual  ft'uits.  Thus 
many  love  great  skill  and  learniiiir^ 
that  they  ma}'  be  preferred  to  others, 
and  may  rule  over  them  ;  not  from  u 
2:)rinciple  of  iove  to  God  and  their 
neighbor,  but  from  a  love  to  them- 
selves, thinking  thereby  to  gain  great 
honors  and  preferments. 

7.  There  are  others  also  who  love 
God  that  he  may  spare  them,  and  not 
punish  them  for  their  sins  in  dreadful 
severity;  nay,  that  he  may  be  bounti- 
ful to  them  in  this  present  time;  but 
this,  alas!  is  a  very  weak  love.  For 
these  love  God  for  their  own  profit, 
and  not  for  his  ow^n  sake,  or  not  bj 
reason  of  his  being  the  most  excellent 
and  highest  Good. 

8.  Others  love  God  that  he  may  be- 
stow upon  them  many  gifts  in  under- 
standing and  wisdom,  whereby  they 
might  gain  a  great  reputation. 

9.  Some  also  love  virtue,  not  for  the 
sake  of  virtue  itself,  but  that  they  may 
obtain  a  great  name,  and  be  looked 
upon  as  brave,  virtuous  men,  and  men 
famous  for  their  honesty  and  piety. 
All  this  is  not  true  love,  for  it  tends 
not  to  the  right  end. 

10.  There  is  often  also  love  betwixt 
some  persons  uniting  themselves  by  a 
love  of  their  own,  which  increases  in 
them  so  much  that  the}^  are  pleased 
with  everything  done  by  him  whom 
they  love.  For  love  always  follows 
its  beloved,  and  cleaves  wholly  unto 
him.    And  thereby  one  is  often  in- 


Chap.  XXIY.] 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


247 


volved  and  drawn  aside  into  evil ;  or 
even  the  lover  himself  allures  Ins  be- 
loved to  it,  because  he  knows  that  so 
it  pleases  him;  and  by  this  false  and 
deceitful  love  he  is  hindered  from 
prayer  and  all  other  Christian  virtues. 

11.  Therefore  it  is  highly  necessary 
that  our  love  should  be  guided  and 
ruled  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  by  our 
meditations  on  the  whole  life  of  Christ 
and  his  holy  sufferings,  out  of  which 
nothing  but  pure  love  shines  forth. 
He  loved  God  purely,  above  all  things, 
and  not  himself  He  loved  man  with 
a  pure,  un defiled  love,  and  not  him- 
self He  did  and  spake  nothing  for 
his  own  sake,  but  all  for  ours.  What- 
soever he  did  and  spoke  was  for  our 
benefit;  he  was  not  profited  by  it,  but 
we  were.  All  his  pains  and  labors, 
nay,  his  greatest  torments  and  afflic- 
tions, were  not  too  hard  or  heavy  for 
him,  that  we  might  be  benefited  and 
saved  thereby;  nay,  his  very  cross 
was  joy  unto  him,  tiiat  he  might  fulfil 
the  will  of  God  his  Father. 

12.  That  is  a  pure,  undefiled  love  for 
which  nothing  is  too  difficult,  which 
complains  of  nothing,  nay,  which 
spares  not  itself,  but  gives  itself  for 
the  beloved's  sake,  even  unto  death. 
Whatsoever  crosses  and  sufferings  God 
sends,  this  love  regards  as  good.  It 
sees  that  it  is  the  holy  will  of  God, 
and  therefore  it  would  rather  suffer 
much  more  for  the  same,  and  is  very 
well  contented  with  everything  that 
God  willeth ;  for  it  knows  that  God 
orders  all  thin^^s  rio-ht  and  well. 

13.  And  as  love  unites  itself  to  the 
beloved,  it  learns  also  his  manners, 
follows  him  for  his  love's  sake,  and 
does  that  which  is  well-pleasing  unto 
him:  so  he  that  loves  Christ  rightly 
learns  of  him  his  manner  of  life  and 
his  virtues,  for  he  knows  it  is  well- 
pleasing  unto  him.   He  conforms  him- 


self to  his  image,  and  remains  all  his 
life  under  the  yoke  and  cross  of  Christ, 
even  as  Christ,  during  his  whole  life^ 
bore  the  cross  of  poverty,  contempt, 
and  pains.  And  although  no  man  in 
this  frail  state  can  attain  unto  perfect 
love,  yet  every  Christian  is  to  labor, 
that  his  love  be  not  false,  but  as  pure 
as  possible,  according  to  what  St.  Paul 
says,  "  Love  out  of  a  pure  heart,  and 
of  a  good  conscience,  and  of  faith  un- 
feigned." 1  Tim.  1  :  5. 

14.  This  pure  love,  derived  from 
Christ  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  works  in 
man  every  good  thing,  and  is  never 
idle.  It  is  its  joy  to  do  good,  for  it 
can  do  nothing  else  ;  even  as  the  Lord 
God  says,  "  I  will  rejoice  over  them  to 
do  them  good."  Jer.  32:41.  Why? 
Because  God  is  love  itself,  which  can 
do  nothing  else  but  that  which  it  is  in 
its  own  being.  And  this  is  a  sign  of 
pure  and  true  love.  For  this  love  doea 
not  say,  "  I  am  not  obliged  to  do  this 
or  that;"  but  where  it  has  no  law, 
there  it  is  a  law  unto  itself,  only  that 
it  may  do  much  good;  for  otherwise 
love  would  not  continue  to  be  love. 

15.  Hence  it  is  plain  whj^  God  Al- 
mighty is  never  weary  of  doing  good; 
and  why  he  is  that  infinite  Good  which 
never  ceases  to  be.  He  is  everlasting 
love,  which  cannot  desist  from  doing 
good,  or  else  he  would  cease  to  be 
love.  Therefore,  even  when  he  pun- 
ishes and  chastises,  he  draws  all  good 
out  of  evil,  directing  it  to  a  good  end, 
even  to  our  salvation. 

16.  This  pure  love  of  God  causes  us 
to  \)v^y  aright.  For  as  a  friend  has 
his  friend  at  his  disposal  in  all  things, 
so  also  such  a  lover  of  God  is  a  friend 
of  God,  and  obtains  from  him  that  for 
which  he  pra^'S.  Therefore,  because 
Lazarus's  sister  knew  the  Lord  Jesus 
to  be  not  only  a  friend,  but  also  the 
Son  of  God,  she  said,  "  I  know  that 


248 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  II. 


even  now  whatsoever  thou  wilt  ask  of 
God,  God  will  give  it  thee"  (John 
11:22);  and  because  Mary  loved  Je- 
sus, she  was  heard  by  the  Lord,  and 
he  restored  her  brother  unto  her.  Of 
such  a  love  as  obtains  from  God  all 
things,  holy  David  saith,  '^Delight 
thyself  also  in  the  Lord,  and  he  shall 
give  thee  the  desires  of  thine  heart." 
Ps.  37:4. 

17.  But  in  order  that  thou  maj-est 
have  a  characteristic  mark  of  this  love, 
observe  these  four  properties  of  true 
love.  1.  Love  submits  itself  to  the 
will  of  the  beloved.  2.  True  love 
abandons  all  friendship  which  is  con- 
trary to  its  beloved.  3.  One  friend 
reveals  his  heart  unto  the  other.  4. 
A  true  lover  endeavors  to  be  made 
conformable  to  his  beloved,  in  his  man- 
ners, and  in  all  his  life.  Is  the  be- 
loved poor,  the  lover  will  be  poor  with 
h.\m.  Is  the  beloved  despised,  the 
lover  also  bears  his  contempt.  Is  he 
sick,  the  lover  is  sick  too.  Thus  love 
makes  an  equality  between  them,  so 
that  they  have  the  same  prosperity 
and  adversity.  For  there  must  be 
such  a  communion  between  the  lover 
and  the  beloved,  as  that  each  of  them 
shall  be  made  partaker  of  the  other's 
good  as  well  as  ill.  This,  then,  is  not 
uuly  a  communion,  but  a  union  or 
uniting  of  two  minds  like  each  other, 
and  of  two  hearts  which  are  alike. 

18.  After  such  a  manner  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  is  become  our  Friend. 
For,  1.  His  love  submitted  itself  to  the 


will  of  man,  and  was  obedient  unto 
the  cross :  nay,  for  the  sake  of  man 
he  submitted  his  will  to  every  one, 
even  to  his  enemies.  2.  He  neglected 
all  other  friendship  that  he  could  have 
had  in  the  world  ;  nay,  he  even  forgot 
himself,  and  spared  not  his  own  body 
and  life  for  our  eakes.  3.  He  revealed 
in  his  Gospel;  his  heart  unto  us;  there- 
fore he  says,  "  Henceforth  I  call  yoa 
not  servants ;  but  I  have  called  yoa 
friends;  for  all  things  that  I  have 
heard  of  my  Father,  I  have  made 
known  unto  you."  John  15  :  15.  4.  Ho 
was  made  alike  unto  us  in  all  things, 
sin  only  excepted.  Phil.  2  :  7.  He  be- 
came poor  as  we  are,  and  mortal  even 
as  we. 

19.  If  now  we  will  be  his  true  lov- 
ers, we  must  also  do  all  these  things. 
And  seeing  he  was  made  like  unto  us 
in  all  things,  and  in  all  our  misery, 
why  would  not  we  strive  to  be  made 
like  unto  Him?  If  we  thus  love  him, 
we  shall  obtain  from  him  all  things  by 
prayer,  according  to  his  saying,  "  Un- 
to him  that  loveth  me,  I  will  manifest 
myself"  John  14:  21.  O  what  a  friend- 
ly and  delightful  manifestation  in  the 
heart  is  there,  when  we  experience 
heavenly  joy,  wisdom,  and  understand- 
ing !  Here  is  the  only  right  way  to 
acquire  understanding  and  wisdom, 
which  are  so  highly  praised  by  king 
Solomon  in  the  Proverbs. 

20.  We  are,  therefore,  naturally  led 
to  the  conclusion,  that  genuine  praj^er 
cannot  be  offered  without  love. 


Chap.  XXY.] 


TEUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


249 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

SUNDRY  SIGNS  BY  WHICH  WE  MAY  ASCERTAIN  WHETHER  WE  TRULY  LOVE 

CHRIST. 

Jf  any  man  love  the  world,  the  love  of  the  Father  is  not  in  him. — 1  John  2  :  15. 


THE  first  mark  that  the  love  of 
Christ  is  in  us,  is  the  avoiding  of 
the  love  of  the  world.  When  thou 
cousiderest  Christ  in  his  holy  poverty, 
how  he  was  so  entirely  empty  of  love 
to  temporal  things,  his  love  will  also 
actuate  thee  to  learn  that  thou  art  to 
put  off  the  love  of  the  world  and  to 
despise  it;  so  that  thou  wilt  desire 
nothing  here  but  thy  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  and  wilt  not  put  thy  confidence 
in  any  creature,  or  earthly  assistance. 

2.  Second!}^,  thou  wilt  willingly  bear 
rcpi'oach  and  contempt  from  the 
v,-orld,  for  the  sake  of  Christ's  hoi}'  re- 
proach ]  nay,  with  St.  Paul,  thou  wilt 
account  it  thy  glory,  and  rejoice  in  it. 
Eph.  3:13.  ISTor  wilt  thou  be  much 
troubled  when  the  world  makes  no 
great  account  of  thee;  for  such  was 
thy  Lord's  and  Redeemer's  life  in  this 
world.  This  shall  be  thy  full  satisfac- 
tion, that  Christ  is  thy  honor,  renown, 
glory,  light,  strength,  power,  and  vic- 
tory, wisdom,  and  skill.  For  to  follow 
Christ  is  the  highest  wisdom. 

3.  Thirdly,  seeing  that  Christ  in  his 
holy  body  and  soul  has  suffered  pain 
and  sorrow  unto  death,  thou  also,  for 
his  love's  sake,  wilt  not  only  Avith  pa- 
tience, but  even  with  joy,  suffer  sor- 
row, persecution,  distress,  and  afflic- 
tion, nay,  torment  and  pain  unto 
death. 

4.  And,  fourthly,  as  Christ  had  com- 
I  fort  and  joy  in  no  man  nor  in  any 
'  creature,  but  only  in  God,  according 

to  what  is  said  in  Psalm  22,  so  thou 
also  wilt  bear  it  patiently  when  all 


worldly  comfort  leaves  thee.  For  thou 
knowest  that  at  last  God  will  make 
thee  joyful  with  his  everlasting  com- 
fort, of  which  St.  Paul  gives  us  an  ad- 
mirable account  (2  Cor.  6:4,  etc.): 
"Let  us  approve  ourselves  as  the  min- 
isters of  God,  in  much  patience,  in 
afflictions,  in  necessities,  in  distresses, 
in  stripes,  in  imprisonments,  in  tu- 
mults, in  labors,  in  watch ings,  in  fast- 
ings; by  pureness,  by  knowledge,  by 
long-suffering,  by  kindness,  by  the 
Holy  Ghost,  by  love  unfeigned,  by  the 
word  of  truth,  by  the  power  of  God, 
b}^  the  armor  of  righteousness  on  the 
right  hand  and  on  the  left,  by  honor 
and  dishonor,  by  evil  report  and  good 
re})ort :  as  deceivers,  and  yet  true;  as 
unknown,  and  yet  well  known  ;  as  dy- 
ing, and,  behold,  we  live;  as  chastened, 
and  not  killed;  as  sorrowful,  yet  al- 
wa3'S  rejoicing ;  as  poor,  yet  making 
many  rich ;  as  having  nothing,  and 
yet  possessing  all  things.'' 

5.  Fifthly,  thou  shalt  esteem  the 
cross  of  Christ  as  the  highest  good, 
beyond  all  the  treasures  of  the  world. 
If  it  were  not  so,  Christ  would  not 
have  taught  thee  so,  and  put  it  be- 
fore thine  eyes  with  his  own  life 
and  example.  Thou  mayest  easily 
believe  that  the  Son  of  God  would 
not  mislead  thee  by  his  example,  but 
conduct  thee  to  the  highest  wisdom, 
and  to  the  highest  heavenly  joys,  al- 
though the  way  is  strait  and  narrow. 
But  thou  seest  that  he  himself  walked 
in  this  narrow  path.  And  because 
there  are  few  that   follow  him,  he 


250 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  II. 


Bays,  "  Few  tliere  be  that  find  it." 
Matt  7  :  14.  For  it  is  not  an  easy 
tiling  to  conquer  self,  to  deny  self,  to 
die  unto  self,  and  to  renounce  the 
world  and  all  that  we  have.  This  is 
the  narrow  way,  and  few  there  be 
that  find  it. 

6.  The  sixth  mark  of  the  love  of 
Christ  is,  never  to  have  the  beloved 
Jesus  out  of  OLir  tiioughts;  but  to  set 
him  always  before  us  by  faith,  and  to 
consider  the  works  of  his  love. 

7.  As  for  instance:  I.  His  incarna- 
tion, in  wiiich,  as  in  a  Book  of  Life, 
we  see  chiefly  a  twofold  benefit:  1. 
That  he  thereby  fills  us  with  his  love. 
And,  2.  That  he  makes  us  sure  of  our 
eternal  salvation  and  happiness.  O 
what  inexpressible  love  is  this,  that 
God  was  made  man  and  like  man, 
that  he  might  make  men  like  unto 
God !  O  the  greatness  of  love !  he 
took  upon  him  the  form  of  a  servant 
(Phil.  2  :  6-8)  that  he  might  make  us 
kings,  and  adorn  us  with  royal  crowns. 
O  the  greatness  of  love,  that  God,  in- 
comprehensible and  invisible,  should 
be  made  palpable  and  visible!  Who 
is  able  to  fathom  the  deep  abyss  of 
this  love!  O  what  great,  unutterable 
wisdom,  that  out  of  the  great  evil  of 
sin,  thou,  O  Lord,  hast  brought  forth 
such  an  infinite  good,  discovering  there- 
by the  deep  abyss  of  thy  love  !  O  the 
great  comfort  it  is  to  me  to  know  that 
thy  human  birth  is  my  divine  birth, 
and  a  fountain  of  salvation  against  the 
deep  well  of  sin ! 

8.  II.  His  holy  doctrine^  wherein  are 


found  eternal  wisdom,  truth,  Tght,  life 
and  salvation  ;  and  his  holy  life^  where- 
by he  has  shown  us  the  manner,  and 
the  way,  how  to  live  a  truly  Christian 
and  godly  life.  For  the  pattern  of  hia 
holy  life  is  the  most  wonderful  light, 
Avhich  will  not  let  us  walk  in  darkness. 

9.  IIL  The  mystery  of  the  innocent 
death  of  Christ,  in  which  there  are 
seven  particulars  to  be  considered.  I. 
The  fulfilling  of  the  justice  of  God,  and 
of  the  divine  sentence.  2.  The  satis- 
faction for  all  our  sins.  3.  Our  recon- 
ciliation with  God;  for  we  were  recon- 
ciled to  God  by  the  death  of  his  Son. 
Eom.  5  :  10.  4.  The  manifestation  of 
thesupcrabundant  loveof  God  through 
the  death  of  our  Iledeemer.  5.  The 
eternal  truth  of  God,  that  he  has  given 
us  his  Son,  and  thereby  testified  him- 
self to  be  truly  our  Father.  6.  The 
victory  over  all  enemies.  7.  The  ac- 
quiring and  purchase  of  eternal  salva- 
tion and  life. 

10.  IV.  His  resurrection,  which  gives 
us  a  firm  assurance  of  the  resurrection 
of  our  bodies,  and  also  of  that  spiritual 
resurrection,  wherein,  through  the 
grace  of  God,  and  the  power  of  the 
life  of  Christ,  we,  having  been  spirit- 
ually dead,  become  spiritually  alive  in 
Christ.  Eom.  6:4. 

11.  V.  His  ascension,  which  is  a  con- 
summation of  our  eternal  redemption, 
righteousness,  and  salvation. 

12.  These  five  works  of  the  love  of 
Christ  are  the  true  Christian  school 
wherein  we  are  to  study,  never  letting 
them  depart  from  our  thoughts. 


Chap.  XX  VL] 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


251 


CHAPTER  XXYI. 

FIVE  KINDS  OF  WORKS  OF  LOVE.  IN  WHICH  THE  GRACE  AND   GOODNESS    OF  GOD 

ARE  ESPECIALLY  REVEALED. 

The  Lord  loveth  the  gates  of  Zion  more  than  all  the  dwellings  of  Jacob. — Ps.  87  :  2. 


THERE  are  chiefly  five  arguments 
of  the  love  of  God.  1.  Christ's 
incarnation.  2.  His  suffering.  8.  God's 
indwelling  in  us.  4.  God's  love  shining 
forth  out  of  the  creatures.  5.  His 
amiableness  in  his  own  Being,  therein 
surpassing  all  created  things. 

2.  I.  Where  love  is,  there  is  union  ; 
for  it  is  the  nature  of  love  that  it  unites 
itself  with  the  beloved.  Now,  as  God 
loved  man  so  mightily,  it  could  not  be 
otherwise  but  that  he  must  unite  him- 
self again  unto  man  after  his  fall,  and 
out  of  pure  love  and  mercj^  become  a 
man.  Ah!  "What  is  man  that  thou 
art  mindful  of  him  ?  and  the  son  of 
man  that  thou  visitest  him  !"  Psalm 
8  :4.  Tlie  soul  of  man  is  so  beloved 
of  God^  that  as  Christ  is  God  and  man, 
having  united  himself  with  human 
nature,  with  our  body  and  soul :  so 
also  God  loves  our  soul  so  much  that 
he  desires  to  pour  himself  wholly  into 
the  same,  if  it  were  perfectly  puri- 
fied, and  man  did  not  resist  him.  For 
there  is  infinite  love  in  God,  which  is 
unutterable.  This  is,  then,  one  of  the 
greatest  demonstrations  of  the  love  of 
God,  that  God  is  made  man,  and  has 
showed  himself  a  true  lover  of  men, 
having  taken  upon  him  what  is  human 
that  he  might  give  us  what  is  divine. 
He  is  become  a  Son  of  man,  that  he 
may  make  us  children  of  God.  He 
came  down  to  us  upon  earth,  that  he 
might  lift  us  up  into  heaven.  O  what 
a  noble  exchange!  and  all  for  this  end, 
that  we  in  him  might  be  loved  of  God. 


It  is  as  if  God  did  call  from  heaven, 
saying:  "O  ye  men,  behold  my  be- 
loved Son  !  Him  I  have  suffered  to 
become  man,  that  he  might  be  a  living 
example  and  witness  of  my  deep  love 
to  you;  that  he  might  bring  you  all 
with  himself  to  me,  and  3^0  all  might 
be  made  my  children  and  heirs!" 
Therefore  the  Lord  always  calls  him- 
self in  the  Gospel  the  Sun  of  Man ^  out 
of  an  intimate  love  to  us.  We  seldom 
read  that  he  calls  himself  the  Son  of 
God,  but  always  the  Son  of  Man,  from 
an  affectionate  humility  and  love. 

3.  II.  Although  his  holy  incarnation 
is  a  very  great  argument  of  his  love 
to  us,  yet  his  holy  suffering  and  dying 
for  our  sins  are  a  still  greater  one. 
For  "greater  love  hath  no  man  than 
this,  that  a  man  lay  down  his  life  for 
his  friends."  John  15:13.  "In  this 
was  manifested  the  love  of  God  tow- 
ards us  (saith  St.  John),  that  God 
sent  his  Son  to  be  the  propitiation 
for  our  sins."  1  John  4  :  9,  10.  This  is 
the  highest  love.  Our  God,  accord- 
ing to  his  incomprehensible  omnipo- 
tence, could  have  found  out  other 
means  by  which  to  redeem  us;  as  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  himself  prayed  for 
it  in  his  agony,  saying:  "Abba,  Father, 
all  things  are  possible  unto  thee;  take 
away  this  cup  from  me."  Mark  14  :  36. 
But  then  it  would  not  have  been  the 
highest  love  showm  to  us.  In  order 
that  God  might  bestow  the  highest 
love  upon  us,  and  that  we  might  not 
be  able  to  say,  "God  has  something 


I 


TRUE  CIIRTSTIANITY.  [B 


252 


which  lie  loves  too  dearly  to  give  it  to 
us  ;"  he  has  given  us  his  dear  Son,  and 
not  only  given  him,  but  given  him  also 
to  be  the  propitiation  for  our  sins. 
Therefore  he  could  not  have  showed 
us  greater  love.  Therein  God  com- 
mendeth  his  love  towards  us.  Rom. 
5:8.  "  He  that  spared  not  his  own 
Son,  but  delivered  him  up  for  us  all, 
how  shall  he  not  with  him  also  freely 
give  us  all  things  ?"  Rom.  8  :  32.  Ilath 
he  given  us  that  which  is  the  greatest, 
he  will  surely  give  us  that  also  which 
is  less.  In  the  eternal  life  all  that  is 
God's  shall  be  ours.  He  that  over- 
cometh  shall  inherit  all  things."  Rev. 
21  :  7. 

4.  III.  Further,  God  shows  his  love 
to  us,  by  his  dwelling  among  us,  and 
in  us.  O  what  a  great  comfort  is  this, 
that  God  has  sanctified  our  heart,  and 
dedicated  it  to  be  his  dwelling-place. 
Formerly,  in  the  Old  Testament,  when 
the  tabernacle  and  sanctuary  were 
finished,  Moses  was  commanded  to 
consecrate,  to  sanctify,  and  to  sprinkle 
it  with  the  blood  of  the  sacrifice;  tor 
"almost  all  things  were  by  the  law 
purged  with  blood."  Heb.  9 :  22.  And 
thereupon  the  glory  of  God  came 
from  heaven,  and  filled  the  tabernacle 
(Exod.  40  : 84) :  so  also,  after  Christ 
died  for  our  sins,  and  after  we  are  sanc- 
tified through  his  blood,  God  comes  to 
us  and  makes  his  abode  with  us. 

5.  Whom  we  love,  with  him  we  de- 
light to  be.  God  loves  mankind  ten- 
derly ;  therefore  he  delights  to  be 
with  them,  and  to  have  his  habitation 
among  them.  ''I  the  Lord  dwell  in 
the  high  and  holy  place;  with  him 
also  that  is  of  a  contrite  and  humble 
spirit,  to  revive  the  spirit  of  the  hum- 
ble, and  to  revive  the  heart  of  the 
contrite  ones."  Isa.  57:  15.  And  again, 
with  whom  we  delight  to  be,  him  we 
tenderly  love.     God  delights  to  be 


with  men  ;  therefore  he  loves  men  ten 
derly,  according  to  the  Psalm:  "In 
the  saints  on  earth,  and  in  the  excel- 
lent, is  all  my  delight."  Ps.  16  :  3. 
This  assurance  that  God  loves  us  and 
is  with  us,  ought  to  comfort  us  in  all 
our  calamities,  in  poverty,  in  sickness, 
in  persecution,  and  in  contempt. 
What  (sayest  thou),  doth  he  love 
them  whom  he  suffers  to  come  under 
so  many  crosses?  I  answer.  Yes,  that 
he  may  through  the  cross  make  them 
glorious.  As  their  sufferings  here 
abound,  so  also  shall  their  consola- 
tions abound  there.  2  Cor.  1  :  5.  The 
greater  afl9ictions  are  on  earth,  the 
greater  joj^  and  glory  are  in  heaven.  2 
Cor.  4  :  17. 

6.  And  this  is  the  reason  why  God 
makes  many  people  sorrowful;  name- 
1}',  that  he  may  dwell  in  their  hearts; 
for  he  delights  to  dwell  nowhere  more 
than  in  a  poor  and  contrite  spirit. 
Ps.  34:13;  Isa.  66:2.  God  fills  us 
here  with  his  grace,  that  he  may  fill 
us  hereafter  with  his  glory,  even  as 
he  fills  and  illuminates  the  heavenly 
Jerusalem.  Rev.  21  :  23. 

7.  IV.  The  love  of  God  shines  forth 
also  out  of  the  creatures.  When  St. 
Paul  would  desire  for  his  Ephesiaus 
the  best,  the  highest,  and  the  most 
glorious  thing,  he  wishes  that  they 
might  know  the  love  of  God,  and  be 
able  to  comprehend  with  all  saints 
what  is  the  breadth,  and  length,  and 
depth,  and  height  of  the  same.  Eph, 
3  :  18.  He  means  to  say  so  much,  that 
the  love  of  God  is  higher  than  hea- 
ven, deeper  than  the  sea,  broader  than 
the  earth,  longer  than  it  is  from  east 
to  west,  according  to  Psalm  103  :  U, 
12.  In  a  word,  heaven  and  earth  are 
full  of  the  love  of  God  :  for  all  that 
God  hath  created,  be  it  visible  or  in- 
visible, he  hath  created  for  this  end, 
that  his  inexpressible  goodness  and 


Chap.  XXYI.] 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


253 


love  might  therein  be  manifested. 
And,  therefore,  he  hath  given  to  man 
both  inward  and  outward  senses,  that 
thereby  he  might  perceive  the  good- 
ness and  love  of  God.  For  all  that 
man  can  apprehend  by  his  understand- 
ing, thoughts,  mind,  and  reason,  as 
well  as  what  he  apprehends  with  his 
outward  senses,  altogether  bears  wit- 
ness to  the  love  of  God,  All  that  man 
bath,  is  a  testimony  of  the  love  of 
God;  yea,  all  creatures,  visible  and  in- 
visible, are,  as  it  were,  so  many  mes- 
sengers of  God,  declaring  unto  us  his 
love ;  and  he  speaks  to  us  through  them, 
saying,  "  Behold  the  heaven  and  earth, 
and  all  creatures !  I  have  created  all 
out  of  love  to  man."  And  whenever 
we  perceive  the  pleasantness  of  the 
creatures,  we  perceive  the  goodness 
of  God;  so  that  both  w^ith  our  in- 
ward and  outward  senses  we  can  taste 
and  see  that  the  Lord  is  good,  accord- 
ing to  the  words  of  the  34th  Psalm, 
ver.  8. 

8.  The  sun  speaks  to  us  by  its  light 
and  warmth,  as  if  it  said:  "Look 
upon  me,  the  greatest  and  the  bright- 
est creature  among  all  visible  things  : 
He  must  be  great  that  made  me.''  Ps. 
19  :  1,  etc.  But  not  only  through 
beautiful  creatures  doth  God  speak  to 
us,  but  also  through  the  most  despica- 
ble worm,  as  if  God  did  say:  "Lo, 
thou  art  beholden  to  me  thy  Creator, 
that  I,  who  could  have  made  thee  a 
worm,  have,  out  of  mercy,  made  thee 
a  man."  Here  remember  him  who 
said:  "I  am  a  worm,  and  no  man." 
Ps.  22  :  6.  Thus  God  speaks  unto  man 
through  all  the  creatures,  declares  his 
love  to  him,  and  invites,  leads,  and 
draws  us  unto  himself.  This  is  that 
wisdom  of  God  which  in  all  places  ut- 
tereth  "  her  voice  in  the  streets," 
which  "  rejoiceth  in  the  habitable  part 
of  the  earth,  and  whose  delights  are 


with  the  sons  of  men."  Prov.  1:20; 
8:31. 

9.  Indeed,  if  we  consider  the  matter 
aright,  we  are  encompassed  by  tlie 
love  of  God,  even  as  we  are  all  in- 
closed under  heaven,  seeing  that  "  in 
God  we  live,  and  move,  and  have  our 
being."  Acts  17:28.  Man  can  go  no- 
where, but  the  love  and  goodness  of 
God  follow  after  him,  and  ciJl  him 
through  all  the  creatures,  nay,  through 
his  own  heart  and  conscience,  saying: 
"  Whither  wilt  thou  go,  beloved  child? 
Whither  shalt  thou  flee  from  my  pres- 
ence ?  If  thou  ascendest  up  into  hea- 
ven, I  am  there.  If  thou  makest  thy 
bed  in  hell,  behold  I  am  there.  If 
thou  takest  the  wings  of  the  morning, 
and  dwellest  in  the  uttermost  parts  of 
the  sea,  even  there  shall  my  hand  lead 
thee,  and  my  right  hand  shall  hold 
thee.  Ps.  139  :  7,  etc.  Therefore,  come 
unto  me,  and  acknowledge  my  love 
and  grace,  with  which  I  meet  thee  in 
every  creature.  Hast  thou  sinned, 
grace  abounds  with  me;  hast  thou  left 
me,  my  love  and  mercy  have  not  yet 
rejected  thee,  but  are  continually  has- 
tening after  thee,  have  been  calling  to 
thee,  and,  as  a  wandering  sheep,  have 
sought  after  thee.  And  if  thou  be- 
lievest  not  these  many  testimonies  of 
all  the  creatures,  believe  the  testimony 
of  my  dear  Son,  how  I  have  loved  the 
world  in  him.  John  3:16.  Thou  canst 
nowhere  find  rest  for  thy  soul  except 
here;  turn  which  way  thou  wilt,  thuu 
must  and  canst  only  rest  in  my  love 
and  grace."  O  how  blessed  is  the  heart 
which  understands  that  heaven  and 
earth  are  full  of  the  love  of  God,  and 
that  he  has  as  many  witnesses  of  his 
love  as  there  are  creatures  I  But  the 
greatest  and  highest  witness  of  all  is 
the  Son  of  God. 

10.  y.  We  know  also  the  love  of 
God,  from  the  amiablcness  of  his  own 


254 


TEUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


[Book  IL 


being.  From  the  visions  of  the  proph- 
ets, and  the  Hevelation  o.f  St.  John,  we 
can  observe  that  God  Almighty  is  so 
lovely  and  beautiful,  as  infinitely  to 
transcend  all  the  beauty  and  loveli- 
ness of  the  world.  He  is  the  beauty 
of  all  things  beautiful,  and  the  loveli- 
ness of  all  things  lovel}',  the  life  of  all 
the  living.  lie  is  all.  An  ancient 
father  has  said  :  "  God  is  so  lovely 
and  beautiful,  that  if  a  man  were  in  a 
fiery  furnace,  and  saw  the  beauty  and 
g\ory  of  Him  but  for  a  moment,  the 
greatest  torment  would  be  changed 
into  the  greatest  joy  as  it  happened 
to  St.  Stephen,  when  he  saw  the  glory 
of  God,  and  said  :  "  Behold,  I  see  the 
heavens  opened,  and  the  Son  of  man 
standing  on  the  right  hand  of  God." 
Acts  7  :  5(5.  God  is  so  lovely  and 
beautiful,  that  if  a  man  saw  him  for  a 
thousand  3'cars  together,  it  would 
seem  to  him  but  one  hour.  For  in 
beholding  the  loveliness  and  glory  of 
God,  all  time  is  swallowed  up ;  so  that 
the  more  any  one  sees  God,  the  more 
he  desires  to  see  him;  the  more  he 
loves  God,  the  more  he  will  love;  and 
the  more  he  praises  God,  the  more 
will  he  praise  him  ;  according  to  the 
words  of  Xystus,  an  ancient  teacher: 
"Devout  souls  can  never  be  satiated 
with  the  love  and  praise  of  God." 
Hence,  although  the  holy  angels  have 
seen  God  from  the  beginning  of  their 
creation,  they  have  not  yet  seen  him 
enough;  and  although  they  have 
praised  him  from  the  beginning,  they 
have  not  yet  praised  him  enough:  for 
"  God  is  more  to  bo  praised,  than  all 
praise  can  express;  and  more  lovely, 
than  the  love  of  ail  the  creatures  can 
reach."  God  is  infinite  in  his  beauty, 
loveliness,  and  glorj^ ;  therefore  no  crea- 
ture can  love  hiui  enough.  God  is  so 
amiable,  that  the  more  one  loves  him, 
the  more  one  desires  to  love  him.  He 


is  so  to  be  praised  that  the  end  of  his 
praises  cannot  be  attained  ;  so  lovely 
to  be  looked  upon,  that  looking  upon 
him  never  makes  us  weary ;  so  comfort- 
able to  be  heard,  that  he  never  can  be 
heard  enough.  Tauler  says,  "If  one 
might  taste  but  a  drop  of  the  perfect 
love  of  God,  all  the  joys  and  pleasures 
of  this  world  would  be  changed  to  us 
into  the  greatest  bitterness."  The 
saints  have  endured  the  gi'eatest  tor- 
ments for  the  sake  of  the  love  of  God, 
and  have  given  up  their  lives;  and  if 
they  had  a  thousand  bodies,  they 
would  hazard  them  all,  that  they 
might  keep  the  love  of  God;  as  the 
Psalmist  says,  "Thy  loving  kindness 
is  better  than  life;  therefore  my  lips 
shall  praise  thee."  Ps.  63  :  3.  God  is 
so  high,  so  noble,  and  so  pure  a  Good, 
that  the  more  any  one  knows  him,  the 
more  he  loves  him.  He  is  so  tender 
and  perfect  a  sweetness,  that  the  more 
one  tastes  of  him,  the  sweeter  he  be- 
comes;  and  the  more  one  loves  him, 
the  more  his  loveliness  increases. 
Blessed  is  the  soul  which  is  filled  with 
the  love  of  God.  He  will  be  conscious 
in  his  soul  of  such  amiableness  as  can- 
not be  found  in  time  among  creatures. 

11.  Behold  now,  ye  children  of  men, 
how  deceived  ye  are  by  the  love  of  the 
world.  What  is  it  which  any  man  can 
obtain  by  the  love  of  temporal  things, 
but  sorrow,  trouble,  loss  of  time,  un- 
profitable words  (of  which  an  account 
must  be  given),  wranglings,  fightings, 
and  a  burdened  conscience  1*  Surely 
all  the  children  of  men  shall  one  day 
sorely  repent  that  they  have  so  much 
loved  the  world,  and  the  things  there- 
in:  according  to  the  warning  given  us 
by  St.  John,  saying,  "Love  not  the 
world,  neither  the  things  that  are  in 
the  world:  if  any  man  love  the  world, 
the  love  of  the  Father  is  not  in  him. 
For  all  that  is  in  the  world,  the  lust 


Chap.  XXVII.] 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


255 


of  tbe  flesh,  and  the  lust  of  the  eyes, 
I    and  the  pride  of  life,  is  not  of  the 
I    Father,  but  is  of  the  world.    And  the 
'    world  passcth  away,  and  the  lust  there- 
of; but  he  that  doeth  the  will  of  God 
abideth  for  ever."  1  John  2  :  15,  etc. 
Therefore  every  man  ought  to  mourn 


all  the  days  of  his  life  that  ho  ever 
loved  anything  more  than  God  only. 
If  God  pours  into  thy  heart  his  love, 
so  that  thou  lovest  him  above  all 
things,  then  he  has  given  thee  the 
best  thing  he  hath,  even  Ilimself. 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 


SHOWING  HOW  THE  LORD  JESUS  MANIFESTS  HIMSELF  TO  THE  LOVING  SOUL  AS 
THE  HIGHEST  LOVE  AND  THE  HIGHEST  GOOD. 


To  him  that  loveih  me,  I  will  manifest  myself. — John  14  :  21, 


IF  thou  duly  considerest  Christ  cru- 
cified thou  wilt  see  nothiniJj  in  him 
but  pure,  perfect,  and  unutterable  love, 
and  he  will  show  thee  his  heart,  and 
say,  "  Behold,  in  this  heart  there  is  no 
deceit  and  no  lie  (Isaiah  53  :  9),  but 
the  highest  faithfulness  and  truth  are 
there.  Incline  thy  head  unto  me, 
and  rest  upon  my  heart ;  open  thy 
mouth,  and  drink  out  of  my  wounds 
the  sweetest  love,  which  out  of  the 
heart  of  my  Father  springs  up  and 
flows  through  me." 

2.  When  thou  shalt  have  tasted  this 
love,  thou  wilt  forget  and  despise,  for 
its  sake,  all  the  world,  and  be  desirous 
of  nothing  else  but  of  this  love.  Thou 
^vilt  say  to  thy  Lord,  "O  Lord,  give 
me  nothing  more  than  the  sweetness 
of  thy  love;  nay,  if  thou  wouldst 
give  me  the  whole  world,  I  would 
desire  nothing  else  but  thee  and  thy 
love." 

3.  O  happy  is  the  soul  which  feels 
this  love!  for  in  that  soul  Christ  is 
truly  known,  and  manifested  to  be 
nothing  else  but  pure  love,  and  to  be 
the  love  of  the  souls  of  men.  These 
words   state  a   most  happy  experi- 


ence; for  that  Christ  is  the  love  of 
our  soul  he  clearly  shows  by  his  spirit- 
ual coming  and  delightful  refreshing 
of  the  soul;  and  when  the  soul  tastes 
but  a  drop  thereof  it  is  filled  with  joys. 
For  infinite  love  is  so  great  that  our 
hearts  cannot  comprehend  it.  This 
the  holy  martyr  Ignatius  owned,  who 
always  used  to  call  the  Lord  Jesus, 
his  Love,  and  said:  My  Love  is  cru- 
cified. 

4.  In  this  love  of  Christ  all  our 
works  ought  to  be  done  (1  Cor.  16  : 
14);  and  then  they  proceed  from 
Christ  out  of  true  fiiith,  and  are  well- 
pleasing  to  God,  whether  we  eat,  or 
drink,  or  sleep,  or  perform  the  duties 
of  our  calling.  All  that  comes  forth 
of  a  believing  love  is  made  pleasant 
to  God  and  men  ;  for  it  is  done  and 
wrought  in  God.  John  3  :  21. 

5.  Although  this  love  of  Christ  is 
the  highest  good  in  heaven  and  upon 
earth  (for  all  good  things  are  contained 
therein),  yet  is  God  so  willing  and 
ready  to  bestow  it  upon  us,  that  he 
hath  sent,  even  his  dear  Son,  into  this 
misery,  to  make  us  partakers  in  him 
of  this  inexpressible  treasure,  through 


25G 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  II. 


faith.  And  he  is  much  more  ready  to 
give  us  this  precious  good  than  we  are 
to  receive  it. 

6.  This  love,  "  shed  abroad  in  our 
hearts  by  tlie  Holy  Ghost"  (Rom.  5  : 
5),  when  felt  in  us,  affords  us  more 
joy  than  all  the  world  can  give.  And 
if  all  creatures  w-ere  present,  a  believ- 
ing and  loving  soul  would  j)art  with 
them,  yea,  not  so  much  as  look  upon 
them,  because  of  the  superabundant 
sweetness  of  the  love  of  God.  And  if 
all  creatures  should  begin  to  speak, 
the  voice  of  the  love  of  God  would  be 
stronger  and  more  delightful  than  the 
voice  of  all  the  creatures.  For  this 
love  binds  and  unites  the  mind  unto 
Christ,  and  replenishes  it  with  all 
good.  This  precious  good  is  indeed 
known,  seen,  and  tasted  in  the  spirit, 
but  no  words  can  express  it.  All 
words  are  much  too  weak  to  set  forth 
even  the  shadow  thereof;  and  no  man's 
tongue  can  reach  that  precious  and 
lovely  good  of  which  the  spirit  of  man 


is  sensible.  Therefore  also  St.  Paul 
says,  that  he  heard  in  paradise  words 
that  were  "  unspeakable."  2  Cor.  12 : 4. 

7.  And  when  this  precious  good 
withdraws  from  the  soul,  there  is  then 
greater  sorrow  than  if  all  the  world 
had  been  lost.  Then  the  soul  calls 
and  cries,  "O  thou  delightful  love,  I 
have  scarcely  tasted  of  thee ;  Avhy  dost 
thou  forsake  me  ?  My  soul  is  as  a 
child  that  is  weaned  of  his  mother 
Ps.  131  :  2.  Oh,  thy  loving-kindness 
is  better  than  life !  (Ps.  63  : 8) ;  let  me 
taste  thereof.  My  soul  thirsteth  for 
thee  (Ps.  42 :  2)  onl}',  and  nothing  else 
can  satisfy  me,  or  make  me  joyful." 

This  holy  love  causes  also,  that  with- 
out it  the  whole  life  is  imbittered  to  a 
believing  and  loving  soul,  and  is  ac- 
counted as  death  and  misery.  Yea, 
for  the  sake  of  this  love,  man  desires 
to  die,  to  put  off  the  earthly  taberna- 
cle, and  to  be  at  home,  and  present 
with  the  Lord,  according  to  the  words 
of  St.  Paul.  2  Cor.  5  :  8. 


CHAPTER  XXYIII. 

SHOWING  HOW  THE  HIGHEST  GOOD  IS  PERCEIVED  AND  TASTED  IN  THE  SOUL. 
O  iaste  and  see  that  the  Lord  is  good. — Ps.  34  :  8. 


GOD  is  an  eternal,  perfect,  infinite, 
substantial,  communicative  Good, 
full  of  love  and  joy;  and  therefore  he 
desires  to  be  known  in  living  faith,  in 
spirit,  and  in  truth.  This  cannot  how- 
ever be,  except  a  man  really  taste  and 
feel  in  his  heart  the  goodness,  sweet- 
ness, loving-kindness,  and  comfort  of 
God. 

2.  If  this  were  to  be  performed  there 
must  needs  be  in  man  something  con- 


formable to  God,  and  capable  of  know- 
ing him,  that  so  we  might  be  made 
partakers  of  the  highest  good.  Now 
this  is  the  soul  of  man  :  into  the  soul 
God  was  willing  to  pour  forth  his 
goodness,  jen,  to  dwell  there,  and  to 
manifest  and  make  known  himself 
more  and  more. 

3.  But  since  man  has  lost  this  sov- 
ereign good  by  sin,  and  the  devil  has 
obtained  a  habitation  in,  and  posses- 


Chap.  XXYIIL] 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


257 


sion  of,  him;  working  in  man  all  his 
own  works,  as  pride,  covetousness,  lust, 
anger,  envy;  man,  therefore,  "  through 
the  faith  of  the  operation  of  God  "  (Col. 
2:12),  must  be  turned  again  from  the 
world  unto  God,  from  Satan  unto 
Jesus  Christ  (Acts  26  :  18),  and  Satan 
with  his  works  must  be  driven  out 
and  be  utterly  dispossessed.  As  long 
as  Satan  works  in  man,  God  works 
not  in  him;  His  works  are  hindered, 
so  that  the  soul  cannot  taste  that  God 
is  good.  Indeed,  the  reason  why  there 
are  so  few  that  know  God  aright  is, 
that  in  the  greatest  number  of  men 
the  works  of  darkness  and  of  Satan 
have  the  ascendency.  The  most  part 
adhere  to  the  world,  to  the  creatures, 
and  to  themselves. 

4.  But  they  who  wnll  rightly  know 
and  taste  the  Lord's  goodness,  must  be 
joined  unto  him,  and  be  one  spirit 
with  him.  1  Cor.  6  :  17.  And  the  more 
this  is  done  the  more  does  God  mani- 
fest himself  in  the  believing,  loving 
soul;  the  more  the  heart  is  turned 
from  the  world  unto  God,  the  more 
God  is  united  to  the  soul.  All  love  to 
the  world  and  to  the  creature  must  be 
turned  out,  if  the  love  of  God  ever 
enter  in.  "  If  any  man  love  the  world, 
the  love  of  the  Father  is  not  in  him." 
1  John  2  :  15.  Where  God  finds  a  soul 
empty  of  the  world,  he  fills  it  with 
heaven,  with  himself,  and  with  all  his 
goodness.  The  more  the  heart  is  emp- 
tied of  love  to  the  world,  the  more 
God  fills  it  with  his  light  and  comfort. 
"  Therefore,"  as  an  ancient  father  says, 
"in  an  empty,  still,  and  quiet  soul,  it 
can  be  better  felt  than  expressed  what 
God  is." 

5.  If  then  a  man  would  really  know 
that  God  is  good,  even  the  highest 
Good,  he  must  taste  his  goodness  in 
hisheart.  The  Scripture  testifies  there- 
of outwardly,  but  the  heart  must  feel 


it  inwardly,  and  must  taste  the  living 
word.  It  must  "  taste  the  good  word 
of  God  and  the  powers  of  the  w^orld 
to  come."  Ileb.  6  :  5.  Thou  canst 
never  better  understand  that  God  is 
kind  and  loving^  than  when  thou  feel- 
est  his  comfort.  None  can  better 
teach  thee  that  God  is  a  Bcimr  full 
of  joy  than  God  himself,  when  he  re- 
joices in  thee.  And  so  it  is  also  with 
all  other  things  of  God.  If  he  do  not 
perform,  and  himself  work  all  in  thee, 
thou  wilt  never  come  to  a  living  knowl- 
edge of  him.  "  To  know  God  without 
God,  is  impossible,"  says  St.  Augustine. 
Therefore,  that  man  will  never  be  able 
to  know  rightly  w^hat  God  is,  unto 
whom  God  does  not  make  known  and 
manifest  himself  But  when  a  heart 
feels  the  living  word  of  God,  then  it 
knows  and  understands  that  God  is 
all,  all-good,  and  the  true,  perfect,  eter- 
nal Good,  and  better  than  all  for  which 
any  heart  can  Avish  or  desire. 

6.  When  this  is  known  and  tasted 
in  the  soul^  according  to  the  w^ords  of 
Psalm  ()3:3,  "Lord,  thy  loving-kind- 
ness is  better  than  life;"  then  the  soul 
begins  to  scorn  the  Avorld  with  its 
joys  and  pleasures.  She  has  in  God 
satisfaction,  even  full  satisfaction^  and, 
in  short,  all.  For  the  world,  with  all 
that  is  in  it,  is  made  up  only  of  indi- 
vidual things,  which  are  imperfect  and 
inconstant;  but  God  is  the  true,  per- 
fect, universal,  and  eternal  unchange- 
able Good. 

7.  For  this  reason  David  says, 
''  Whom  have  I  in  heaven  but  thee, 
O  Lord  ?  and  there  is  none  upon  earth 
that  I  desire  beside  thee."  Ps.  73  :  25. 
This  is  the  lano-uao^e  of  a  soul  which 
has  tasted  the  perfect  good,  from  which 
all  love  to  the  world  and  creatures  is 
removed,  and  which  has  no  pleasure 
nor  delight  in  the  world  and  in  earthly 
things,  but  in  God  alone,  the  highest 

7 


258 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  II. 


Good.  And  this  is  tlie  true,  sensible, 
and  experimental  knowledge  of  God, 
nay,  the  true  love  of  God  above  all 
things,  which  is  felt  and  tasted  in  the 
heart ;  for  when  God  is  rightly  known, 
he  is  loved,  praised,  and  honored  above 
all  things. 

8.  Now,  if  we  have  the  eternal,  per- 
fect good,  wherein  there  is  all  good, 
and  which  alone  is  all,  why  should 
we  love  that  which  is  imperfect?  For 
where  the  true,  perfect  good  is  know^n, 
there  it  is  also  beloved  above  all  im- 


perfect things,  that  is,  above  all  crea- 
tures whatsoever. 

9.  Thus  the  living  knowledge  of  God 
expels  the  love  of  the  world  ;  and  thus 
man  begins  to  despise  the  world,  with 
all  the  vanities  thereof,  saying,  with 
King  Solomon,  "Yanity  of  vanities, 
all  is  vanity;"  nay,  all  under  the  suu 
"  is  vexation  of  spirit."  Eccles.  1  :  2, 
14.  Thus  love  to  the  world  is  abol- 
ished in  the  heart,  and  there  remains 
only  love  to  God,  and  to  the  eternal 
good  which  abideth  for  ever. 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

SHOWING  HOW  THE  LOVING  SOUL  CONSIDERS  GOD  IN  HIS  BENEFITS  AS  THE  MOST 

LIBERAL  BOUNTIFULNESS. 

In  this  was  manifesied  the  love  of  God  towards  us,  because  that  God  sent  his  only  begotten  Son  info 
the  world,  that  we  might  live  through  him.  Herein  is  love,  not  that  we  loved  God,  but  that  he 
loved  us,  and  sent  his  Son  to  be  the  propitiation  for  our  sins. — 1  John  4  :  9,  10. 


ALL  that  God  does  w^ith  reference 
to  man,  be  it  benefits  or  punish- 
ments, he  does  to  this  end,  that  man, 
who  is  turned  away  from  him,  may  be 
turned  to  him  again. 

2.  But  man  is  foolish  and  brutish, 
like  the  beasts  (Ps.  82  : 9),  and  does 
not  understand  the  reason  for  which 
God  bestows  upon  him  so  great  bene- 
fits, namely,  that  thereby  he  might  be 
invited  and  encouraged  to  love  God  : 
nor  does  he,  on  the  other  hand,  con- 
sider why  God  punishes  him,  namely, 
that  he  may  turn  himself  unto  God. 

3.  Let  us  consider,  first,  bodily  and 
temporal  benefits,  and  then  those  that 
are  spiritual  and  eternal. 

4.  I.  God  has  created  nothing,  either 
visible  or  invisible,  which  may  not  be 
serviceable  to  man.  The  invisible  crea- 


tures which  minister  to  us,  are  the 
holy  angels  (Ileb.  1  :  14),  whose  wis- 
dom, strength,  diligence,  and  watchful- 
ness over  us,  are  declared  and  praised 
in  many  places  of  Scripture;  so  that 
even  many  angels  wait  upon  one  man  : 
witness  the  history  of  the  patriarch 
Jacob  and  the  prophet  Elisha.  Geu. 
32  : 1,  2 ;  2  Kings  6  : 17.  Because  many 
evil  spirits  lie  in  wait  for  one  man, 
seeking  to  destroy  him  ;  therefore  also  ; 
many  holy  watchers  are  ordered  by  j 
God  for  his  defence.    That  there  is  joy  j 
also  in  the  presence  of  the  angels,  over 
our  repentance  and  prayers,  the  Lord 
teaches  us.  Luke  15  :  10.    This  bene- 
fit, because  it  is  bestowed  upon  us  after 
an  invisible  manner,  many  people  little  ! 
consider;  but  a  wise  man,  who  consid-  f 
ers  not  only  the  visible  world,  but  the 


Chap.  XXIX.] 


TEUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


259 


invisible  also,  understands  well,  that 
in  the  invisible  world,  wherein  God 
dvvellcth,  there  is  much  greater  glory, 
and  there  are  much  greater  numbers 
or  hosts,  and  greater  principalities 
and  dominions  (Col.  1  :  10)  than  in 
this  visible  world.  And  as  God  makes 
bis  own  ministers  and  princes  defend 
and  watch  over  us,  it  is  plain  that 
this  is  an  exceedingly  great  benefit ; 
even  as  that  is  to  be  accounted  an 
honor  and  favor,  when  a  prince  ap- 
points his  own  ministers  to  conduct 
and  defend  one  that  is  to  travel 
through  a  wilderness  or  through  a 
hostile  country. 

5.  Look  upon  the  firmament,  and 
consider  how  God  has  appointed  it  for 
thy  service.  Behold  the  wondrous 
course  of  the  sun  and  moon.  Why  do 
they  run  so  incessantly,  day  and  night, 
and  rest  not  so  much  as  for  one  mo- 
ment? Gen.  1:16;  Ps.  19:6.  Are  they 
not  diligent  and  industrious  servants 
of  man  ?  For  God  hath  no  need  of 
their  service  ;  he  wants  not  their  oper- 
ations nor  their  light;  it  is  for  man 
that  they  were  created.  The  sun 
serves  thee  as  an  unwearied  servant, 
which  every  morning  rises  early,  and 
carries  before  thee  the  beautiful  light, 
aud  puts  thee  in  remembrance  of  the 
eternal  light,  which  is  Christ,  and  his 
divine  word;  this  shall  be  the  light 
of  thy  soul,  that  thou  mayest  walk  as 
a  child  of  the  light.  The  moon  and 
the  night  cover  thee  with  a  shadow, 
bringing  rest  unto  thee,  and  teaching 
thee  to  abide  and  to  dwell  under  the 
shadow  of  the  Most  High.  Ps.  91 :  1. 
The  moon,  like  an  unwearied  hand- 
maid, conducts  water  to  fertilize  the 
earth.  Nay,  there  is  not  a  star  which 
does  not  shine,  and  has  not  received 
some  blessing  for  the  benefit  of  man. 

6.  Behold  the  air  and  the  winds, 
how  clear  they  make  the  firmament, 


dispelling  the  clouds;  or  they  gather 
them  together  and  cause  them  to 
pour  forth  afterwards  upon  the  earth. 
It  is  very  wonderful  that  God  "  bind- 
eth  up  the  waters  in  his  thick  clouds, 
and  the  cloud  is  not  rent  under  them." 
Job  26 :  8.  The  air  bears  and  sus- 
tains the  clouds,  those  moist  vapors 
which  are  afterwards  resolved  into 
small  drops  of  water.  Job  36  :  27. 
Thunder,  lightnings,  and  hail  (Job  37: 
3),  must  lead  us  to  acknowledge  the 
power  of  God,  to  pray  to  him,  and  to 
thank  him  when  he  has  preserved  us 
in  a  terrible  tempest.  Ps.  18  :  8,  13, 14. 

7.  Behold  the  various  winds  which 
govern  navigation;  so  that  where  a 
wind  blows,  there  the  ship  is  driven, 
and  sails  on  her  way  as  a  bird  flies 
through  the  air.  Thus  all  places  of 
the  world  can  be  found  out,  and  all 
the  secrets  thereof  discovered,  that 
nothing  may  be  kept  hid  of  what  God 
hath  created  for  the  benefit  of  man. 

8.  Behold  the  various  kinds  of  fish 
in  the  sea.  Gen.  1 : 20,  21 ;  Ps.  104  : 
25.  They  have  their  appointed  times 
and  seasons,  in  which  they,  as  it  were, 
rise  out  of  the  depths  and  present 
themselves,  crowded  together  as  the 
corn  in  the  field,  as  if  they  would  say, 
Now  we  are  in  season,  now  is  the  time 
of  harvest  for  the  sea;  gather  there- 
fore, O  je  men  !  And  so  it  is  with 
the  birds  also ;  when  their  time  is 
come,  they  fly  together  in  great  mul- 
titudes, and  show  themselves  to  man- 
kind. 

9.  Behold  the  earth,  that  great  store- 
house of  food  and  treasury  of  God.  It 
furnishes  forth  meat  and  drink,  medi- 
cine and  clothing,  houses  and  abodes, 
and  all  the  various  metals.  Each 
month  produces  its  flowers,  which 
present  themselves  to  our  notice,  as  if 
they  would  say,  Here  we  are ;  we 
bring  our  gifts,  and  present  them  to 


260 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  II. 


you,  as  good  as  we  received  them 
from  our  Creator.  Nay,  even  the 
forest,  which  is  the  habitation  of  rov- 
ing beasts,  God  hath  put  under  man, 
and  made  him  to  have  dominion  over 
them.  And  were  we  to  attempt  to 
enumerate  all  the  temporal  benefits 
of  God,  we  should  find  it  impossible 
to  number  only  them  that  are  in  one 
particular  country.  There  is  no  fruit, 
but  it  is  a  benefit  of  God;  and  let  man 
enumerate  them,  one  by  one,  if  he  be 
able.  Should  not  we  learn  from  this 
to  know  our  good  and  bountiful  God? 
Ps.  65:10,  11.  If  a  great  potentate 
were  to  subject  to  thee  his  whole  king- 
dom, and  all  his  dominions,  nobles, 
and  powerful  men,  nay,  all  his  sub- 
jects, and  were  to  command  them  to 
guard,  defend,  preserve,  clothe,  cure, 
and  feed  thee,  and  to  take  care  that 
thou  want  nothing  at  all,  wouldest 
thou  not  love  him  and  account  him 
a  loving,  bountiful  lord  ?  How  then 
oughtest  thou  to  love  the  Lord  thy 
God,  who  has  reserved  nothing  for 
himself,  but  appointed  for  thy  service 
all  that  is  in  heaven,  or  comes  from 
heaven,  and  all  that  is  upon  earth. 
He  needs  no  creatures  for  himself, 
and  has  excepted  nothing  from  thy 
service,  neither  in  all  the  hosts  of  holy 
angels,  nor  in  any  of  his  creatures 
under  the  stars.  If  we  but  desire  it, 
they  are  ready  to  serve  us ;  nay,  hell 
itself  must  serve  us  by  bringing  upon 
us  fear  and  terror,  that  we  may  not 
sin;  and  by  punishing  and  tormenting 
our  enemies  and  all  the  wicked,  more 
than  man  can  desire. 

10.  II.  Let  us,  upon  this  ladder  of 
the  creatures,  ascend  unto  God  our 
Creator,  and  consider  his  spiritual 
benefits.  Has  not  the  Holy  Trinity, 
each  Person  in  particular,  bestowed 
upon  man  great  grace  and  benefi- 
cence y    The  Father  has  given  us  his 


own  Son,  and  "  how  shall  he  not  with 
him  also  freely  give  us  all  things?" 
Rom.  8:32.  Has  not  God  the  Son 
given  us  himself,  and  all  he  is,  and  all 
he  has  ?  "  God  commendeth  his  love 
toward  us,  in  that  while  we  were  yet 
sinners,  Christ  died  for  us."  Rom.  5 : 
8.  Is  not  the  Holy  Ghost  within  us, 
illuminating,  purifying,  teaching,  com- 
forting, and  adorning  our  souls  with 
his  gifts  ?  He  "  beareth  witness  with 
our  spirit  that  we  are  the  children  of 
God."  Rom.  8  :  16. 

11.  In  a  word,  God's  mercy  pours 
forth  itself  entirely  upon  us,  and  omits 
nothing  whereby  men  could  be  moved 
to  love  God.  The  benefits  God  be- 
stows upon  us,  are  so  many  messen- 
gers which  he  sends  for  inviting  us  to 
come  and  to  enjoy  his  love.  If  thou 
shouldest  ask  the  Scriptures,  the  an- 
gels, all  the  prophets  and  all  the  saints 
of  God,  nay,  all  creatures  besides, 
"  From  whence  come  you  ?"  they 
would  answer,  We  are  the  messen- 
gers of  the  mercy  of  God ;  we  carry 
fire  and  flames,  that  the  heart  of  man, 
which  is  cold  and  incrusted,  as  it  were, 
with  ice,  might  be  warmed  again  by 
the  love  of  God."  Yet  all  these  num- 
bers of  flaming  messengers  of  God  are  j 
not  able  to  w^arm  the  dead,  cold,  and 
frozen  heart.  This,  therefore,  is  the 
greatest  wonder  the  devil  can  eff'ect, 
that  he  makes  a  human  heart  so  cold, 
that  warmth  cannot  be  raised  therein, 
by  so  many  flames  of  the  love  of  God. 

12.  Therefore,  hearken,  thou  human 
heart,  and  consider  where  thy  Creator 
has  placed  thee  :  namely,  in  the  middle  i 
of  so  many  fiery  benefits,  where  the  ' 
glorious  angels  surround  thee  with 
their  flaming  love,  and  where  there 
are  so  many  creatures  and  messengers 
of  God,  all  proclaiming  his  love  unto 
thee.  Wherein  now  has  God  Almighty 
transgressed  against  thee  ?  AVhereby 


CiiAP.  XXTX.] 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


261 


I     has  he  deserved,  that  thou  shouldst 
[     not,  or  canst  not,  love  and  praise  him  ? 
If  what  he  has  done  for  thee  be  too 
little,  behold,  he  offers  to  do  still  more. 
He  will  create  for  thee  a  new  heaven 
and  a  new  earth,  and  will  build  anew, 
glorious,   heavenly   city,  w^hich  his 
glory  will  lighten;  nay,  he  will  illu- 
minate thee  with  his  own  light  and 
I     glory.  Eev.  21 : 10,  etc.  Could  a  young 
i     woman  be  so  cold,  as  not  to  love  a 
i     fair  and  youthful  bridegroom,  whose 
I     beauty  and  goodness  were  praised  day 
and  night,  nay,  who  had  delivered  her 
from  death,  and  adorned  her  with  the 
fairest  ornaments  ?    Therefore  know, 
thou  human  soul,  how  cold  the  devil 
has  made  thee,  since  thou  canst  not 
be  at  all  warmed  by  the  love  of 
God. 

13.  And  since  God  has  implanted 
love  in  all  human  hearts,  tell  me,  if 
thy  love  could  be  bought  of  thee,  to 
whom  would  est  thou  sell  it  rather 
than  to  the  Lord  thy  God  ?  But 
thinkest  thou,  that  God  has  not  bought 
of  thee  thy  love  dear  enough,  and  has 
not  paid  for  it  a  price  sufficient  ?  Hath 
He  not  given  thee  his  dear  Son  for  it, 
and  Heaven  and  Earth  besides  ?  All 
that  thou  expectest  to  gain  for  thy 
love  from  the  world,  is  as  nothing,  in 
comparison  with  what  God  has  given 
thee,  and  what  He  further  has  pre- 
pared for  them  that  love  him.  1  Cor. 
2:9;  Isa.  64  : 4.  The  world,  perhaps, 
gives  thee  a  handful  of  honor  and 
riches,  accompanied  with  many  trou- 
bles, and  yet  thou  lovest  it!  Why 
dost  thou  not  rather  love  God,  the 
everlasting  Good  ?  But  if  thy  love  is 
not  to  be  bought  or  sold,  but  rather 
will  bestow  itself  freely  upon  that 
which  thou  likest  best,  what  can  love 
find  that  is  to  be  esteemed  more  than 
the  supreme,  eternal,  and  most  glori- 
ous Good  ?    Everything  we  love,  is 


our  beauty  and  ornament:  and  if  thou 
lovest  God,  thou  shalt  make  him 
thereby  thy  beauty  and  thy  ornament. 
And  since  that  is  lovely  which  is 
beautiful,  nothing  can  ever  make  thee 
more  lovely  and  comely,  than  the  love 
of  God  in  thy  soul. 

14.  And  lastly,  it  is  but  just  and 
reasonable,  that  we  should  love  him 
"who  first  loved  us."  1  John  4:19. 
Take  account  of  all  the  benefits  of 
God,  and  sum  them  up  ;  so  shalt  thou 
find  that  all  creatures  are  full  of  the 
love  of  God.  This  love  follows  and 
surrounds  thee  everywhere,  so  that 
thou  canst  not  be  rid  of  it,  nor  hide 
thyself  from  it.  It  is  too  powerful 
and  overcometh  thee ;  thou  must  enjoy 
it  whether  thou  wilt  or  not,  unless 
thou  wouldest  live  no  more. 

15.  Now  we  know  that  brutes  love 
those  by  whom  they  are  loved; 
wouldest  thou  be  worse  than  a  brute, 
hating  thy  Benefactor,  in  whose  love 
thou  livest  and  movest,  standest  and 
walkest,  sleepest  and  wakest  ?  But 
as  a  thing  that  is  to  be  kindled,  must 
be  held  to  the  fire  till  it  take  the 
flame  :  so  also  art  thou  to  expose  thy 
heart  to  the  fire  of  the  love  of  God, 
till  it  be  kindled  and  inflamed  therein, 
which  is  efl'ected  by  continual  contem- 
plations of  the  benefits  of  God.  As 
formerly  the  priests  w^ere  commanded 
to  kindle  the  sacrifices  by  the  holy 
fire  (Lev.  6  : 12),  so  must  the  eternal 
High  Priest  Jesus  Christ,  kindle  the 
sacrifice  of  thine  heart,  by  the  fire  of 
his  Holy  Spirit.  And  this  holy  fire  of 
his  love  was  burning  toward  us  from 
eternity;  for  He  loved  us  before  the 
foundation  of  the  world.  Since  that, 
it  has  gloriously  shown  forth  itself  in 
the  Lord's  incarnation  and  birth ;  and 
chiefly  in  his  suff'erings  and  death, 
whereby  He  has  bestowed  upon  us 
the  highest  love ;  and  this  fire  of  his 


262 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  11. 


flaming  love  to  us  will  not  be  extin- 
guished to  all  eternity.  Near  this  fire 
continue  thou  with  thy  cold  heart, 


that  thou  mayest  be  kindled  with,  and 
united  to,  the  love  of  Christ. 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

SHOWING  HOW  GOD  MANIFESTS  HIMSELF  TO  THE  LOVING  SOUL,  AS  THE  SUPREME 

BEAUTY. 

O  Lord  my  God,  thou  art  very  great :  thou  art  clothed  with  honor  and  majesty ;  who  coveresi 
thyself  with  light  as  with  a  garment. — Ps,  104  :  1,  2. 


AS  nothing  is  more  lovely  to  a 
loving  soul  than  Christ,  and  no 
good  higher  or  more  precious  than 
God  himself;  so  there  is  also  nothing 
more  beautiful  in  the  sight  of  such  a 
one  than  God.  That  soul  looks  upon 
God  as  the  highest  beauty,  with  which 
nothing  in  heaven  and  earth  is  to  be 
compared  ;  so  that  all  the  holy  angels 
cannot  sufficiently  praise  to  all  eter- 
nity this  beauty  of  God.  If  all  the 
holy  angels  in  their  lustre,  and  all  the 
e\e6t  in  their  glory,  were  put  together, 
it  would  nevertheless  appear,  that  all 
their  beauty  and  splendor  proceed 
from  God,  who  is  the  eternal  glory  and 
beauty ;  and  that  they  are  derived 
from  the  everlasting,  infinite  light  and 
brightness.  For  as  God  is  all  good, 
and  the  highest  good,  so  He  is  also  all 
beauty,  ornament^  and  glory. 

2.  And  when  a  man  beholds  in  spirit 
the  glory  of  God,  he  forgets  all  the 
creatures,  nay,  the  beauty  of  all  the 
angels  also;  and  mourns  over  nothing 
so  much,  as  that  he  has  offended  this 
great  Good  w^th  his  wickedness,  and 
this  infinite  eternal  beauty  and  bright- 
ness with  his  impurity. 

3.  But  because  the  Son  of  God,  the 
brightness  of  his  glory  (Heb.  1 :  3), 
is  become  man,  He  hath  made  men 


partakers  of  his  divine  nature,  and  of 
his  comeliness  (2  Pet.  1:4),  so  that 
all  who  are  in  Christ  by  faith,  are 
comely  and  glorious  before  God.  Ps 
16  :  3.  He  remembers  our  defects  and 
filthiness  no  more;  for  although  his 
eyes  see,  yet  tiie  brightness  of  his 
glory,  and  the  love  of  Christ  cover 
them.  Eph.  5:  27. 

4.  The  wise  heathen  Plato,  consid- 
ering the  beauty  of  the  creatures^  of 
the  luminaries,  of  the  firmament,  of 
the  flowers  in  the  fields,  of  the  metals 
and  animals,  has  by  his  reason  drawn 
the  conclusion,  that  God  must  of  ne- 
cessity be  an  eternal  Being,  beautiful 
above  all  things,  because  the  beauty 
of  all  the  creatures  must  be  compre- 
hended or  concentrated  in  Him.  But 
we  say  from  the  word  of  God,  and  the 
holy  Evangelist  St.  John:  ^' It  doth 
not  3'et  appear  what  we  shall  be  :  but 
we  know,  that  when  He  shall  appear, 
we  shall  be  like  him,  for  we  shall  see 
him  as  he  is"  (1  John  3:2);  that  we 
then,  being  perfectly  renewed  after 
the  likeness  of  God,  shall  really  be  an 
image,  like  unto  God,  through  which 
his  beauty,  brightness,  and  glory  will 
shine;  but  out  of  Jesus  Christ  our 
Lord,  in  the  highest  brightness  and 
beauty  of  all.    For  in  him  is  all  ful- 


Chap.  XXXI.] 


ness;  and  so  it  has  pleased  the  Father 
that  ''in  him  should  all  lulness  dwell" 
(Col.  1:  19);  and  that  "in  him  should 
be  gathered  together  in  one  all  things, 
both  which  are  in  heaven,  and  which 
are  on  earth"  (  Eph.  1 :  10  )  ;  which  no 
finite  creature  can  comprehend. 

5.  Therefore  anu;els  and  men  shall 
admire  the  brightness  and  beauty  of 
Christ,  especially  the  chosen  children 
of  God,  "  whose  vile  bodies  shall  be 


2C3 


fashioned  like  unto  his  glorious  body." 
Phil.  3  :  21.  And  this  is  what  Daniel 
says.  "They  that  bo  wise  shall  shino 
as  the  brightness  of  the  firmament; 
and  they  that  turn  many  to  righteous- 
ness, as  the  stars  for  ever  and  ever." 
Dan.  12  :  3.  And  as  the  104lh  Psalm, 
ver.  2,  eays  of  God,  "  Thou  coverest 
thyself  with  light,"  so  our  covering  or 
garment  will  also  be  nothing  else  but 
Jiii-ht  and  brio:htness. 


TEUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


CHAPTEK  XXX  1. 

SHOWING  now  GOD  MANIFESTS  HIMSELF  TO  THE   LOVING  SOUL  AS  THE  INFINITE 

OMNIPOTENCE. 

0  Lord  God  of  hosts,  who  is  a  strong  Lord  like  unto  thee?  or  to  thy  faithfulness  round 

about  thee Ps.  89:8. 


THE  love  of  God  wills,  that  a  loving 
soul  should  do  good  to  all  men,  and 
be  profitable  both  to  foes  and  friends; 
not  for  the  sake  of  its  own  profit  and 
honor,  but  only  for  the  sake  of  the 
love  of  God,  which,  as  it  were,  moves 
his  omnipotence  to  draw  nigh  unto 
us;  which  also,  from  its  infinite  treas- 
ure, gives  us  all  we  have,  to  the  end 
that  we  should  give  again  from  love 
what  the  love  of  God  has  given  us  out 
of  the  treasury  of  his  omnipotence. 

2.  Therefore,  O  man,  be  careful  that 
thou  appropriate  nothing  to  thyself, 
but  restore  all  to  the  omnipotence  of 
God,  who  himself  is  all  that  thou  hast 
and  art.  No  creature  can  either  give  to, 
or  take  away  from,  thee ;  it  is  only  the 
omnipotence  of  God  which  can  do  it. 
Nor  can  any  creature  comfort  thee ; 
the  love  of  God  alone  can  do  it. 

3.  In  this  love,  the  loving  soul  sees 
the  fulness  of  G(^d's  incomprehensible 
omnipotence,  which  comprehends  in 
itself  heaven  and  earth,  the  sea  and 


the  dry  land,  but  cannot  be  compre- 
hended by  any  thing.  For  the  whole 
world  is  to  the  omnipotence  of  God 
"  as  a  drop  of  a  bucket,  and  as  the 
small  dust  of  the  balance."  Isa.  40: 
15. 

4.  And  out  of  this  fulness  of  God's 
omnipotence,  all  the  powers  of  angels, 
men,  and  all  other  creatures,  proceed. 
It  sustains  the  firmament  of  Heaven. 
The  motions  of  the  sea  and  the  pow- 
ers of  the  earth  proceed  from  it;  so 
that  heaven  and  earth  are  full  of  God, 
full  of  the  divine  power  and  operation, 
full  of  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord.  The 
power  of  God,  which  is  the  might  of 
his  love,  comprehends,  incloses,  and 
replenishes  all  things,  but  is  compre- 
hended by  none.  Ps.  139  :  2,  etc. 

5.  As  high  as  God  is  over  all  things, 
so  deeply  also  is  he  in  all  things,  and 
all  things  are  in  him,  according  to  St. 
Paul,  who  says,  "Of  him,  and  through 
him,  and  to  him,  are  all  things"  (Rom. 
11:36);  and  again,  "Who  is  above 


264 


TEUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


[Book  II. 


all,  and  through  all,  and  in  you  all." 
Eph.  4:  6. 

6.  Since  God  is  so  great  and  over 
all  things,  nothing  surely  can  be  equal 
to  him  ;  and  he  that  will  be  so,  makes 
himself  a  god,  commits  the  greatest 
sin,  and  falls  into  the  pit  of  perdition. 
And  since  God  is  all,  all  that  is  with- 
out him  must  be  as  nothing.  There- 
fore from  God's  omnipotence,  man 
learns  to  know  his  own  nothingness, 
and  to  fear  God,  who  delights  in  them 
only  that  "  humble  themselves  under 
his  mighty  hand."  1  Peter  5  :  6. 

7.  Kow  as  great  and  high  as  God  is 
in  his  omnipotence,  even  so  low  is  he 
made  by  his  love.  Behold  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christy  the  living  Son,  the  pow- 
erful arm  of  God,  by  whom  were  all 
things  created,  and  by  whom  all 
things  consist  (1  Col.  1  :  16,  17) ;  how 
deeply  has  he  descended  by  his  love, 
and  how  lowly  and  humble  has  lie 
made  himself  among  all  creatures! 


8.  Therefore,  even  as  we  cannot 
f\ithom,  much  less  express  in  words, 
the  omnipotence  of  God;  so  neither 
can  we  fathom  with  our  thoughts 
the  humility  and  lowliness  of  Christ. 
Nevertheless,  as  deep  as  is  his  de- 
scent, 60  high  is  also  his  ascent  far 
above  all  heavens.  Eph.  4  :  10.  Unto 
him  be  honor  and  praise  to  all  eternity. 
Amen. 


O  God !  O  Jesus  !  O  blessed  Spirit ! 
Thou  unchangeable  mind!  Thou  in- 
extinguishable light !  Thou  Peace  I 
which  cannot  be  disturbed!  Thou  in- 
divisible unity  I  Thou  infallible  truth  ! 
Thou  ineftable  bounty  I  Thou  immea- 
surable might!  Thou  infinite  wis- 
dom! Thou  incomprehensible  Good- 
ness! Thou  omnipresent  eternity! 
Thou  Life  of  all  the  living  I  Do  Thou 
enlighten  me,  do  Thou  sanctify  me,  do 
Thou  quicken  me! 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 


SHOWING  HOW  THE  LOVING  SOUL  KNOWS  GOD  AS   THE  HIGHEST  RIGHTEOUSNESS 

AND  HOLINESS. 

Thy  righteousness  is  like  the  great  mountains;  thy  judgments  are  a  great  deep. — Ps.  36  :  6. 


ALL  who  love  God  acknowledge 
him  to  be  the  highest  and  most 
holy  righteousness,  which  pervades 
all,  and  is  over  all.  This  in  God  is 
his  most  holy  will ;  in  angels  holy  obe- 
dience ;  in  man,  the  testimony  of  his 
conscience;  in  all  creatures,  it  is  the 
order  of  nature,  whereby  God  has  or- 
dered all  things  in  number,  weight, 
and  measure.  All  that  is  done  against 
this  order,  is  contrary  to  God  and 
nature. 


2.  All  sins,  therefore,  in  the  worldj 
are  committed  against  God's  right- 
eousness, and  the  sinner  thereby  of- 
fends all  creatures,  even  all  the  angels 
in  heaven,  and  his  own  conscience, 
and  sets  them  in  hostility  against 
himself.  For  when  God  is  otfended 
and  provoked  to  anger,  all  creatures 
are  also  offended  and  made  angry;  so, 
too,  when  God  is  reconciled,  all  crea- 
tures are  reconciled  also,  and  rejoice 
over  such  a  man.  Hence  St.  Paul  says, 


Chap.  XXXII.] 


TEUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


265 


tbat  all  things  are  reconciled  by  Christ, 
whether  they  be  "  things  in  earth  or 
things  in  heaven  "  (Col.  1  :  20)  :  and 
this,  because  God  is  reconciled  through 
him.  Therefore  the  Lord  says,  "  There 
is  joy  in  the  presence  of  the  angels  of 
God  over  one  sinner  that  repentetii." 
Luke  15  :  10.  The  angels  rejoice  for 
man's  own  sake. 

3.  But  if  God  be  not  reconciled  to 
man,  all  creatures,  angels,  and  nature 
itself,  execute  vengeance  upon  him. 
Hence  come  the  dreadful  judgments 
of  God:  and  it  is  impossible  to  avert 
suchvengeance  and  judgments.  "Thou 
art  to  be  feared,  O  God  ]  and  who  may 
stand  in  thy  sight  when  once  thou  art 
angry?  Thou  didst  cause  judgment 
to  be  heard  from  heaven  ;  the  earth 
feared,  and  was  still."  Ps.  76  :  7,  8. 
Thus  may  we  see  in  the  plagues  of 
Egypt  how  all  creatures  executed 
vengeance  upon  the  wicked. 

4.  From  the  most  holy  righteous- 
ness of  God,  when  offended,  proceeds 
also  the  curse;  as  Moses,  the  man  of 
God,  witnesses,  when  he  speaks  of  the 
transgression  of  the  divine  law.  Deut. 
27  :  15,  etc. 

5.  It  is  a  curse  when  the  justice  of 
God  executes  such  vengeance,  that  the 
cursed  cannot  enjoy  any  good,  either 
from  God  or  the  creature,  but  is  made 
an  "abhorring  unto  all  flesh."  Isa. 
66  :  24.  "A  curse  is  a  liableness  and 
condemnation  unto  eternal  misery." 
Therefore  a  curse  is  terrible  and  dread- 
ful unto  all  creatures,  so  that  they 
cannot  endure  it.  And  this  is  the 
highest  vengeance  of  the  justice  of 
God. 

6.  From  the  most  holy  righteous- 
ness of  God  proceed  also  those  won- 
derful, unsearchable,  secret,  dreadful 
judgments,  whereof  David  says,  "  Thy 
judgments  are  a  great  deep"  (Ps.  36  : 
7);  and  St.  Paul,  "How  unsearchable 


are  his  judgments,  and  his  ways  past 
finding  out!"  Eom.  11  :  33. 

7.  When,  therefore, we  consider  them, 
we  see  therein  the  righteousness  of  God, 
of  which  the  man  of  God,  Moses,  saj'S, 
"  To  me  belongelh  vengeance,  and  rec- 
ompense," saith  the  Lord.  "  If  I  whet 
my  glittering  sword,  and  mine  hand 
take  hold  on  judgment,  I  will  render 
vengeance  to  mine  enemies,  and  will 
reward  them  that  hate  me.  Eejoice, 
O  3'e  nations,  with  his  people  !  for  he 
will  avenge  the  blood  of  his  servants, 
and  will  render  veno-eance  to  his  ad- 

o 

versaries,  and  will  be  merciful  unto 
his  land  and  to  his  people."  Deut.  32: 
35,  41,  43. 

8.  In  these  words,  Moses  declares 
the  vengeance  of  God  upon  all  the 
wricked,  who  resist  the  righteousness 
of  God.  Against  them  God  will  whet 
his  glittering  sword  ;  that  is,  his  dread- 
ful sentence  and  judgment,  at  which 
the  earth  feareth,  and  is  still.  Ps. 
76  :  8.  And  him,  upon  whom  God  exe- 
cutes his  vengeance  and  judgment, 
all  the  world  cannot  save ;  according 
to  the  words  of  the  Psalm  :  "O  Lord 
God,  to  whom  vengeance  belongeth ; 
O  God,  to  whom  veno-eance  beionp-eth, 
shew  thyself.  Lift  up  thyself,  thou 
Judge  of  the  earth  ;  render  a  reward 
to  the  proud."  Ps.  94  : 1,  2.  Here  we 
read  that  althouiidi  the  Lord  God  is  a 
gracious,  loving,  kind,  merciful,  long- 
suffering  God,  to  all  them  that  fear 
him,  he  is  nevertheless  a  just  judge, 
according  to  his  righteousness,  of  all 
the  wicked  that  transgress  against  his 
righteousness. 

9.  He,  therefore,  sets  before  us  in 
his  word,  not  only  instances  of  his 
grace  and  mercy,  but  also  of  his  jus- 
tice and  vengeance ;  such  as  those  of 
the  deluge,  Sodom  and  Gomorrah, 
Pharaoh  in  Egypt,  and  in  the  Eed 
Sea;  Korah,  Dathan,  and  Abiram; 


266 


TEUE  CHRISTIA^s^ITY. 


[Book  II. 


Saul,  Aliithophcl,  Aliab,  Jezebel, ISTcb- 
ucbadnezzar.Bclsliazzar,  Sennacherib; 
and  in  tlie  New  Testament,  Ilerod, 
and  many  more;  in  every  one  of 
whom,  Ave  may  sec  tlie  wonderful 
judgment  and  vengeance  of  God. 
Therefore  he  is  called,  a  God  of  ven- 
geance, ''unto  whom  vengeance  be- 
longclh,"  because  he  is  the  most  holj^, 
and  the  most  righteous  God;  nay, 
righteousness  itself  Therefore,  the 
saints  (  Kev.  6:10)  appeal  to  the  jus- 
tice of  God  with  a  loud  voice,  say- 
ing: ''How  long,  O  Lord,  holy  and 
true,  dost  thou  not  judge  and  avenge 
our  blood  on  them  that  dwell  on  the 
earth  ?" 

10.  Such  judgments  of  God  are  ex- 
ecuted daily,  but  are  rightly  under- 
stood only  by  believing  and  holy  souls, 
according  to  the  words  of  the  Psalm : 
"  With  thine  eyes  shalt  thou  behold 
and  see  the  reward  of  the  wicked." 
Ps.  91:  8.  This  saying  is  not  to  be 
understood  according  to  carnal  pas- 
sions and  affections,  but  it  is  to  be 
considered  si)iritually ;  for  it  imports 
that  we  are  to  give  unto  the  Lord  our 


God,  the  praise  of  his  righteousness; 
and  to  say,  "  Righteous  art  thou,  0 
Lord,  and  upright  are  thy  judgments" 
(Ps.  119  : 137) ;  and    The  Lord  is  right- 
eous  in  all  his  ways,  and  holy  in  all  his 
works."  Ps.  145:17.    Thus  holy  and 
believing  souls  delight  to  see  the  won- 
derful judgments  of  God;  yet  not  ac-  | 
cording  to  the  flesh,  so  as  to  rejoice 
over  the  destruction  and  perdition  of  , 
the  wicked  (which  would  procee<.l  from 
self-revenge);  but,  according  to  the  j 
q~)irit,  they  take  delight,  that  is,  they  I 
acknowledge  and  praise  the  righteous-  { 
ness  of  God,  who  fulfil leth  his  word, 
and  is  a  righteous  God.    And  at  the  j 
same  time,  they  lament  and  weep  over 
the  perdition  of  the  wicked,  even  as 
our   Saviour   wept    over  Jerusalem 
(Luke  19  :41);  and  as  David  wept 
over  x\bsalom.  2  Sam.  18  :  33. 

11.  So,  then,  we  are  here  to  have  a 
twofold  respect,  namely,  to  God  and  to 
men.  If  we  look  upon  the  destruction 
of  men,  we  are  justly  to  be  sorrowful; 
but  if  we  look  upon  God,  we  are  to 
praise  his  justice,  for  he  doeth  wrong  ^ 
unto  none.  Ps.  92:  15. 


CHAPTEE  XXXIII. 

SHOWING  HOW  THE  LOVING  SOUL  CONSIDERS  GOD    AS  THE  ETERNAL  WISDOM 
Known  unto  God  are  all  his  works  frorn  the  beginning  of  the  world. — Acts  15  :  18. 


GOD  ordains,  governs,  moves,  and 
re^julatcs  all  thino-s  according:  to 
his  unsearchable  wisdom,  as  it  is  writ- 
ten (Isa.  45:4-12):  "I  have  even 
called  thee  by  thy  name;  I  have  sur- 
named  thee,  though  thou  hast  not 
known  me.  I  am  the  Lord,  and  there 
is  none  else,  there  is  no  God  besides 
me. — I  form  the  light,  and  create 
darkness;  I  naake  peace,  and  create 


evil;  I  the  Lord  do  all  these  things. 
— Woe  unto  him  that  striveth  with  h- 
Maker!  Let  the  potsherd  strive  with 
the  potsherds  of  the  earth.  Shall  the 
clay  say  to  him  that  fashioneth  it. 
What  makest  thou  ?  or  thy  work,  lit: 
hath  no  hands?  Woe  unto  him  that 
saith  unto  his  father,  What  begettest 
thou?  or  to  the  woman,  What  hast 
thou  brought  forth  ?    Thus  saith  the 


Chap.  XXXIIL] 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


267 


Lord,  the  IIolj  One  of  Israel,  and  liis 
Maker,  Ask  me  of  things  to  come  con- 
cerning my  sons,  and  concerning  the 
,  work  of  my  hands  command  ye  me. 
j  I  Lave  made  the  earth,  and  created 
man  upon  it:  I,  even  my  hands,  have 
etrctclied  out  the  heavens,  and  all  their 
!  host  have  I  commanded." 
i     2.  This  is  a  powerful  testimony  con- 
•  ecrning  the  eternal  wisdom,  and  the 
wondrous,  incomprehensible  govern- 
ment of  Almighty  God,  which  may 
be  first  observed  in  this,  that  he  has 
called  every  one  of  us  by  his  name, 
and  has  surnamed  us,  though  we  did 
DOt  know  him,  and  were  not  yet  in 
being.    This  our  name  by  which  God 
calleth  us,  is  our  faith,  our  outward 
calling,  and  our  whole  course  of  life. 
There  we  are  inclosed  in,  or  surround- 
ed with,  God's  eternal  wisdom  and 
providence,  as  it  respects  our  whole 
life,  its  beginning,  middle,  and  end 
I  (Ps.  139  :  16j,  or  as  to  our  going  out 
I  and  coming  in.  Ps.  121:8.  "lie  telleth 
the  number  of  the  stars;  he  calletb 
them  all  by  their  names"  (Ps.  147: 
4);  that  is,  he  gives  them  their  courses, 
powers,  and  operations.    How  much 
.  more  doth  he  so  in  reference  to  men  1 
)  God  forms  the  light  and  creates  dark- 
ness,   lie  makes  peace,  and  creates 
evil ;  that  is,  as  to  the  evil  of  punish- 
ment, the  just  reward  of  sin;  this  he 
creates  and  permits;  nay,  he  calls  the 
sword,  and  causes  an  alarm  of  war  to 
be  heard.  Jer.  49  :  2. 

3.  In  a  word,  he  ordains  all  things 
;  wisely.    He  sees  and  hears  all  things 
before,  according  to  the  words  of  the 
Psalmist:   "Understand,  ye  brutish 
among  the  people:  and  ye  fools,  w^hen 
will  ye  be  wise  ?    He  that  planted  the 
ear,  shall   he   not  hear?    He  that 
1  formed  the  eye,  shall  he  not  see  ?  He 
;  that  chastiseth  the  heathen,  shall  not 
.he  correct?    He  that  teacheth  man 


knowledge,  shall  not  he  know?"  Ps. 
94 :  8-10. 

4.  Here  king  David  teaches  us  that 
God  has  laid  a  mirror  of  his  omnisci- 
ence and  eternal  wisdom  iiito  man, 
into  the  hearing  ear,  and  seeing  eye, 
those  two  wonderful  powers  of  the 
human  body. 

5.  It  is  extremel}^  offensive  to  a  man, 
to  hear  and  see  anything  unjust  or  un- 
reasonable; how  much  more  to  God, 
who  has  an  all-seeitig  eye  and  an  all- 
hearing  ear,  must  men's  ingratitude 
bo  offensive;  he  having  ordained  all 
things  by  his  wisdom,  in  order  to  be 
serviceable  unto  men.  He  has  made 
the  sun  by  his  wisdom  to  give  light, 
not  unto  itself,  but  to  us;  the  water 
affords  drink,  not  to  itself,  but  unto 
us ;  the  earth  brings  forth  fruits,  not 
for  itself,  but  for  us;  the  fire  warms, 
not  for  itself,  but  for  us;  the  air  gives 
breath,  not  to  itself,  but  to  us;  the 
bread  feeds,  not  itself,  but  us ;  the 
herbs  do  not  heal  themselves,  but  us. 

6.  The  eternal  wisdom  of  God  has 
planted  so  many  powers  in  the  crea- 
tures, and  has  so  wisely  distributed 
them,  that  they  are,  as  it  were,  so 
many  hands  through  which  the  wis- 
dom and  goodness  of  God  divide  these 
treasures  among  us,  according  to  the 
words  of  Job:  "  Who  knoweth  not  in 
all  these,  that  the  hand  of  the  Lord 
hath  wrought  this?  In  whose  hand  is 
the  soul  of  every  living  thing,  and  the 
breath  of  all  mankind."  Job  12  :  9,  10. 
And  "Ask  now  the  beasts,  and  they 
shall  teach  thee;  and  the  fowls  of  the 
air,  and  they  shall  tell  thee"  (ver. 
7);  that  "with  God  is  wisdom  and 
strength,  he  hath  counsel  and  under- 
standing. Behold,  he  breaketh  down, 
and  it  cannot  be  built  again  :  he  shut- 
teth  up  a  man,  and  there  can  be  no 
opening."  Yer.  13,  14.  "  He  stretcheth 
out  the  north  over  the  emj^ty  place, 


268 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  II. 


and  hangeth  the  earth  upon  nothing. 
He  bindeth  up  the  waters  in  his  thick 
clouds,  and  the  cloud  is  not  rent  under 
them."  Job  26  :  7,  8. 

7.  Since  then  the  Lord  our  God  or- 
daineth  all  things  hy  his  wisdom,  he 
ordaineth  all  our  crosses;  and  there- 
fore we  are  not  to  murmur,  but  to 
praise  his  wisdom,  and  to  learn  pa- 
tience; for  things  cannot  proceed  oth- 
erwise than  as  they  are  ordained  by 
God.  But  not  only  the  things  that 
befall  us  in  particular,  are  the  most 
wise  order  of  God;  but  also  all  great 
national  plagues,  famine,  pestilence, 
wars,  and  revolutions  of  states.  And 
although  we  may  think  that  these  are 
nothing  but  confusion,  perdition,  and 
destruction,  3'ct  there  reigns  the  wisest 
order  of  God.  Tliis  we  may  gather 
from  the  histories  of  Holy  Writ,  where 
famine,  wars,  pestilence,  desolations 
of  the  kingdoms  of  the  world,  the  de- 
struction of  the  Jewish  kingdom,  and 
of  empires,  the  Babylonian  Captivity, 
and  many  similar  events,  are  described. 
"I  know,"  saith  Solomon  (Eccles.  3  : 
14),  "  that  whatsoever  God  doeth,  it 
shall  be  forever  :  nothing  can  be  put 
to  it,  nor  anything  taken  from  it :  and 
God  doeth  it,  that  men  should  fear  be- 
fore him." 

8.  And  again,  "Consider  the  work 
of  God;  for  who  can  make  that 
straight,  which  he  hath  made  crook- 
ed?" Eccles.  7  :  13. 

9.  If  we  consider  it  aright,  we  must 
own  that  God  could  not  have  ordered 
things  more  wisely.  So  we  may  say 
also,  with  reference  to  the  persecu- 
tions of  the  saints,  both  in  the  Old 
and  Now  Testament;  to  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ;  the  holy  Gospel;  the 
holy  martyrs;  and  all  other  things. 
In  our  sight,  these  all  seem  to  be  ab- 
surd, and  foolish,  and  yet  they  are  the 
highest  wisdom  of  God. 


10.  As  then  we  are  to  give  unto 
God  the  praise  of  righteousness,  in  all 
his  wonderful  judgments;  so  we  are 
also  to  give  unto  him  the  praise  of 
wisdom,  in  all  the  wonderful  changi 
of  the  world,  and  in  all  our  cross' 
and  sufferings;  knowing  that  he  ca: 
direct  all  evils  to  a  good  end,  and  out 
of  evil  derive  good:  so  that  in  all 
things,  how  confused  soever  they  may 
appear  unto  us,  there  shiueth  forth  his 
wisdom,  even  as   his  righteousness 
doth  in  all  his  judgments. 

11.  But  the  loving  soul  sees  the  wi 
dom  of  God  especially  in  the  restoi-u 
tionand  redemption  of  the  human  race, 
and  in  the  renovation  of  the  soul  and 
the  faculties  thereof  For  so  it  pleased 
the  wisdom  of  God,  that  the  corrupt 
image  of  God  in  man,  should  be  re- 
newed by  the  divine  substantial  image 
of  God,  that  is,  by  Christ.  After  man 
had  lost  by  sin  that  blessed  wisdom, 
that  glorious  light  of  his  intellect,  by 
which  he  knew  God  aright,  and  bo 
had  fallen  into  the  utmost  blindness, 
nay,  into  eternal  darkness,  wherein 
he  must  have  dwelt  forever;  the  Son 
of  God,  who  is  the  eternal  wisdom  of 
the  Father,  became  man,  and  a  light 
of  life  unto  men  (John  1:  4),  that  he 
might  bring  back  those  that  had  gone 
astray;  that  he  might  teach  the  igno- 
rant ;  call  to  himself  the  sinners;  and 
rekindle  in  them  the  light  of  the 
knowledge  of  God  by  faith  and  the 
Holy  Ghost;  nay,  that  he  might  unite 
himself  to  the  soul  of  man,  and  might 
shine  forth  therein. 

12.  Secondly  :  after  the  will  of  man 
was  entirely  turned  away  from  God, 
perverted,  and  wholly  changed  into 
disobedience,  striving  against  God  in 
all  things;  the  Son  of  God  was  made 
man,  that  he  might  be  unto  us  a  pat- 
tern of  perfect  obedience;  that  he 
might  heal  our  evil  will ;  implant  his 


Chap.  XXXIV.] 


good  will  in  our  hearts ;  renew  our  will 
through  the  Holy  Ghost;  and  make  us 

I  partakers  of  his  holy  obedience  by 
faith;  according  to  those  words  of 

'  Scripture  (Gal.  3  :  14),  "  That w^e  might 

I  receive   the   promise   of  the  Spirit 

'  through  faith ;"  nay,  that  he  might 
unite  himself  to  us,  and  live  in  us, 

!  that  so  our  will  also  might  be  made 
conformable  unto  God. 
13.  Thirdly  :  because  the  affections 

i  of  our  hearts,  and  all  our  faculties, 
were   in   contrariety   to   God,  and 

:  "every  imagination  of  the  thoughts 
of  our  hearts,  was  only  evil  contin- 
ually" (Gen.  6:5);  the  Son  of  God, 
who  is  love  itself,  became  man,  that 
he  might  give  us  a  heart  wholly  new; 
that  he  might  plant  therein  the  love 
of  God,  and  sincere  humility  and 
meekness ;  that  he  might  take  from 


269 


us  the  old  carnal  heart,  and  unite  him- 
self w^ith  us,  that  so  we  might  be  made 
of  one  heart,  mind,  and  spirit  with 
him  ;  all  which  are  the  fruits  of  his 
most  holy  incarnation  wrought  in  us. 

14.  And  this  is  the  highest  wisdom 
of  God,  that  by  his  dear  Son,  He  thus 
reneweth  man.  For  as  God  has  cre- 
ated man  by  his  wisdom,  after  his  per- 
fect image;  so  He  hath  also,  by  his 
dear  Son,  who  is  eternal  wisdom,  and 
wTio  was  made  man,  created  man  anew, 
and  regenerated  him  to  a  new  image 
of  God,  wherein  his  wisdom,  glory, 
and  righteousness  should  shine  forth 
forever.  It  is  in  this  chiefly  that  the 
image  of  God  consists. 

15.  Thus  the  corrupt  image  of  God 
in  man,  is  renewed  by  the  substantial 
image  of  God,  which  is  Christ. 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


CHAPTER  XXXI  Y. 

SHOWING  HOW  A  MAN  SHOULD  SEEK  THE  WISDOM  OF  GOD  BY  PRAYER;  CON- 
TAINING ALSO  A  USEFUL  TREATISE  ON  PRAYER,  W^HEREIN  THE  READER  IS 
TAUGHT  HOW  THE  HEART  IS  TO  BE  MOVED  UNTO  PRAYER,  AND  BROUGHT 
INTO  A  QUIET  SABBATH,  SO  THAT  PRAYER  MAY  BE  WROUGHT  IN  US  BY  THE 
LORD;  THE  WHOLE  BEING  SET  FORTH  IN  TWELVE  SECTIONS. 


SECTION  I. 

ALL  THAT  WE  HAVE  LOST  IN  ADAM  WE 
EECOVER  FULLY  AND  COMPLETELY  IN 
CHRIST. 

In  Christ  are  hid  all  the  trensjcres  of  wisdom  and 
kiiou-ledge. — Col.  2  :  3. 

IN  the  beginning  God  formed  man 
out  of  the  dust  of  the  earth,  and 
breathed  into  him  the  breath  of  life, 
and  man  became  a  living  and  immor- 
tal soul,  adorned  with  perfect  wisdom, 
righteousness,  holiness,  and  blessed- 
ness, after  the  image  of  his  Creator. 


For  where  there  is  divine  wisdom, 
there  is  blessedness  ;  and  where  there 
is  blessedness  there  is  divine  wisdom. 
Man,  therefore,  wanted  nothing  in 
Paradise  to  make  him  completely 
happy.  But  when,  being  seduced  by 
the  temptation  of  the  serpent,  he 
turned  away  from  God,  and  fell  into 
sin,  then  was  this  divine  image  in 
man  effaced,  and  he  became  subject 
to  the  devil,  to  death,  and  to  misery. 
For  as  soon  as  this  divine  iraaire  was 
defaced  in  him  by  sin,  he  could  dis- 


270 


TRUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


[Book  II. 


cover  nothing  in  himself  but  misery, 
blindness,  and  the  curse. 

2.  Bui  in  order  that  Adam,  that  is, 
all  men  in  Adam,  might  not  utterly 
perish,  God  himself  was  made  man  ; 
that  is,  he  was  pleased  to  send  his 
Son  to  take  our  nature  upon  him,  and 
to  be  born  of  a  virgin.  The  Son  of 
God  has,  by  his  holy  \h'e  and  doctrine, 
as  by  a  pattern,  shown  us  again  the 
way  of  wisdom  and  salvation  in  which 
we  are  to  walk.  For  he  has  not  only 
delivered  us  from  our  sins  by  his  most 
bitter  death,  but  has  moreover  given 
us  a  commandment,  that  ''  we  should 
walk,  even  as  he  also  walked."  IJohn 
2  :6. 

3.  We  are,  therefore,  begotten  again 
by  him,  through  faith,  to  be  the  sons 
of  God ;  nay,  we  are  made  sons  of 
God  in  and  with  his  own  Son.  For 
''as  he  is,  so  are  we  also  in  this 
world."  1  John  4  :  17. 

4.  In  this  Son  "  all  the  treasures  of 
wisdom  and  knowledge  are  hidden." 
For  whatsoever  was  lost  in  Adam,  is 
perfectly  to  be  found  in  Christ.  Rom. 
5  :  18,  19. 

5.  If  we  would,  in  this  life,  have  a 
foretaste  of  these  great  and  glorious 
treasures,  it  must  be  obtained  by 
prayer,  diligent  searching,  and  con- 
tinual knockino;.  For  no  man  can 
have  admission  into  the  kingdom  of 
God,  unless  he  walk  in  the  new  birth, 
and  seek  it  earnestly  of  God.  No  man 
can  be  delivered  from  the  power  of 
sin  and  the  devil,  unless  he  repent, 
and  offer  up  his  prayers  in  the  name 
of  Christ.  For  though  Christ  has 
purchased  for  us  all  good  things,  yet 
without  faith  no  man  can  be  partaker 
of  them;  in  and  by  faith  he  must  also 
pray,  seek,  and  knock.  In  a  word,  it 
is  by  prayer  only  that  we  can  obtain 
those  "good  and  perfect  gifts  which 


come  down  from  above,  from  the 
Father  of  lights."  James  1  :  17. 

A  PRAYER. 

O  Eternal  God  and  Father,  teach 
me,  I  beseech  thee,  by  thy  Holy 
Spirit,  that  even  as  I  have  lost  all  by 
dying  in  Adam,  so  I  may  recover  all 
by  being  made  alive  again  in  Christ. 
Grant  that  I  may  daily  die  to  my- 
self,  by  continual  mortification  and 
repentance,  and  devote  and  give  my. 
self  up  entirely  to  thee;  that  so  all 
the  good  things  which  I  have  loat 
may  be  restored  to  mo,  through  Jesug 
Christ  our  Lord.  Amen. 


SECTION  II. 

THE  EVILS  THAT  FOLLOW  THE   NEGLECT  OF 
PRAYER. 

Ye  have  not,  because  ye  ask  not. — James  4  :  2. 

1.  The  neglect  of  prayer  is  a  viola- 
tion of  the  commandments  of  Christy 
who  commands  us  to  "pray  without 
ceasing"  (Matt.  7:7;  Luke  18  : 1),  not 
for  His  sake,  for  he  well  knows  what 
we  stand  in  need  of  (Matt.  6:  32);  but 
for  our  own,  that  w^e  may  have  a  por- 
tion of  the  treasures  and  inheritance  of 
God.  He  that  lives  in  the  neglect  of 
prayer  is  a  breaker  of  the  first  and 
second  commandments,  even  as  to  blas- 
pheme God  is  to  bring  voluntary  de- 
struction upon  himself 

2.  lie  that  neglects  the  duty  of 
prayer  is  a  despiser  of  the  promises 
annexed  to  the  performance  of  that 
duty.  "Call  upon  me,  and  I  will  de- 
liver thee"  (Ps.  50:15);  "Ask,  and  ye 
shall  receive"  (John  1G:24);  for  he 
thereby  represents  God  as  unmindful 
of  his  promises,  or  as  not  able  to  fulfil 
them. 

3.  By  the  neglect  of  prayer,  our 
faith,  which  is  the  great  treasure  and 
foundation  of  the  inward  man,  by  de- 


Chap.  XXXIV.] 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


271 


grees  decays  and  perishes.  For  not 
by  the  arm  or  power  of  flesh,  but  by 
faith  in  Christ,  can  we  conquer  sin, 
death,  and  the  devih  1  John  5  :  4. 
Prayer  is  the  nourishment  of  faith; 
and  this  is  that  wisdom  and  eternal 
life  which  we  must  seek  for  by  dili- 
gent prayer. 

4.  The  Lord  Jesus  departs  from 
them  that  despise  prayer;  so  that 
they  are  blinded  and  walk  in  dark- 
ness, knowing  neither  themselver  nor 
God,  but  are  strangers  to  his  will. 
They  shut  the  kingdom  of  heaven 
against  themselves;  and,  being  desti- 
tute of  light  to  know  the  will  of  God, 
they  fall  into  many  dangers  and 
temptations,  and  sometimes  into  de- 
spair: whereas,  on  the  contrary,  where 
there  are  the  Holy  Sj^irit  and  faith, 
there  the  world  is  overcome. 

5.  lie  tiiat  neglects  prayer  enters 
into  a  state  of  carnal  security,  and 
every  kind  of  iniquity.  Such  a  man 
is  not  sensible  how  deeply  he  is  en- 

I  gaged  in  sin;  but  rushes  into  all  the 
'  avenues  of  destruction  which  lie  open 
;  to  receive  him.  The  good  things  of 
I  this  world  which  God  has  given  him, 
I  such  as  health  and  riches,  he  regards 
I  as  things  that  come  by  chance,  or  are 
j  secured  by  his  own  labor;  and  upon 
!  that  account  he  has  no  gratitude  to 
his  Creator  and  Benefactor. 

6.  As  man,  since  his  fall,  is  exposed 
to  continual  dangers,  both  of  body 

'  and  soul,  so   is   he   particularly  in 
danger  from  the  devil,  evil  spirits, 
.  and  wicked  men,  who,  like  the  devil, 
\  are  continually  plotting  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  righteous.  Whosoever, 
.  therefore,  neglects  prayer,  Avill  be,  in 
!  the  midst  of  these  temptations,  like  a 
ship  tost  in  a  storm,  without  help  or 
hopes  of  escape. 

7.  Such  a  one  also  leads  a  most  un- 
happy life;  he  is  in  continual  diffi- 


culties and  fears,  being  perplexed, 
doubtful,  and  uneasy  about  the  suc- 
cess of  his  affairs.  His  head  and 
hands  are  full  of  business;  yet  he 
sees  but  little  fruit  of  his  labors,  and 
even  that  little  is  in  the  end  unblessed. 
Therefore,  though  the  Scripture  says 
that  the  wicked  may  be  seen  in 
great  power,"  yet  it  adds,  "  they  pass 
away,  and  are  not."  Ps.  37  :  35,  36. 
They  are  *'like  the  chalT  which  the 
wind  driveth  away."  Ps.  1  :  4.  On  the 
other  hand,  they  that  seek  unto  God 
by  prayer  "shall  flourish  like  a  palm 
tree,  and  grow  like  a  cedar  in  Leba- 
non." Ps.  92:12.  And  "though  many 
are  the  afflictions  of  the  rijihteous" 
(Ps.  34  :  19),  yet  the  wicked  undergo 
more  pain  and  trouble  to  go  to  hell 
than  the  righteous  do  to  obtain 
heaven. 

A  PRAYER. 

Most  merciful  and  compassionate 
Father,  thou  knowest  that  man  ren- 
ders himself  miserable  by  his  own  neg- 
ligence and  sloth,  whilst  he  trans- 
gresses thy  commands,  and  neglects 
the  duty  of  prayer,  contemning  and 
slighting  thy  most  certain  and  faith- 
ful promises.  But  because  thou  lovest 
thy  creatures,  and  art  not  willing  that 
any  should  perish,  therefore  it  is  that 
thou  dost  so  earnestly  invite  us  to  the 
exercise  of  prayer.  Give  me  grace 
to  lay  this  continually  to  heart,  that 
I  may  be  able  to  ofl'cr  up  m^^  prayers 
aright,  through  thy  Son  Jesus  Christ, 
and  be  delivered  from  the  punish- 
ments and  miseries  due  to  the  des- 
pisers  of  that  holy  duty.  Amen, 


SECTION  IIL 

THE  BENEFITS  OF  CONTINUAL  PRAYER. 

Ask,  and  ye  shall  receive,  that  your  joy 
may  be  full. — John  16  :  24. 

1.  Man, since  his  fall,  is  become  sloth- 
ful and  inactive  in  everything  that  is 


272 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  II 


good.  He,  therefore,  that  would  eseape 
this  unhappy  state,  and  tlie  destruction 
that  will  certainly  attend  it,  must  stir 
himself  up  by  praj'er;  and  by  holy 
meditation  conquer  his  aversion  to 
divine  things,  and  devoutly  consider 
with  himself  the  advantages  of  j^rayer. 
Let  hi  m  reflect,  that  he  thereby  prai ses, 
honors,  and  adores  the  eternal,  living, 
and  true  God ;  thjit  he  does  not  worship 
any  strange  God  ;  but  offers  up  his 
most  earnest  supplications  to  the  only 
one  and  true  God,  whose  commands, 
like  an  obedient  child,  he  ought  to 
obey,  and  show  forth  the  praises  of 
his  Creator,  Father,  and  Saviour. 

2.  He  that  prays  does  not  despise 
the  promises  of  God,  but  testifies  by 
his  prayers  that  he  sets  a  just  value 
upon  them,  acknowledging  that  God 
is  true,  and  that  he  neither  can  nor 
will  lie. 

'6.  Prayer  is  the  life  of  faith,  causing 
it  to  flourish  and  prosper  like  a  tree 
by  the  river  side,  and  faith  is  the  root 
of  all  that  is  good  in  us.  Faith  is  our 
power,  our  spiritual  consolation,  our 
strength  asiainst  all  our  enemies  and 
temptations,  yea,  faith  is  our  "  victory 
that  overcometb  the  world  "  (1  John 
5:4);  and  consequently  everything 
else  that  opposes  and  hinders  us  in 
our  spiritual  warfare. 

4.  By  prayer,  we  receive  the  Holy 
Spirit.  Luke  11 :  13  ;  Zech.  12  :  10.  By 
prayer,  we  make  room  for  the  Holy 
Spirit  to  work  and  exert  his  power  in 
us,  and  by  this  means  to  come  and 
make  his  abode  with  us.  John  14  :  23. 
By  prayer,  we  obtain  the  true  light 
and  knowledge  of  God,  so  as  perfectly 
to  understand  his  will ;  and,  by  prayer, 
we  abide  in  his  kingdom,  and  are  par- 
takers of  the  blessings  of  heaven. 

5.  By  prayer,  we  shake  off  carnal 
security,  resist  sin,  and,  by  vanquish- 
ing flesh  and  blood,  "  fight  the  good 


fight,  and  hold  faith  and  a  good  con- 
science." 1  Tim.  1  :  19;  G  :  12. 

6.  By  prayer,  we  oppose  tempta-  r 
tions,  dangers,  afflictions,  the  devil, 
and  wicked  men.    For  prayer  is  a 
strong  tower  of  defence  against  our  ^ 
enemies,  and  the  holy  fortress  to  which 
we  must  have  recourse  (Eph.  6  :  18; 
Prov.  18  :  10;  Ps.  31  :  3);  and  though  j 
the  devil  and  wicked  men  raise  the 
greatest  opposition,  yet  "  all  things 
work  together  for  good  to  them  that 
love  God."  Pom.  8  :  28. 

7.  Lastly,  hethat  continually  watches 
unto  prayer  may  always  thankfully  re- 
joice in  the  Holy  Ghost;  according  to 
the  doctrine  of  St.  Paul,  "  Pejoice  ever- 
more ;  pray  without  ceasing;  in  every- 
thing give  thanks."  1  Thess.  5  :  16-18. 
For  the  comfortable  addresses  made 
to  God,  the  eternal  King,  by  prayer, ' 
are  an  effectual  remedy  against  sor- 
row, trouble,  misery,  and  affliction; 
and  produce  joy,  peace,  and  tranquil- 
lity in  the  hearts  of  the  faithful;  and 
when  our  prayers  are  right,  we  are 
assured  that  all  our  righteous  designs 
shall  prosper  in  our  hands  "whilst 
we  cast  our  care  upon  God."  1  Pet. 
5:7.  "  The  Lord  is  at  hand.  Be  care- 
ful for  nothing."  Phil.  4  :  5,  6.  "  Com- 
mit thy  way  unto  the  Lord ;  trust 
also  in  him,  and  he  shall  bring  it 
to  pass."  Ps.  87  :  5.  For  all  solici- 
tude arises  from  a  distrust  of  God, 
which  naturally  proceeds  from  the 
neglect  of  prayer.  On  the  contrary, 
faith  and  prayer  give  us  confidence 
towards  God,  and  are  the  proper  anti- 
dote against  all  anxiety  and  trouble 
of  mind. 

J 

A  PRAYER.  mm 

Help  me,  O  Lord  my  God,  that^U 
may  continually  call  to  mind,  that  it 
is  for  my  own  sake  that  thou  invitest 
and  urgest  me  to  the  exercise  of  prayer. 


Chap.  XXXIV.] 


TEUE  CIIEISTIANITY. 


273 


Do  tbou  rouse  me,  and  I  shall  arise; 
awaken  thou  me,  and  I  shall  awake, 
and  follow^  Christ  alone.  Amen. 

SECTION"  IV. 

THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  CHOOSES  THE  NAR- 
ROW WAY  IX  CHRIST,  RATHER  THAN  THE 
BROAD  WAY  IN  ADAM. 

We  glory  in  trihulutio7-)S.—  'RoTA.  5  :  3. 

1.  The  Scripture  teaches  us  that 
i  when  Adam  was  2:)laced  in  Paradise, 

God  showed  him  the  tree  of  the  knowl- 
■  edge  of  good  and  evil,  and  forbade  him 
to  eat  of  it  (Gen.  2:9,  17);  so  that 
(  Adam  was  thus  placed  between  time 
'  and  eternity.  Life  and  death,  light  and 
darkness  (Deut.  30  :  15),  were  set  be- 
;  fore  him,  that  he  might  qualify  himself 
1  for  eternal  glory  in  the  narrow  way. 

Our  case  is  just  the  same.    For  since 
j  the  fall  of  Adam,  Christ  comes  to  us, 
I  and  endeavors  to  draw  us  from  the 
broad  way  in  Adam,  to  the  narrow 
.   way,  which  is  himself;  and  this  he 
I  does  gentlj'  and  without  violence,  re- 
solving to  force  no  man  either  to  his 
!   salvation  or  his  condemnation.  He 
I  shows  us  the  way  by  his  prevenient 
I  grace,  which  is  bestowed  on  all  men 
,  without  exception.    Christ  now  says, 
)   "Enter  ye  in  at  the  strait  gate;  for 
wide  is  the  gate,  and  broad  is  the  wa}', 
that  leadeth  to  destruction;  and  man}' 
there  be  that  go  in  thereat.  Because 
strait  is  the  gate,  and  narrow  is  the 
way,  which  leadeth  unto  life,  and  few 
there  be  that  find  it."  Matt.  7  :  13,  14. 

2.  Here  we  plainly  see  two  paths 
j  set  before  us:  the  one  is  the  way  of 
j  the  world,  in  which  many  walk,  be- 
i  cause  they  continue  in  Adam,  and  re- 
.   fuse  Christ ;  the  other  is  the  way  of 

God,  in  which  few  walk,  because  they 
.  prefer  the  broad  way  in  Adam.  Man}- 
are  the  difficulties  w^hich  attend  both 
these  paths.  If  you  conform  yourself 
to  the  world,  you  will  meet  with  many 


troubles  and  vexations;  and,  not  being 
established  in  the  truth  of  God,  youi 
lot  finally  is  eternal  damnation.  But  if 
3'ou  enter  into  the  w^ay  of  God  through 
Clirist,  and  persevere  in  prayer,  you 
must  expect  to  suffer  with  Christ,  fi'om 
the  opposition  of  this  evil  world:  but^ 
at  the  same  time,  your  heart  shall  be 
constantly  filled  with  the  refreshing 
consolations  of  the  Spirit  of  truth,  and 
in  the  end, you  shall  obtain  everlasting 
life.  2  Tim.  2  :  II,  12;  3  :  12. 

3.  He  that  prays,  fights  against  the 
devil  and  his  own  corrupt  nature; 
overcomes  himself,  the  devil,  and  all 
the  enemies  of  his  salvation ;  and  shall 
at  last  with  Christ,  the  Captain  of  his 
salvation  (Heb.  2  :  10),  enter  into  ever- 
lasting rest. 

4.  But  he  that  live^  in  the  neglec-t 
of  prayer,  makes  no  progreSvS  in  the 
conquest  of  his  spiritual  enemies;  but 
is  a  miserable  slave  of  the  world,  and 
shall  at  last,  with  the  prince  of  dark- 
ness, be  condemned  to  everlasting 
misery. 

5.  It  is  better  to  fight  now,  and  to 
enter  triumphantly  into  everlasting 
glory,  than  not  to  fight,  and  yet  en- 
dure many  afiiictions,  and  at  last  be 
doomed  to  everlasting  destruction. 

A  PRAYER. 

Oh  that  men  would  but  consider 
these  things !  They  would  then  loathe 
and  despise  this  present  world;  would 
hate  and  deny  themselves,  and  would 
follow  Christ  alone,  in  the  narrow  way 
of  the  cross.  That  we  may,  there- 
fore, seriously  lay  these  things  to 
heart ;  that  we  may  renounce  the  old 
Adam  within  iis,  and  put  on  the  new 
man,  Christ  Jesus:  and  at  last, 
through  the  narrow  way,  enter  into 
everlasting  life,  may  God  of  his  in- 
finite mercy  grant,  through  Jesus 
Christ  our  Lord.  Amen. 


274 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  II. 


SECTION  V. 

CONSIDERATIONS  WUICH  SHOULD  MOVE  THE 
HEART  TO  COMMUNE  WITH  GOD  IN 
PRAYER. 

Am  I  a  God  at  hand,  saith  the  Lord,  and  not  a 
God  afar  q/T?— Jer.  23  :  23. 

1.  It  is  of  great  use  to  us,  to  have  be- 
fore us  certain  lieads  wbicli  may  serve 
as  encouragements  to  the  exercise  of 
earnest  prayer,  which  is  that  worship 
in  spirit  and  in  truth,  which  God  re- 
quires of  all  his  servants. 

2.  1.  First,  then,  we  must  consider 
that  "God  knows  what  things  we 
have  need  of,  before  we  ask  him." 
Matt.  G :  8. 

3.  II.  That  God  draws,  invites,  and 
encourages  us  to  the  exercise  of  pray- 
er, and  assuredly  promises  that  he 
will  hear  our  prayers.  Ps.  50  : 15. 

4.  III.  That  God  is  no  respecter  of 
persons,  but  has  an  equal  regard  for 
all  mankind.  Acts  10  :  34. 

5.  IV.  That  he  is  as  sinful  who  pre- 
sumes to  pray  upon  the  opinion  of  his 
own  righteousness,  merit,  and  holiness, 
as  he  that  is  afraid  to  pray  out  of  a 
sense  of  his  own  sins  and  unworthi- 
ness.  Luke  18 :  11,  14. 

6.  Y.  That  God  is  not  confined  to 
any  certain  place,  where  only  we 
ought  to  worship  him  ;  but  that  he  is 
everywhere  to  be  found,  and  is  always 
"nigh  to  them  that  call  upon  him." 
John  4:  21,  22;  Ps.  145:18. 

7.  VI.  That  God  is,  in  his  own 
eternity,  unchangeable,  and  not  con- 
fined to  any  certain  time;  but  is  al- 
ways attentive  to  the  prayers  of  his 
servants.  1  Thess.  5  :  17. 

8.  YII.  That  God  anticipates  our 
prayers,  and  gives  us  both  natural  and 
supernatural  blessings,  which  yet, 
without  prayer,  nobody  can  truly 
enjoy. 

9.  These  considerations  will  renew 
and  awaken  every  soul  that  shall  duly 


attend  to  them  (Eph.  5  : 14)  :  they  will 
cleanse  them  from  darkness  and  error; 
establish  them  on  the  foundation  of 
truth;  elevate  them  towards  God; 
and  inflame  them  with  a  lively  devo- 
tion.  For  from  them  flow  the  follow- 
ing lessons  : 

10.  I.  That  God  commands  and  en- 
courages us  to  pray,  not  for  His  own 
sake,  as  if  He  were  ignorant  of  our 
wants,  but  for  our  sakes,  that  beinor 
quickened  by  pra^'er  we  might  know 
and  acknowledge  them  ourselves. 

11.  II.  That  God  does  not  stand  in 
need  of  any  minute  declarations  of 
our  necessities,  but  knows,  even  before 
we  ask  him,  what  things  we  have 
need  of  Isa.  65  :  24 ;  Ps.  139 :  2. 

12.  III.  That  God,  who  never  slum- 
bereth  nor  sleepeth,  needs  not  to  be 
awakened  by  onr  cries,  fastings,  and 
watchings;  but  that  these  exercises 
are  profitable  for  man,  to  awaken  and 
rouse  him  from  the  sleej)  of  sin.  Ps. 
33  :  18;  34  :  15. 

13.  IV.  That  God  is  a  thousand 
times  more  ready  to  .give,  than  man  is 
to  receive.  Jer.  32  :  41. 

14.  y.  That  the  goodness  and  mercy 
of  God  towards  mankind  are  infinite 
(Ps.  103  :  12),  but  that  the  negligence 
and  sloth  of  men  in  praying,  seeking, 
and  knocking,  are  excessive.  Matt. 
7  :  7. 

15.  VI.  That  God  is  impartial  and 
just  in  all  his  works,  and  is  by  no 
means  the  cause  of  our  blindness,  in- 
firmities, ignorance,  or  miseries;  but 
that  wretched  man  himself  is  in  fault, 
by  neglecting  to  pray  or  to  seek. 
Deut.  32  :  4  ;  Ps.  92  :  15. 

16.  VII.  That  the  true  worshipper 
may  at  all  times  and  in  all  places,  of- 
fer up  his  prayers  in  spirit  and  in 
truth  to  God  the  Father,  through 
Christ,  provided  he  do  not  hinder  him- 
self John  4:21,  23;  Luke  18:  1,  etc. 


CiiAP.  XXXIV.] 


TEUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


275 


17.  YIIT.  That  whosoever  neglects 
prayer,  deprives  himself  of  the  blessed 
opportunities  of  speaking  to  God.  Ps. 
19  :  14.  Thus  the  sinner  inflicts  pun- 
ishment on  himself 

18.  IX.  That  the  diligent  worship- 
per doeth  good  to  himself;  not  of  him- 
self but  by  the  prevenient  grace  of 
God,  which  is  freely  given  to  all  men 
without  exception. 

19.  Let  him  that  is  unacquainted 
with  the  preceding  heads  of  medita- 
tion, know  that  he  is  still  far  from 
Christ,  and  has  tasted  but  little  of  the 
truth.  He  who  knows  them,  and  be- 
lieves them  not,  is  guilty  of  a  very 
great  sin;  and,  lastly,  he  that  believes 
them  and  yet  is  inactive,  and  does  not 
stir  up  himself  to  the  practice  of 
them,  but,  on  the  other  hand,  lives  on 
from  day  to  day,  in  a  state  of  doubt 
and  indifference,  is  a  great  sinner,  and 
shall  be  beaten  with  many  more  stripes 
than  he  who  knew  not  his  Lord's  will, 
and  therefore  did  it  not.  Luke  12  :  47. 
Let  the  one  last  mentioned  look  care- 
fully to  himself,  that  he  may  be  seri- 
ously converted,  and  not  perish  in  his 
sins. 

A  PRAYER. 

0  Lord,  and  merciful  Father,  awak- 
en me  b}-  thy  Holy  Spirit,  that  I  may 
not  only  know  these  things,  but  may 
practise  them  by  a  lively  faith,  and  be- 
come a  true  worshipper  in  spirit  and 
in  truth.  Amen. 


SECTION  VI. 

THE    OMNISCIENT    GOD    KNOWS    WHAT  WE 
STAND  IN  NEED  OF,  BEFORE  WE  ASK  HIM. 
Thou  understandest  my  thought  afar  off. — 
Ps.  139:2. 

1.  The  truth  of  these  words  is  con- 
firmed by  our  blessed  Saviour  :  "  Your 
Father  knoweth  what  things  ye  have 
need  of,  before  ye  ask  him  "  (Matt.  6  : 
8)  ;  and  by  David :     He  that  planted 


the  ear,  shall  he  not  hear?"  (P.s.  94  :  9); 
and  by  St.  Paul:  "lie  is  a  discerner 
of  the  thoughts  and  intents  of  the 
heart."  Ileb.  4  :  12.  For  our  God  is 
not  as  man,  who  stands  in  need  of  a 
long  account  of  our  necessities.  All 
the  possible  successions  of  time  are  in 
his  sight  but  as  one  single  moment,  in 
which  all  thing>s,  both  past  and  to 
come,  are  beheld  as  actually  present. 
Therefore,  he  numbered  the  hairs  of 
our  heads  before  we  were  born,  and 
understands  all  our  thoughts  before 
we  pray.  In .  a  word,  all  things  are 
naked  and  open  in  his  sight.  Ileb.  4: 
13.  These  and  similar  meditations  may 
be  of  use,  for  the  encouragement  of 
those  who  begin  the  exercise  of  prayer; 
so  that  ihay  may  alvvays  have  certain 
sentences  of  Scripture  ready  at  hand, 
upon  which  they  may  meditate,  and 
which  they  may  apply  to  themselves, 
by  comprising  the  sense  of  them  in  a 
short  prayer.  This  will  be  easily  un- 
derstood by  those  that  are  exercised 
herein. 

2.  A  man  that  walks  abroad  in  an 
open  spacious  field,  and  in  a  clear  day, 
finds  himself  encompassed  with  light; 
which  light,  if  it  -were  spiritual,  in- 
stead of  being  natural,  would  even 
penetrate  the  spirit  itself  Just  so  are 
all  creatures,  visible  and  invisible,  in 
the  sight  of  God.  He  discerns  and 
comprehends  all  things,  and  nothing 
can  be  hidden  from  him.  "  The  dark- 
ness hideth  not  from  him ;  but  the 
night  shineth  as  the  day."  Ps.  139  :  12. 
He  himself  is  the  all-seeing  eye,  to 
whom  all  things  are  as  clear  as  a  mote 
in  transparent  crystal  would  be  to  our 
bodily  eyes. 

3.  This  consideration  is  of  great  use 
to  the  inexperienced,  in  order  to  purge 
their  hearts  from  the  thick  clouds  of 
darkness  and  error,  and  to  quicken 
them  in  prayer;  by  which,  when  truly 


276 


TEUE  CIIEISTIAXITY. 


[Book  II. 


roused  and  awakened,  we  discover 
many  great  and  noble  truths  that  had 
hitherto  been  liidden  from  our  eyes. 
Many  are  apt  to  think,  that  God  knows 
and  sees  no  more  than  they  themselves 
do;  which  is  the  effect  of  egregious 
blindness  and  ignorance,  and  will  merit 
a  proportionable  punishment.  Ps.  7  :  9. 

A  PRAYER. 

Almighty  and  everlasting  God  and 
Father,  the  Searcher  of  hearts,  and 
the  Judge  of  all  our  secret  thoughts, 
who  seest,  knowest,  and  hearest  all 
our  designs  and  purposes  before  they 
are  brought  to  pass  !  Behold,  I  appear 
before  thee,  to  confess  my  necessities, 
not  with  any  design  to  awaken  thee 
by  my  cries,  as  if  thou  wert  ignorant 
of  me,  or  of  my  concerns;  but  to  stir 
up  myself  to  know  and  consider,  that 
thou  knowest  all  my  necessities,  and 
that  the  very  hairs  of  my  head  are 
numbered  by  thee.  Assist  me,  Holy 
Father,  that  I  may  truly  know  and 
consider  these  things,  that  my  soul 
may  joyfully  submit  to  th}^  good 
pleasure^  and  that  I  may  wait  upon 
thee  in  true  resignation  and  obedience. 
Amen. 


SECTION  YII. 

THAT  GOD  INVITES  AND  ENGAGES  ALL  MEN 
TO  THE  EXERCISE  OF  PRAYER,  AND  PROM- 
ISES TO  HEAR  THEIR  PETITIONS. 

Whosoever  shall  call  oil  the  name  of  the  Lord  shall 
be  delivered.  S 0^1,  2  :  32. 

1.  These  words  ought  to  be  carefully 
considered;  for  it  is  not  sufficient  to 
believe  that  God  knows  all  things ; 
we  must  also  remember  that  God  com- 
mands us  to  pray,  and  promises  to 
hear  us.  Thus,  "  Whjitsoever  ye  shall 
ask  the  Father  in  my  name,  he  will 
give  it  you."  John  16  :  23.  "  Every  one 
that  asketh,  receiveth ;  and  he  that 
seeketh,   findetb ;  and   to  him  that 


knocketh,  it  shall  be  opened."  Malt. 
7:8.  "  Men  ought  always  to  pray,  and 
not  to  faint."  Luke  18  :  1.  "  If  any 
one  lack  wisdom,  let  him  ask  of  God, 
that  giveth  to  all  men  liberally,  and 
upbraideth  not,  and  it  shall  be  given 
him."  James  1:5.  "  If  we  ask  any 
thing  according  to  his  will,  he  heareth 
us."  1  John  5  :  14.  "  All  things  what- 
soever yQ  shall  ask  in  prayer,  believ- 
ing, ye  shall  receive."  Matt.  21 :  22. 
In  all  these  places,  both  a  command 
and  a  promise  are  expressed ;  which 
must  needs  make  an  impression  upon 
every  man  that  has  not  a  heart  of 
stone;  and  he  that  does  not  believe 
them,  is  in  a  desperate  state,  and 
deserves  not  the  name  of  a  man.  But 
if  these  things  are  true,  and  acknowl- 
edged to  be  so,  why  do  we  not  believe 
them  ?  Why  do  we  not  pray  ?  Why 
are  not  our  prayers  heard  ?  Why  do 
we  not  receive  the  gifts  and  graces  of 
the  Holy  Spirit  ?  Verily,  because  we 
do  not  pray  with  faith,  nor  wait  upon 
God  with  constancy  and  patience.  For 
the  property  of  true  faith  is  to  submit 
ourselves  to  God,  in  a  quiet  and  peace- 
ful resignation  of  mind ;  but  he  that 
wavers,  is  unfaithful  and  inconstant, 
and  makes  his  own  prayers  void. 
Moreover,  he  denies  the  truth  and 
power  of  God,  making  him  either 
unable  or  unw^illing  to  supply  our 
wants.  Both  these  are  signs  of  a  per- 
verse spirit. 

2.  On  the  other  hand,  faith  gives 
quietness  to  the  soul,  and  makes  it 
capable  of  divine  grace.  God  requires 
nothing  from  man  but  that  he  should 
be  quiet,  and  rest  from  all  his  works, 
and  especially  from  himself  The 
spirit  and  mind  of  man  are  like  water.s, 
upon  which  the  Spirit  of  God  is  per- 
petually moving.  Gen.  1:2.  So  soon 
as  our  spirit  is  quiet,  and  at  rest  from 
the   impetuous   motions   of  worldly 


Chap.  XXXIV.]  TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


277 


thoughts,  then  God  rests  upon  it,  and 
speaks  foi-th  the  word  of  his  power 
into  such  quiet  and  still  waters ;  and 
the  moment  of  this  divine  influx  is 

j     of  more  value  than  the  whole  world. 

I     Still  waters  are  easily  warmed  by  the 

I  sun,  but  violent  and  rapid  streams 
seldom  or  never.    Unbelief  sacrileg- 

i  iously  robs  God  of  his  honor,  destroy- 
ing the  very  names  of  faith  and  truth. 
This  changes  the  Christian  into  a 
heathen  and  atheist,  and,  unless  re- 
pented of,  will  lead  to  his  everlasting 
destruction. 

A  PRAYER. 

0  Eternal,  faithful,  and  righteous 
God,  who  canst  not  lie ;  I  know  that 
thou  dost  graciously  invite,  encourage, 
and  impel  all  men,  for  their  own. infi- 
nite advantage,  to  pray  unto  thee; 
and  dost  offer  thy  grace  and  mercy 
equally  to  them  all,  without  distinction 
or  partialit3^  Grant,  I  beseech  thee. 
Holy  Father,  that  I  may  seriously  lay 
these  things  to  heart,  and  attain  a 
true,  firm,  and  upright  faith,  and  not 
be  deaf  to  the  invitations  of  thy  infi- 
nite mercy  ;  but  may  constantly  and 
cheerfully  submit  myself  to  thee,  and 
expect  with  patience  thy  light  within 
my  soul.  Amen. 


SECTION  VIII. 

GOD  IS  NO  RESPECTER  OF  PERSONS,  BUT  HAS 
AN  IMPARTIAL  LOVE  FOR  ALL  HIS  CREA- 
TURES. 

The  Lord  is  good  to  all,  and  his  tender  mercies 
are  over  all  his  wnks. — Ps.  145  :  9. 

1.  I  am  now  indeed  convinced  (some 
one  may  say),  that  God  knows  my 
necessities  better  than  I  can  discover 
I  them  to  him ;  that  he  has  commanded 
prayer,  and  promised  to  hear  it :  but 
I  am  not  yet  fully  satisfied,  whether  I 
in  particular  am  not  excluded  from 
the  benefit  of  these  promises  ? — Come, 


then,  and  let  us  now  show  that  God  is 
no  respecter  of  persons,  in  opposition 
to  those  blind  guides,  who,  by  their 
false  interpretations  of  some  places  of 
Holy  Scripture,  particularly  Rom.  9 : 
13,  Mai.  1 :  2,  and  the  like,  have  en- 
deavored to  prove  that  God  has  an 
aversion  to  some  particular  persons, 
and  a  partial  fondness  for  others;  con- 
trary to  the  plain  and  indisputable 
testimonies  of  Holy  Scripture,  which 
we  ought  firmly  to  fix  in  our  minds, 
that  we  may  not  be  perverted  by  the 
false  glosses  of  unreasonable  men. 

"  Of  a  truth  I  perceive  that  God  is 
no  respecter  of  persons:  but  in  every 
nation,  he  that  feareth  him,  and  work- 
cth  righteousness,  is  accepted  with 
him."  Acts  10:  34,  35. 

"  The  Lord  your  God  is  God  of  gods, 
and  Lord  of  lords,  a  great  God,  a 
mighty,  and  a  terrible,  which  regard- 
eth  not  persons,  nor  taketh  reward. 
He  doth  execute  the  judgment  of  the 
fatherless  and  widow^,  and  loveth  the 
stranger,  in  giving  him  food  and  rai- 
ment." Heut.  10:  17,  18. 

"  God  accepteth  no  man's  person." 
Gal.  2  :  6. 

There  is  no  respect  of  persons  with 
God."  Col.  3  :  25. 

''As  I  live,  saith  the  Lord  God,  I 
have  no  pleasure  in  the  death  of  the 
wicked;  but  that  the  wicked  turn 
from  his  way  and  live. — As  for  the 
wickedness  of  the  wicked,  he  shall  not 
fall  thereby  in  the  day  that  he  turneth 
from  his  wickedness. — None  of  his  sins 
that  he  hath  committed  shall  be  men- 
tioned unto  him."  Ezek.  33  :  11, 12,  16. 

''  This  is  a  faithful  saying,  and  wor- 
thy of  all  acceptation,  that  Christ 
Jesus  came  into  the  world  to  save 
sinners;  of  whom  I  am  chief.  IIow- 
beit,  for  this  cause  I  obtained  mercy, 
that  in  me  first  Jesus  Christ  might 
show  forth  all  long-suffering,  for  a 


278 


TRUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


[Book  II. 


pattern  to  them  which  Bhoiild  here- 
after believe  on  him  to  life  everlast- 
ing." 1  Tim.  1  :  15,  16. 

"God  will  have  all  men  to  be  saved, 
and  to  come  unto  the  knowledge  of  the 
truth."  1  Tim.  2:  4. 

"  God  is  not  willing  that  any  should 
perish,  but  that  all  should  come  to  re- 
pentance." 2  Pet.  3  :  9. 

These  and  such  testimonies  of  Scrip- 
ture ought  to  be  deeply  imprinted  on 
our  minds,  that  every  one  may  know, 
that  all  men  are  equally  dear  to  God; 
that  all  men  were  created  by  him  ac- 
cording to  his  image,  and  redeemed 
by  Jesus  Christ.  Moreover,  God  has 
sworn  by  himself,  that  he  desires  not 
the  death  of  a  sinner.  Hence  God 
assists  us  all  by  his  prevenient  grace, 
not  waiting  till  we  are  worthy  to  re- 
ceive it.  He  comes  to  us,  before  we 
come  to  him ;  he  knew  us,  before  we 
knew  him ;  he  loveth  us,  before  we 
love  him;  he  loved  us  while  we  were 
yet  his  enemies.  Eom.  5  :  10.  He, 
therefore,  is  blind  and  impious,  who 
dares  assert  that  God  does  not  love 
all  men  alike.  Such  a  one  scorns  the 
God  of  heaven,  accuses  him  of  in- 
justice, and  makes  him  a  respecter  of 
persons. 

2.  But  when  it  is  said  that  God 
loved  Jacob,  and  hated  Esau  (Eom. 
9  :  13),  such  language  is  not  to  be 
understood  of  them  personall}^  or  as 
indicating  on]y  hatred,  but  refers  to 
the  exclusion  from  the  inheritance  in 
the  land  of  promise — not  to  a  hatred 
which  refuses  salvation,  but  to  the 
refusal  of  temporal  blessings.  And 
though  we  are  all  sinners,  yet  God 
has  a  greater  regard  for  those  that 
love  him  than  for  those  that  continue 
in  their  sins  and  blindness,  neither  ac- 
knowledging God  for  their  Father,  nor 
bringing  forth  the  fruits  of  repentance. 
God  takes  no  pleasure  in  the  wicked- 


ness of  these  men;  but  rather  desireti 
that  all  should  be  saved.  And  whereas 
it  is  said  that  "  he  hath  mercy  on  whom 
he  will  have  mercy ;  and  whom  he  will 
he  hardeneth"  (Eom.  9  :  18);  we  must 
know  that  he  hardeneth  none  but  those 
who  by  their  unbelief  and  impenitence 
have  hardened  themselves.  These,  in- 
deed, he  does  at  length,  with  reluc- 
tance, leave  to  themselves;  and  being 
thus  forsaken,  they  naturally  full 
into  a  state  of  entire  obduracy.  And 
whereas  it  is  said,  that  "it  is  not  of 
him  that  runneth,  but  of  God  thai 
sheweth  mercy  "  (Eom.  9  :  16)  ;  it  is 
plain  that  God  doth  elect  and  antici- 
pate us  by  his  grace,  and  not  we  our- 
selves, and  that  he  is  the  Author  and 
Giver  of  all  our  graces;  so  that  what- 
soever good  we  do,  is  owing  to  him, 
and  not  to  ourselves. 

3.  This  is  the  true  interpretation  of 
those  places,  which  some  perverse 
minds  have  interpreted,  as  if  God  had 
decreed  to  damn  a  great  part  of  man- 
kind (as  the  poets  feigned  of  Saturn, 
who  hated  and  devoured  his  own  chil- 
dren). This  is  a  doctrine  that  tends 
directly  to  subvert  our  faith,  and  to 
precipitate  men  into  despair,  or  into 
a  rude,  lawless  and  Epicurean  mode  of 
life,  as  appears  by  woful  experience. 
From  all  which  snares,  and  deceits  of 
the  devil,  may  the  Lord  deliver  us! 
Amen. 

A  PRAYER. 

O  Eternal  and  most  righteous  God, 
who  acceptest  not  the  persons  of  men  ; 
but  art  so  just  in  thy  dispensations  to- 
wards us  all,  as  to  anticipate  us  with 
thy  grace  and  favor,  not  waiting  till 
we  are  already  worthy,  but  bestowing 
thy  prevenient  grace  to  make  us  so; 
teach  me,  by  thy  Holy  Spirit,  grate- 
fully to  acknowledge  thy  boundless 
mercy  towards  us.   Let  thy  light  arise 


Chap.  XXXIV.] 


TIlUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


279 


i  in  my  heart,  that  I  may  not,  with  tl)e 
wicked  world,  disown  that  grace  which 
thou  hast  alread}^  bestowed  upon  me, 
which  is  that  treasure  hidden  in  the 
field,  the  earnest  of  the  inheritance  of 
i  the  saints;  but  may  diligently  search 
after  it,  find  it,  taste  it,  and  enjoy  it. 
Amen. 

SECTION  IX. 

SHOWING  THAT  IT  IS  EQUALLY  SINFUL  TO 
PRAY  TO  GOD  UPON  THE  PRESUMPTION  OF 
OUR  OWN  MERIT,  AND  TO  FORBEAR  ON 
ACCOUNT  OF  OUR  UN  WORTHINESS. 
Father,  I  have  sinned  against  heaven,  and  in.  thy 
sight,  and  am  no  more  wurlhy  to  be  called  thy 
son.. — Luke  15  :  21. 

1.  He  that  prays  upon  the  presump- 
tion of  his  own  holiness  and  piety, 
walketh  not  in  the  direct  and  plain 
path  of  the  children  of  God  ;  but  turns 
to  the  right  hand,  outruns  his  Saviour, 
and,  like  a  sacrilegious  robber,  deprives 
him  of  the  honor  due  unto  him  (since 
He  alone  is  our  righteousness,  our  holi- 
ness, and  our  sanctification,  1  Cor.  1 : 
30),  and  depends  entirely  upon  his  own 
unprofitable  w^orks;  not  acknowledg- 
ing the  merit  of  Christ  alone,  but  de- 
pending upon  human  righteousness, 
and  believing  that  God  hears  our 
prayers,  not  for  the  sake  of  Jesus 
Christ,  but  for  the  sake  of  man's  good 
works.  But  this  is  directly  contrary 
to  Scripture.  "  If  thou,  Lord,  should- 
est  mark  iniquity,  O  Lord,  who  shall 
stand? — But  with  the  Lord  there  is 
mercy,  and  with  him  is  plenteous  re- 
demption." Ps.  130  :  3,  7.  A  man  may 
as  well  say,  that  the  operation  of  his 
eyes  causes  the  light  of  the  sun,  as 
that  his  ow^n  righteousness  is  the  cause 
of  his  receivinij:  the  fi;race  of  God. 
Abraham,  Isaac,  Jacob,  Elias,  &c.,  were 
all  saved  by  grace  :  all  joining  in  that 
petition,  "Enter  not  into  judgment 
with  thy  servant,  O  Lord,  &c."  Ps. 
143  :  2. 


2.  He,  on  the  other  hand,  that  ne- 
glects to  pray  from  a  sense  of  his 
manifold  transgressions,  judging  him 
self  upon  that  account  unworthy  to 
speak  to  God,  turns  to  the  left  hand, 
and  sinks  in  liis  own  misery  and  un- 
worthiness,  affronting  the  Son  of  God, 
and  (without  repentance)  running  into 
despair;  whilst  he  thinks  that  the  pas- 
sion and  death  of  Christ  are  not  suffi- 
cient to  atone  for  the  sins  of  the  whole 
world.  Against  this  temptation,  let 
ns  call  to  mind,  that  "where  sin 
abounded,  there  grace  did  much  more 
abound."  Eom.  5  :  20.  For  our  misery 
appeals  to  the  mercy  of  God,  our  weak- 
ness to  his  power,  our  un  worth  in  ess 
to  his  majesty,  our  unrighteousness  to 
his  righteousness. 

.  "This  is  a  faithful  saying,  and 
worthy  of  all  acceptation^  that  Christ 
Jesus  came  into  the  world  to  save  sin- 
ners; of  whom  I  am  chief."  1  Tim. 
1  :  15. 

"As  I  live,  saith  the  Lord  God,  I 
have  no  pleasure  in  the  death  of  the 
wicked,  but  that  the  wicked  turn  from 
his  way  and  live."  Ezek.  33  :  11. 

"There  is  now  no  condemnation  to 
them  that  are  in  Christ  Jesus."  Rom. 
8  :  1. 

"  As  for  the  wickedness  of  the 
wicked,  he  shall  not  fall  thereby  in 
the  day  that  he  turneth  from  his 
wickedness."  Ezek.  18  :  21;  33  :  12. 

"For  this  (the  remission  of  sins) 
shall  every  one  that  is  godly  pray." 
Ps.  32 :  6. 

"  Be  not  righteous  overmuch,  neither 
make  thyself  over  wise."  Eccles.  7 : 16. 

"If  we  confess  our  sins,  he  is  faith- 
ful and  just  to  forgive  us  our  sins,  and 
to  cleanse  us  from  all  unrighteous- 
ness." 1  John  1  :  9. 

"  Rio-hteousness  shall  look  down 
from  heaven."  Ps.  85  :  11. 

3.  If  I  resolve  not  to  pray  till  I 


180 


TRUE  CflRISTIAlSriTY. 


[Book  II. 


know  myself  to  be  worthy,  I  shall 
certainly  never  do  it  at  all.  And  if 
I  should  not  desire  God  to  bestow 
upon  me  his  grace  and  favor,  till  by 
my  own  strength  I  became  just  and 
holy,  I  should  never  obtain  anything. 
Alas,  poor  man,  what  canst  thou  be- 
stow upon  him  who  standeth  not  in 
need  of  thy  gifts?  Rom.  11  : 35.  Or 
what  canst  thou  obtain  by  the  work- 
ings of  thy  corrupt  nature,  which, 
however  specious  in  thine  own  eyes, 
are  of  no  value  in  the  sight  of  God/* 
Rom.  3  :  24.  Verily,  nothing  at  all. 
Away,  then,  with  all  those  who  glory 
in  their  own  righteousness,  and  pre- 
tend to  justify  themselves;  3-ea,  let 
all  creatures  keep  silence  before  God. 
Thine  own  worthiness  will  here  avail 
thee  nothing,  and  thine  unworthiness 
shall  do  thee  no  harm;  for  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  thy  Saviour,  is  he  that 
"forgiveth  thy  unrighteousness,  and 
covereth  all  thy  sin.''  Ps.  31  :  1.  But 
rather  conclude  with  thyself,  that  as 
a  drop  of  water  is  swallowed  up  in 
the  sea,  so  are  all  thy  transgressions 
in  the  boundless  and  incomprehensible 
mercies  of  Jesus  Christ. 

A  PRAYER. 

O  Merciful  and  compassionate  Fa- 
ther! who  teachest  me  in  thy  holy 
word  how  I  ought,  in  thy  Son  Jesus 
Christ,  to  walk  in  the  narrow  way, 
turning  neither  to  the  right  hand  nor  to 
the  left;  that  I  ma}' neither  fall  through 
a  vain  presumption  of  my  own  pietj', 
nor  be  cast  into  despair  by  the  gloomy 
prospect  of  my  guilt,  and  so  die  in  my 
sins;  grant  that  I  may  seriously  con- 
sider that  neither  my  good  works  can 
merit,  nor  ray  sins  hinder,  the  grace 
of  Christ,  my  Redeemer;  that  so  I 
may  continue  firm  and  steadfast 
amidst  all  my  temptations;  that  I 
may  neither  be  misled  by  the  evil 


spirit  of  presumption  and  spiritual 
pride  that  walketh  at  noonday,  nor 
be  afraid  of  the  destroying  angel  of 
despair  that  walketh  in  darkness;  but 
that,  having  conquered  the  weakness 
of  my  nature,  I  may  continue  stead- 
fast in  the  faith,  filled  with  spiritual 
joy  and  consolation.  Let  thy  grace, 
blessed  Lord  Jesus,  begin,  carry  on, 
and  perfect  this  good  work  in  me. 
Amen. 


SECTIOX  X. 

THE  TRUE  WORSHIPPER  OUGHT  NOT  TO  SEEK 
AFTER  GOD  IN  ANY  PARTICULAR  PLACE; 
FOR  HE  FINDS  HIM  EVERYWHERE  IN 
SPIRIT  AND  IN  TRUTH. 

The  hour  cometh,  when  ye  shall  neither  in  this 
mountain,  nor  yet  at  Jerusalem,  ivorsliip  ihf 
F./ther.  The  true  ivor shippers  shall  worship  the 
Father  in  spirit  and  in  truth. — John  4  :  21,  23. 

1.  Where  shall  we  find  God  ?  Jer.  23 : 
23.  Must  we  look  for  him  in  conse- 
crated temples?  Must  we  seek  him 
in  the  ends  of  the  earth  ?  Must  we 
search  for  him  in  the  stars,  or  at  Jeru- 
salem, or  upon  the  top  of  Mount  Ta- 
bor? JSTo!  but  "in  spirit  and  in  truth" 
(John  4  :  23)  seek  and  find  him.  "We 
are,  indeed,  sometimes  forced  to  the 
fatigue  of  long  journeys,  in  order  to 
make  our  complaints,  and  beg  the 
protection  of  the  princes  of  this 
world;  but  God  is  everywhere;  "He 
filleth  heaven  and  earth"  (Jer.  23; 
24),  and  is  nearer  to  all  creatures 
than  they  are  to  themselves.  "He  is 
above  all,  and  through  all,  and  in  us 
all."  Eph.  4  :  6.  The  utmost  dimen- 
sions of  space,  and  even  the  boundless 
extent  of  eternit}^  appear  to  him  as 
but  a  single  point.  Ps.  139:7.  As  a 
man  that  walks  at  noonday,  in  an 
open  field,  is  environed  with  light, 
whether  he  discern  it  or  be  blind,  so 
are  all  creatures  surrounded  with  the 
presence  of  God.  These  are  the  waters 


Chap.  XXXIY.]  TEUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


281 


upon  which  tlio  Spirit  of  God  moves, 
penetrating  through  all  beings  and  all 
spirits,  though  ever  so  pure  and  glori- 
ous. God  is  always  near  to  us,  though 
I  many  are  not  so  to  him,  having  no 
more  perception  of  the  communica- 
tions of  his  presence  than  a  blind  man 
has  of  the  light,  which  he  sees  not, 
though  surrounded  by  it.  God  never 
turns  away  from  us;  but  we,  being 
turned  away  from  him,  fall  into  that 
degree  of  blindness,  as  to  say,  that 
God  has  withdrawn  himself  from  us, 
and  is  become  unkind  to  us;  whereas, 
the  change  is  only  in  ourselves,  and 
in  our  own  hearts,  by  which  we  are 
tempted  to  charge  God  foolishly. 
Thus  the  sinner,  by  turning  away 
from  God,  becomes  his  own  tor- 
mentor; whilst  God  continues  un- 
changeably just  and  good  in  all  his 
I  works  (Ps.  145  :  8);  however  often 
man,  being  blinded  and  turned  away 
from  God,  may  represent  him  as  an 
angry,  unjust,  and  unmerciful  being. 

2.  Hence,  then,  wc  may  gather  the 
genuine  sense  of  those  passages  of 
Scripture,  which  say  that  "the  king- 
dom of  God  is  within  us,"  and  not  with- 
out us  (Luke  17  :21),  and  that  we  have 
nothing  to  do  with  "  them  that  are 
without."  1  Cor.  5  :  12.    These,  with- 
out all  dispute,  are  not  to  be  under- 
stood of  any  external  place,  but  of  the 
spirit  or  inward  man,  according  to  the 
faith.    To  confine  the  kingdom  of  God 
to  any  certain  place,  is  antichrlstian, 
even  as  our  blessed  Lord  has  told  us 
that  men  will  say,  "  Lo,  here  is  Christ, 
or  lo,  there."  Matt.  24  :  23.    But  if 
any  place  could  save  or  condemn  a 
;   man,  then  Lucifer  himself  could  never 
j   have  become  a  devil  in  heaven  ;  nor 
j    ivould  Adam  ever  have  sinned  in  par- 
j  adise.    So  if  any  place  would  condemn 
(  a  man,  then  should  no  man  living  be 
I   saved;  since  this  Avhole  w^orld  lieth  in 

i 


darkness,  and  all  the  inhabitants 
thereof  are  under  the  dominion  of 
the  devil,  who  is  the  prince  of  it. 
John  12  :  31.  He  therefore  that  has 
faith,  though  with  Jonah  he  were  in 
the  depths  of  the  sea,  yet  would  be  in 
the  kingdom  of  God ;  and  he  that  has 
it  not,  though  he  were  in  the  church, 
heard  sermons,  and  would  join  in  acts 
of  communion,  yet  in  the  sight  of  God 
he  is  without^  and  has  no  part  in,  or 
title  to,  the  kingdom  of  God. 

A  PRAYER. 

O  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  art  the 
only  way,  light,  and  gate  of  heaven,  I 
praise  thee  from  the  bottom  of  my 
heart,  that  by  this  meditation,  thou 
teachest  me  how  I  am  in  thee,  and 
thou  in  me,  in  whatsoever  place  I  am; 
how  thou,  my  true  and  only  High 
Priest,  art  with  me,  and  delivcrest  me 
from  my  sins,  whensoever  I  lift  up  my 
heart  to  thee.  Though  I  walk  through 
the  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death,  I 
will  fear  no  evil,  for  thou  art  with  me. 
Teach  me,  O  Lord,  always  to  acknowl- 
edge this,  and  not  after  the  manner  of 
this  ungrateful  world,  to  undervalue 
or  despise  this  hidden  treasure  ;  but 
that  I  may  in  true  faith  seek,  find, 
taste,  and  enjoy  it.  Amen. 


SECTION  XI. 

THE  WORSHIPPER  IS  NOT  RESTRICTED  TO 
CERTAIN  TIMKS  OF  PRAYER,  BUT  MAY  AT 
ANY  HOUR  ADDRESS  GOD  IN  PRAYER,  PRO- 
VIDED THAT  HE  DOES  NOT  HINDER  HIM- 
SELF. 

Ill  an  arcpptahle  time  have  I  heard  tJiee,  and  in  a 
day  of  s  jlvation  have  I  helped  thee. — Seek  ye  the 
Lord  while  he  may  be  found,  call  ye  vpon  hiin 
while  he  is  neir. — Is  A.  49:8;  65  :  6,  Behold, 
now  is  the  accepted  time,  behold,  -non*  is  the  day 
of  salvation. — 2  CoR.  6  :  2. 

1.  From  what  has  been  alreadj^  said 
concerning  the  place,  and  what  we  are 
now  observing  further  upon  that  head, 


282 


TEUE  CIIRTSTIANITY. 


[Book  II. 


it  is  plain,  that  be  is  truly  happy  who 
is  in  the  kingdom  of  God.  The  reason 
of  this  is,  because  he  has  the  treasure 
within  him,  wheresoever  he  is;  and 
that  he,  who,  through  unbelief,  is  not 
in  the  kingdom  of  God,  is  truly  a 
stranger  and  foreigner,  however  he 
ma}^  witii  other  Christians,  hear  ser- 
mons and  receive  the  Sacrament.  The 
place  will  neither  save  us  nor  con- 
demn us;  that  can  be  done  by  noth- 
ing but  faitli  or  unbelief  existing  in  the 
heart  and  spirit  of  man.  Tiie  true 
Christian,  in  whatever  place  he  lives, 
as  he  has  the  Spirit  of  Christ  within 
him,  so  he  has,  by  consequence,  a  prin- 
ciple of  grace,  pardon,  and  remission 
of  sins  ;  for  Christ  is  in  him.  I  speak 
not  this  to  discourage  the  external 
exercise  of  preaching;  but  for  the 
comfort  of  all  sincere  souls  under  ne- 
cessities, sickness,  or  in  strange  lands; 
when  they  are  assured  that  they  are 
truly  in  Christ,  that  Christ  is  in  them, 
and  that  they  are  not  ^'without"  but 
"  within."  This  should  also  alarm  the 
sinner,  who,  though  living  among 
Christians,  3'et,  in  the  sight  of  God  is 
excluded.  For  every  unbeliever  cuts 
himself  off  from  the  body  of  Christ, 
and  from  the  most  valuable  privileges 
of  his  communion;  so  that  a  wicked 
man,  under  the  agonies  of  sickness, 
would  receive  no  benefit  by  having 
the  Holy  Sacrament,  though  the 
priest,  or  even  the  pope  himself  stood 
by  him ;  or  by  being  brought  and  laid 
in  the  midst  of  the  church.  But  if  a 
man  has  within  him  a  true  and  living 
faith,  it  could  do  him  no  harm,  though 
he  should  die  in  a  heathen  country,  or 
on  the  sea,  without  the  comfort  of  the 
Holy  Sacrament,  or  a  priest;  because 
Jesus  Christ,  the  true  High  Priest,  is 
in  liim,  and  even  the  kingdom  of  God, 
as  our  blessed  Lord  abundantly  testi- 
fies John  4:  21;  Luke  17:21;  Matt. 


24 :  23.  How  blind  then  and  miser- 
able  are  those  men  who  seek  for  bles- 
sedness from  man,  confining  it  to  a 
certain  place,  and  look  to  external 
things.  This,  however,  is  the  case 
with  many  thousands  who  thus  lose 
tlie  internal  treasure.  Externals  are 
but  means,  which  though  not  to  be  de- 
spised, yet  are  not  to  be  valued  as  the 
end  itself,  to  which  they  are  intended 
to  lead.  Christ  is  the  great  treasure 
of  man,  who  can  bestow  himself  with- 
out the  use  of  means,  where  they  can- 
not be  had.  We  come  together  in  the 
church,  that  with  one  accord  we  may 
exhort  and  admonish  one  another  in 
the  divine  Presence,  call  upon  God  to 
avert  public  evils  and  calamities,  and 
exercise  one  another  in  divine  matters, 
that  so  we,  who  are  otherwise  totally 
blind  in  spiritual  things,  being  excited 
by  these  means,  may  at  length  under- 
stand and  see  that  God  is  not  con- 
tained ''in  the  heaven  of  heavens" 
(1  Kings  8 :  27),  nor  confined  to  any 
place ;    being,    as    Job  witnesseth, 

high  as  heaven,  deeper  than  hell, 
longer  than  the  earth,  and  broader 
than  the  sea."  Job  11  :  8,  9. 

2.  What  we  have  observed  of  2:)lace, 
may  be  also  applied  to  tiniej  to  which 
the  eternal  and  unchangeable  God  is 
b}'  no  means  confined,  so  as  not  to  bo 
always  at  liberty  to  hear  our  prayers. 
Great  men  and  princes  of  this  world 
are  not  always  to  be  spoken  with, and 
frequently  refuse  admittance  to  their 
petitioners;  being  engaged  either  by 
the  necessities  or  diversions  of  life. 
But  our  God  cannot  be  thus  separated 
from  his  creatures ;  at  one  view,  Ho 
sees,  and  hears,  and  considers  all 
things  that  are  done  upon  the  earth, 
and  "  understandeth  our  thoughts  afar 
off"."  Ps.  139:  2.  He  numbereth  "the 
very  hairs  of  our  heads"  (Matt.  10: 
30) ;  and  "  a  thousand  years  in  his  sight 


Chap.  XXXIV.]  TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


283 


are  but  as  one  day."  Ps.  90  :  4  ;  2  Pet. 
3:  8.  God  is  not  capable  of  alteration 
or  change;  is  confined  to  no  time, 
limited  by  no  place,  always  ready  to 
hear  and  to  help  us;  yea,  he  is  contin- 
ually '-standing  at  the  door,  and 
knocking,  that  we  may  open  to  him." 
Rev.  3  : 20.  So  that  he  is  always  ready, 
but  we  are  not.  Whereas  if  wc  would 
constantly  and  without  ceasing  wait 
for  Him,  we  should  never  fail  to  re- 
ceive a  ready  answer  to  all  our  prayers. 

3.  But  alas!  the  concerns  of  this 
lower  world  have  so  great  an  influ- 
ence upon  our  minds,  distracting  our 
thoughts,  and  withholding  us  from  de- 
vout retirement,  that  we  must  endeavor 
to  purify  our  minds  from  all  thoughts 
of  the  creature,  according  to  a  devout 
writer,  who  advises  us,  "  to  lay  aside 
all  thoughts  of  this  or  that  thing, 
time  or  place,  and  bring  all  the  powers 
of  our  soals  into  profound  repose." 
And  in  this  sabbath  or  rest  of  the 
soul,  in  this  quiet  cessation  from  the 
cares  and  labors  of  corrupt  nature, 
when  we  pray,  God  descends  with  his 
hving  word,  and  the  soul  of  man  per- 
ceives and  tastes  the  truth  and  love 
of  God;  of  which,  before  this  patient 
preparation,  it  was  wholly  ignorant 
and  insensible.  So  that  the  soul  cannot 
forbear  crying  out  in  the  words  :  "  The 
Lord,  the  Lord  God,  merciful  and  gra- 
cious, long-suffering,  and  abundant  in 
goodness  and  truth  I"  (Exod.  34:  6.) 
"Now, I  find  thy  prevenient  grace  help- 
ing ray  infirmities,  and  assisting  me  to 
pray  as  I  ought."  Then  thou  wilt  be 
amazed  at  the  blindness  of  thy  own 
heart,  which  gave  thee  so  imperfect  a 
notion  of  God,  as  to  believe  that  God 
was  to  be  persuaded  with  external 
ceremonies,  and  clamorous  prayers, 
and  that  he  stood  in  need  of  a  long 
relation  of  thy  wants  and  necessities ; 

i 


whereas  He  sees  to  the  very  bottom 
of  thy  soul,  and  "  understandeth  all 
thy  thoughts  afar  off." 

A  PRAYER. 

Almighty,  eternal,  and  most  merci- 
ful God  and  Father  !  Thy  goodness 
and  truth  are  higher  than  the  heavens, 
deeper  than  the  sea,  wider  than  the 
earth  ;  all  places  are  to  Thee  the  same, 
and  in  thy  sight  all  times  are  alike. 
Thou  art  above  all  places  and  all 
times,  and  yet  dost  penetrate  and  fill 
all  things.  Thou  art  nearer  to  me 
than  I  am  to  mj'self ;  thou  anticipatest 
me  with  thy  grace,  and  embracest  me 
with  thy  mercy,  which,  through  my 
blindness  and  misery,  I  could  neither 
know  nor  hope  for.  Grant,  that  by 
thy  Holy  Spirit,  I  may  seriously  lay 
these  things  to  heart,  and  for  the 
future,  look  up  to  thee  as  ray  merciful 
Father,  who  knowest  all  things,  and 
art  present  at  all  times,  and  in  all 
places,  that  I  may  no  more  presume 
to  judge  of  Thee  by  any  natural 
blindness,  and  no  more  persuade  my- 
self that  Thou  art  to  be  awakened,  or 
prevailed  upon  by  my  crying ;  that 
thou  needest  any  long  discourses  of 
mine,  or  requirest  an}^  certain  time  for 
prayer.  But  give  me  grace  to  con- 
sider, that  the  true  worshipper  may 
have  access  to  Thee  at  all  times,  and 
in  all  places,  and  that  th}^  goodness  is 
always  and  everywhere  present  with 
us  ;  but  that  no  man  can  enjoy  it,  or 
taste  of  thy  sweetness,  unless  he  be 
first  awakened  and  encouraged  by 
Thee  to  engage  in  devout  prayer. 
That  I  may  worthily  and  effectually 
perform  this,  give  me  thy  Holy  Spirit, 
who  may  work  in  me  to  will  and  to 
do  according  to  thy  good  pleasure. 
Amen. 


284 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  II. 


SECTION  XII. 

THE  CONSIDERATIONS  STATED  ABOVE,  N^^T 
ONLY  DISPOSE  THE  HEART  TO  TRUE  PRAYER, 
BUT  ALSO  FURNISH  VARIOUS  USEFUL  LES- 
SONS 

Jt  shall  come  to  pass,  that  before  they  call,  I  will 
answer  ;  and  while  they  are  yet  speaking,  I  will 
hear.—lsx.  65  :  24. 

1.  The  first  lesson  wliieh  we  learn 
is,  that  God  has  not  commanded  us  to 
pray  for  his  own  sake,  for  he  kuovvcth 
all  things;  but  that  we,  being  excited 
by  these  means,  maj^  be  led  to  under- 
stand that  he  does  know  all  things. 
God  has  so  tender  a  concern  for  us, 
that  he  seems  not  to  know  anj'thing, 
till  we  reflect  within  ourselves,  that 
he  does  indeed  know  it.  Hence  it 
comes  to  pass,  that  when  men  do  not 
diligently  pray,  they  seem  to  think 
that  God  does  not  know.  And,  on 
the  contrary,  when  we  exercise  our- 
selves in  prayer,  we  soon  learn  that 
God  knoweth  all  our  necessities,  and 
hath  numbered  the  very  hairs  of  our 
heads  before  we  were  born.  These 
are  thoughts  that  cannot  enter  into 
the  hearts  of  those  who  despise  the 
duty  of  prayer. 

2.  Secondly.  We  need  not  apply  to 
God,  as  we  do  to  one  another,  with  a 
long  account  of  our  wants  :  all  that 
we  have  to  do  is,  daily  to  exercise 
ourselves  in  prayer,  so  that  the  inner 
man  may  enter  into  the  kingdom  of 
God. 

3.  Thirdly.  God  is  (as  Dr.  Tauler 
says)  a  thousand  times  more  ready  to 
give,  than  we  are  to  receive,  through 
prayer  and  hope. 

4.  Fourthly.  God  stands  in  no  need 
of  ixny  external  ceremonies  of  ours, 
our  watchings,  fastings,  or  cryings,  to 
awaken  him,  Avho  "  neither  slumbereth 
nor  sleepeth."  Ps.  121 :  4.  He  not  only 
foreknows  our  desires  and  prayers,  but 
even  our  existence  (Jer.  1:5);  yet,  on 
tho  other  hand,  the  dulness  and  stupid- 


ity of  men  may  by  these  exercises  be 
excited,  encouraged,  and  instructed  to 
consider  and  understand  the  tender 
mercies  of  God  towards  all  mankind. 

5.  Fifthly.  Hence  we  discover  the 
goodness,  truth,  and  loving-kindness 
of  God  towards  all  men  ;  and,  on  the 
other  hand,  the  blindness  and  unbelief, 
the  stupidity  and  unspeakable  dulness 
of  mankind  towards  God,  who  have 
so  great  a  contempt  of  the  mercies  of 
God,  and  are  so  backward  in  their 
prayers  and  endeavors  to  obtain  his 
grace. 

6.  Sixthly.  God  is  righteous  in  all 
his  works;  and  so  far  from  his  being 
the  author  of  our  miseries,  blindness, 
and  ignorance,  we  are  indeed  the  cause 
of  it  ourselves ;  whilst,  in  contempt  of 
his  commands,  we  neglect  to  implore 
his  mercies,  and  beg  the  blessings 
which  he  has  promised  to  bestow  on  all 
that  ask  him.  This  is  sufficient  to  vin- 
dicate the  justice  and  impartiality  of 
God  in  all  his  dealings  towards  us,  and 
to  lay  the  blame  of  all  our  sins  and 
punishments  upon  ourselves,  who  are 
indeed  the  authors  of  both. 

7.  Seventhly.  God  is  not  confined  to 
any  certain  time  and  place,  but  de^ 
sires  to  be  worshipped  at  all  times,  and 
in  all  places,  in  spirit  and  in  truth. 

8.  These  observations  will  recti 
many  mistakes,  and  open  a  man's 
eyes  to  discover  things,  of  w^hich  he 
would  otherwise  have  been  ia^norant. 
But  though  it  is  a  shameful  thing  for 
a  Christian  to  be  is-norant   of  these 

o 

matters,  yet  it  is  much  more  so  to 
know,  and  not  to  reduce  them  to 
practice. 

A  PRAYER. 

Awaken  us,  O  God,  that  we  may 
watch ;  draw  us  to  Thee,  and  we  will 
run  in  the  true  way,  which  conducts 
to  the  kingdom  of  God,  through  Jesus 
Christ  our  Lord.  Amen. 


Chap.  XXXY.] 


TEUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


285 


CHAPTER  XXXY. 


PRAYER  IS  THE  SIGN  OF  A  TRUE  CHRIST] 

OF  THE 

Bow  down  ihine  ear,  0  Lord,  hear  mc: 

THESE  words  give  us  an  admirable 
account  of  the  grounds  and  reasons 
of  prayer ;  that  it  is  quickened  by  afflic- 
tion and  a  sense  of  misery,  and  is  a 
mark  of  a  true  Christian. 

2.  I.  For,  first,  every  Christian  is 
anointed  and  baj^tized  with  the  Holy 
Spirit  (1  John  2  :  20),  who,  when  he 
is  not  resisted  nor  grieved,  but  obeyed, 
is  continually  groaning  (Eom.  8  :  26) 
in  the  heart  of  man,  raising  and  exalt- 
ing the  devout  soul  from  earth  to 
heaven.  For  as  spirituous  liquor  ex- 
tracts the  strength  and  virtue  of  the 
herbs  and  flowers  on  which  it  is  poured ; 
so  man,  who  is  the  flower  of  God, 
planted  by  the  Lord  himself,  "a  plant 
-in  the  house  of  God ^'  (Isa.  61  :  3  ;  Ps. 
92  :  13),  must  receive  the  preparation 
of  the  Holy  Spirit,  that  his  odor  and 
sweet  smell  may  therewith  ascend  up 
to  God.  AYhosoever  will  faithfully  at- 
.  tend  to  the  workings  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  and  not  resist  his  operations, 
will  soon  be  convinced  of  the  truth  of 
these  observations;  he  will  perceive 
a  devout  sigh  springing  up  from  his 
heart,  and  breaking  forth  into  these 
or  the  like  words:  Great  God,  Holy 
Father,  have  mercy  upon  me  !"  As 
myrrh,  frankincense,  or  other  sweet 
perfumes,  by  being  thrown  upon  burn- 
ing coals,  send  forth  a  smoke  and  de- 
licious fragrance,  which  they  would 
not  do  without  the  help  of  fire;  so 
whenever  the  fire  of  the  Hoty  Spirit 
touches  our  hearts,  and  He  is  not  hin- 
dered, there  immediately  arises  a  most 


[AN,  THAT  IS,  OF  ONE  AVHO  IS  ANOINTED 
LORD. 

for  I  am  poor  and  needy. — Ps.  8G  :  1. 

fragrant  perfume  of  sighs  and  prayers. 
And  these  are  "golden  vials  full  of 
odors,  which  are  the  prayers  of  saints." 
Eev.  5  :  8.  Whence  it  appears,  that 
devout  sighs  and  prayers  are  the  truest 
sign  or  indication  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
in  the  heart  of  man. 

3.  II.  The  soul  of  man  is  also  called 
the  temple  or  habitation  of  the  Holy 
Ghost;  and  what  is  more  likely  to  bo 
heard  there,  than  the  prayers  of  its 
divine  Inhabitant,  who  is  emphati- 
cally called,  "  The  Spirit  of  grace  and 
of  supplication  "  ?  Zech.  12  : 10.  Hence 
prayer,  when  it  proceeds  from  the 
very  bottom  of  the  hearty  is  a  certain 
sign  of  the  indwelling  of  the  Holy 
Spirit.  I  do  not  here  refer  to  the 
prayers  of  hypocrites,  of  whom  God 
speaketh  by  the  mouth  of  his  prophet, 
saying:  "This  peoj)le  draw  near  me 
with  their  mouth,  but  have  removed 
their  heart  far  from  me "  (Isa.  29  : 
13) ;  but  the  true  prayer,  which  is  of 
the  operation  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  arises 
from  the  depth  of  the  soul;  and  is  like 
plentiful  springs  of  water,  for  which 
the  more  deeply  you  dig,  the  higher 
you  may  raise  them.  Christ  is  the 
pure  and  beautiful  fountain  of  salva- 
tion. Let  every  one,  therefore,  that 
thirsteth,  come  and  drink.  Isa.  55  :  1. 
His  spring  is  very  deep,  namely,  his 
eternal  Divinity.  "He  that  believeth 
on  him,  out  of  his  belly  shall  flow 
rivers  of  living  water"  (John  7  :  38); 
that  is,  prayers  and  the  gifts  of  the 
Holy  Ghobt. 


286 


TEUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


[Book  IL 


4.  III.  This  is  confirmed  by  the 
office  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  which  is,  "to 
teacli  and  to  comfort"  (John  16  :  7-13), 
neither  of  which  he  can  do,  unless  lie 
speaks  ;  and  that  He  cannot  do,  unless 
lie  have  a  church  and  a  temple  to  speak 
in.  This  temple  is  the  lieart  of  man; 
and  his  language  consists  of  the  devout 
aspirations  of  the  souls  in  which  He 
operates ;  lie  has  a  secret  and  heav- 
enly voice,  which  our  heart  hears,  for 
he  beareth  witness  with  our  spirit, 
that  we  are  the  children  of  God, — 
whereby  we  cry,  Abba,  Father.  Rom. 
8:15,  16.  Man  cannot  receive  com- 
fort, unless  his  heart,  by  being  broken 
and  contrite,  be  made  capable  of  con- 
solation. Ps.  51  :  17.  This  is  a  very 
significant  figure  taken  from  human 
bodies.  For  when  the  arm,  or  any 
other  pai't,  is  broken,  or  bruised  by 
some  accident,  what  pleasure  the 
broken  and  bruised  part  feels  when 
soothed  with  some  healing  ointment! 
How  does  it  assuage  the  throbbing 
jiainsof  the  limb,  and,  as  it  were,  lull 
it  into  soft  repose  !  So  when  the  heart 
is  wounded  with  aflliction  and  sorrow, 
is  broken  and  bruised  with  a  lively 
sense  of  its  misery,  then  the  Holy 
Spirit  shows  himselftruly  a  Comforter, 
shedding  Ibrth  the  oil  of  heavenl}' 
consolation  into  our  afflicted  breasts. 
For  "  he  liealetli  the  broken  in  heart, 
and  biudeth  up  their  wounds."  Ps. 
147 :  3.  "  Heal  me,  O  Lord,  and  I 
shall  be  healed;  save  me,  and  I  shall 
be  saved  :  for  thou  art  my  praise." 
Jer.  17  :  14. 

5.  IV.  Hence  thou  we  may  learn 
the  advantage  of  afflictions,  and  the 
benefit  of  tlie  cross.  Our  blessed 
Lord  has  told  us,  "  They  that  be  whole 
need  not  a  physician,  but  they  that 
are  sick."  Matt.  9  :  12.  Come,  there- 
fore, thou  divine  Physician  of  souls ; 
for  we  all  have  need  of  tliee  1    "  Bow 


down  thine  ear,  O  Lord,  hear  me: 
for  I  am  poor  and  needy"  (Ps.  86  :  1), 
—  poor  in  righteousness  and  true  holi- 
ness. So  great  is  the  poverty-  of  man, 
that  unless  he  be  covered  with  the 
mercy  of  God,  and  clothed  with  the 
righteousness  of  Jesus  Christ  (Isa. 
61  :  10),  he  must  appear  with  shame 
and  nakedness  before  the  judgment  of 
God  and  all  his  holy  angels ;  and  in 
this  respect,  man  is  by  nature  reduced 
so  very  low,  that  there  is  not  a  more 
indigent  creature  in  the  world.  We 
may  here  apply  that  which  was 
spoken  to  the  church  of  Laodicea, 
"  Thou  knowest  not  that  thou  art 
wretched,  and  miserable,  and  poor, 
and  blind,  and  naked."  Rev.  3  :  17. 

6.  Moreover,  the  misery  of  which 
the  Psalmist  complains,  is  the  effect 
of  2:)0verty.  He  that  is  poor,  may 
easily  be  conceived  to  be  miserable. 
*He.  certainly  is  so,  who  is  forsaken  by 
all,  has  none  to  help  him,  wanders 
about,  having  neither  house  nor  home, 
nor  a  place  where  to  lay  his  head. 
And  now,  what  state  can  we  conceive 
to  be  more  wretched,  than  that  of  a 
man  by  nature  ?  He  has  no  place 
where  to  rest  himself,  and  knows  not 
whither  to  fly  for  refuge !  "  If  in 
this  life  only  we  have  hope  in  Christ, 
we  are  of  all  men  most  miserable." 
1  Cor.  15 :  19.  Let  us  then  acknowl- 
edge our  poverty  and  spiritual  misery 
in  this  life  ;  we  shall  then  receive  the 
instructions  and  consolations  of  the 
Holy  S'pirit.  He  will  teach  us  in  our 
poverty,  to  sigh  earnestly  after  the 
riches  of  divine  grace  and  mercy;  and 
in  our  spiritual  misery  and  banish- 
ment, to  lift  up  our  eyes  to  God  that 
dwelleth  in  the  heavens.  For  our 
blessed  Lord  has  assured  us,  that  "in 
his  Father's  house  are  many  man- 
sions" (John  14:2);  and  the  Psalm- 
ist,   that    "  when   our  fathers  and 


Chap.  XXXYI.]  TEUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


287 


mothers  forsake  us,  the  Lord  will 
take  us  up."  Ps.  27  :  10.  Come  then, 
ye  tbat  are  in  want  and  banishment, 
think  upon  your  heavenly  country. 
Ye  that  are  poor,  naked,  and  desti- 
tute, remember  that  the  righteous- 


ness of  Christ  is  your  clothing,  and 
the  garment  of  salvation  (Isa.  61  : 
10) ;  therefore,  take  ye  care  to  pre- 
serve this  clothing,  "  lest  ye  walk 
naked,  and  men  see  your  shame." 
Eev.  16 :  15. 


CHAPTER  XXXVI. 

ON   THE   BENEFITS   AND  POWER   OF   PRAYER,  AND  ON  ITS  TRUE  GROUND  OR 

FOUNDATION. 

Let  us  therefore  come  boldly  unto  the  throne  of  grace^  that  we  way  obtain  mercy ^  and  find  grace 
to  help  in  time  of  need. — Heb.  4  :  16. 


''TTEAE  my  voice  according  to 
XX  thy  lovingkindness,  O  Lord  " 
(Ps.  119:  149),  saith  David;  pointing 
out  thereby  the  foundation  of  our 
prayer,  namely,  the  grace  of  God ; 
and  this  is  conveyed  to  us  through 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christy  who  is  "  full 
of  grace  and  truth,"  and  of  whose 
fulness  we  ought  all  to  receive.  John 
1 : 14,  16.    For  this  reason  he  is  also 

,  called  the  Throne  of  Grace  (Heb.  4 : 
16;  Eom.  o:  25),  upon  which  the  eye 
of  faith  in  prayer  ought  continually 
to  be  fixed,  according  to  the  example 
of  the  children  of  Israel,  who  always 
offered  up  their  prayers  with  their 
faces  towards  the  mercy-seat.  For  in 
bis  name,  and  for  his  sake  alone  it  is, 
that  God  has  promised  to  hear  our 
prayers  (John  16:  23);  and  thus  even 
the  holy  prophets  of  old  prayed  :  "  O 
our  God,_  hear  the  praj'er  of  thy  ser- 

,  vant,  for  the  Lord's  sake."  Dan.9  :  17. 

I  2.  1.  First^  the  benefit  of  our  pray- 
ers is  well  expressed  by  holy  David  in 
the  latter  part  of  the  above-mentioned 
verse  (Ps.  119:149):  Quicken  me 
according  to  thy  judgments."  For 


life  proceeds  from  the  grace  of  God. 
But  what  is  our  life  without  divine 
grace  ?  Therefore  says  the  holy  Psalm- 
ist, "  Thy  lovingkindness  is  better 
than  life."  Ps.  63  :  4.  This  quickening 
virtue  is  also  derived  to  us  throup-h 
Christ  Jesus.  It  was  for  this  purpose 
that  he  took  our  flesh  and  blood,  that 
by  the  quickening  virtue  of  ids  body, 
we  also  might  be  quickened.  And 
this  we  receive  only  by  the  means  of 
l^rayer,  which  draws  down  a  quicken- 
ing power  into  our  ^ouls,  to  heal  all 
our  spiritual  infirmities;  like  that 
which  flowed  from  Ilis  body  whilst  on 
earth,  to  cure  and  heal  the  diseases 
and  distempers  of  all  those  that 
touched  him.  Luke  6  : 19.  Thus  when 
we  are  f^fllicted  and  sorrowful,  and  can 
lay  hold  on  Jesus  Christ  by  the  prayer 
of  faith,  we  immediately  find,  as  it 
were,  new  life  and  vigor  flowing  into 
our  souls  from  that  inexhaustible  foun- 
tain of  divine  grace.  This  may  be 
attested  by  the  experience  of  many 
languishing  and  afliicted  souls. 

3.  Whence  we  may  learn:  1.  That 
an  afflicted  soul  cannot  be  refreshed 


288 


TEUE  CHKiSTIANITY. 


[Book  II. 


or  comforted  without  prayer;  as  ap- 
pears from  the  example  of  Christ,  in 
the  history  of  his  passion  (Matt.  26: 
39),  -who  has  himself  also  for  that 
reason  given  us  a  form  of  prayer. 
Matt.  6:9,  etc.    And  we  have,  indeed, 
great  reason  to  be  thankful  to  God, 
who  has  given  us  prayer  to  be  as  an 
universal  remedy  to  all  afflicted  souls. 
2.  AVhere  the  prophet  says,  "Hear  me 
according  to  thy  lovingkindness  "  (Ps. 
119  :  149),  he  shows  us  that  prayer  is 
the  proper  means  of  obtaining  mercy 
and  the  graces  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
such  as  the  increase  of  faith,  charity, 
patience,  the  knowledge  of  God,  de- 
votion, inward  peace  and  joy.  These 
are  such  gifts,  such  graces,  such  heav- 
enly treasures,  as  are   better  than 
heaven  and  earth.  Moreover,  hence  we 
obtain  strength  and  victory  against 
the  world,  the  devil,  and  all  our  ene- 
mies; which  spiritual  strength  consists 
only  in  prayer.    That  was  the  power 
by  which  David  and  all  the  saints 
conquered  their  enemies,  as  appears 
by  the  example  of  Moses,  Elias,  Je- 
hoshaphat,  and  others,  who  always 
prevailed   by  faith   and  prayer.  3. 
Every  man  has  need  of  prayer  in  re- 
spect to  his  office,  condition,  and  em- 
ployment, in  which  no  man  can  act 
either  prudently  or  successfully  with- 
out prayer.    We  are,  indeed,  in  this 
miserable  world,  like  people  sailing 
amidst  rocks  and  quicksands,  and  ex- 
posed to  innumerable  dangers;  for 
which  reason  we   ought   the  more 
fervently   to  implore  the  guidance 
and  protection  of  the  H0I3"  Spirit. 
4.  II.  Therefore,  holy  David  adds. 
They  draw  nigh  that  follow  after 
mischief ;  they  are  far  from  thy  law." 
Ps.  119  :  150.    And  this  is  a  proper 
season   for  prayer.    For  what  the 
devil  cannot  do  himself,  he  leaves  to 
be  accomplished  by  wicked  men,  who 


are  as  so  many  executioners  of  his 
malice,  and  who  make  it  their  con- 
tinual employment  to  disturb  and  in- 
jure good  men.  From  these  no  man 
is  secure ;  but  here  the  most  effectual 
help  is  prayer.  Thus,  "I  will  call 
upon  the  Lord  who  is  worthy  to  be 
praised  ;  so  shall  I  be  saved  from 
mine  enemies."  Ps.  18  :  2.  "  Unto 
thee,  O  Lord,  do  I  lift  up  my  soul.  0 
my  God,  I  trust  in  thee;  let  me  not 
be  ashamed  ;  let  not  mine  enemies  tri- 
umph over  me.  Yea,  let  none  that 
wait  on  thee  bo  ashamed;  but  let 
them  be  ashamed  which  transgress 
without  cause."  Ps.  25  : 1-3. 

5.  But  it  ought  to  be  carefully  no- 
ticed that  David  says,  his  enemies  are 
far  from  the  law  of  God.  These  are 
all  they  that  persecute  others,  for- 
saking the  word  of  God,  and  being  far 
from  his  fear ;  whence  it  follows,  that 
as  they  are  far  from  God,  so  God  is 
far  from  them,  and  nothing  but  de- 
struction hangs  over  their  heads.  On 
the  other  hand,  the  faithful,  pious,  and 
devout  soul  approaches  God  through 
prayer. 

6.  When,  therefore,  we  are  daily 
lifting  up  our  hearts  to  God,  and  learn 
to  converse  with  him,  we  approach 
continually  nearer  and  nearer  to  him, 
and  by  degrees,  forgetting  this  lower 
world,  from  earthly  we  become  heav- 
enly and  spiritual ;  like  Moses,  whose 
face,  when  he  had  conversed  fort^^  days 
and  forty  nights  wuth  God,  shone  like 
the  sun.  Exod.  34  :  29.  For  as  we 
easily  learn  the  customs  and  manners 
of  those  with  whom  we  converse,  and 
are  not  so  well  pleased  with  any  com- 
pany as  that  to  which  we  are  accus- 
tomed, so  by  continual  and  daily  pray- 
er, we  grow  daily  more  and  more  ac- 
quainted with  the  manners  and  lan- 
guage of  our  heavenly  country,  and 
are  more  and  more  inflamed  with  di- 


Chap.  XXXVI.] 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


2S9 


vine  love.  Moreover,  prayer  is  a  pre- 
sei'vative  against  sins,  temptations, 
and  all  kinds  of  evils;  according  to 
that  saying  of  Christ:  "Watch  and 
pray,  that  ye  enter  not  into  tempta- 
tion." Matt.  26  :  41.  But  if  even  then 
anything  befall  iis,  we  know  that  it 
is  by  the  immediate  permission  of 
God  ;  and  from  it  with  all  due  sub- 
mission and  resignation  to  his  will, 
we  may  lawfully  pra}'  to  be  delivered. 

7.  III.  David  proceeds:  "Thou  art 
near,  0  Lord  :  and  all  thy  command- 
ments are  truth."  Ps.  119:151.  Here 
he  assures  us,  that  the  second  and  the 
third  foundation  of  prayer,  are  the 
presence  and  the  truth  of  God. 

8.  How  great  soever  our  calamities 
may  be,  there  is  no  one  consideration 
that  gives  us  so  much  ease  and  com- 
fort, as  that  of  the  presence  of  God 
with  us:  according  to  that  Scripture: 
"Fear  thou  not,  for  I  am  with  thee: 
be  not  dismayed,  for  I  am  thy  God." 
Isa.  41  :  10.  In  consideration  of  his 
presence,  we  may  with  assurance  call 
upon  him  in  all  places,  and  upon  all 
occasions.  For  though  our  Saviour 
tells  us,  "  Thou,  when  thou  prayest, 
enter  into  thy  closet,  and  when  thou 
hast  shut  thy  door,  pray  to  thy  Fath- 
er which  is  in  secret  and  thy  Father 
which  seeth  in  secret,  shall  reward 
thee  openly  "  (Matt.  6:6):  yet  we 
are  to  consider,  that  these  words  were 
spoken  against  the  hypocrites  of  those 
times,  who,  from  a  vain  ostentaiion, 
used  to  pray  standing  in  the  syna- 
gogues, and  in  the  corners  of  the 
street;  but  they  are  by  no  means 
binding  on  any  man  to  pray  in  any 
one  particular  place. 

9.  We  read  of  the  patriarch  Isaac 
(Gen.  24:  63),  that  he  went  out  at  the 

j  eventide  into  the  field  to  meditate. 
And  it  is  plain  (Luke  6  : 12),  that  our 
blftssed  Lord  went  alone  "  into  a  moun- 


tain to  pray,  and  continued  all  night 
in  prayer  to  God."  We  may,  there- 
fore, in  all  places,  and  at  any  time^ 
pray  to  God ;  but  more  especially 
when  we  are  alone,  and  not  disturbed 
by  the  conversation  of  others.  Let 
us  continually  stir  ourselves  up  to  this 
divine  conversation  with  God,  re- 
membering the  words  of  the  Psalmist, 
"Thou  art  near,  O  Lord."  Now  if 
this  be  true,  as  it  most  certainly  is,  we 
cannot  do  better  than  to  be  often  con- 
versing with  him;  according  to  that 
Scripture,  "  Call  ye  upon  him  while 
he  is  near."  Isa.  55  :  6.  "  The  Lord  is 
nigh  unto  all  them  that  call  upon 
him."  Ps.  145  : 18. 

10.  lY.  So,  too,  the  veracity  of  God 
is  a  strong  obligation  upon  us  to  pray, 
because  we  know,  1.  That  he  has  com- 
mandedit;  " Call  upon  me."  Ps.  50:15. 
2.  That  he  has  promised  to  hear  us; 
"Before  they  call,  I  will  answer;  and 
while  they  are  yet  speaking,  I  will 
hear."  Isa.  65  : 24.  3.  That  he  has 
not  only  promised  to  hear,  but  has 
actually  heard  the  prayers  of  the 
faithful.  This  is  plain,  from  the  ex- 
amples of  Moses,  David,  Samuel, 
Joshua,  and  of  Cornelius  in  the  Acts, 
whose  "prayers  and  alms  ascended 
up  for  a  memorial  before  God."  Acts 
10:4. 

11.  Many  other  examples  are  to  be 
found  in  the  Holy  Scriptures.  And 
that  thou  mayest  not  think  that,  be- 
cause thou  art  not  such  a  one  as 
Moses,  David,  Elias,  or  Joshua,  there- 
fore thou  shalt  not  be  heard  as  easily 
as  they  were,  thou  art  to  consider 
that  they  all  were  men  "  subject  to 
like  passions  as  we  are."  James  5  : 17. 

12.  Who  was  Cornelius?  Acts,  ch. 
10.  He  was  a  heathen.  Who  was 
Manasseh?  2  Chron.  33:12,  13.  A 
most  grievous  sinner.  Yet  God  has 
promised  that  he  will  hear  the  miser* 

9 


290 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  II. 


able.  Ps.  34  :  7.  This  poor  man 
cried,  and  the  Lord  heard  him."  And 
He  will  regard  the  pra3^er  of  the  des- 
titute, and  not  despise  their  prayer." 
Ps.  102  :  17.  The  expectation  of  the 
poor  shall  not  perish  for  ever."  Ps. 
9  :  18.  The  cases  just  mentioned  il- 
lustrate these  promises. 

13.  Y.  But  as  the  Psalmist  adds: 
"Concerning  thy  testimonies,  I  have 
known  of  old,  that  thou  hast  founded 
them  for  ever"  (Ps.  119  :  152),  this 
consideration  exceedingly  encourages 
our  prayers  and  strengthens  our  faith, 
and  is  another  immovable  foundation 
of  prayer.  The  word  and  promise  of 
God  are  built  upon  an  eternal  founda- 
tion, being  nothing  else  but  God  him- 
self and  his  Son  Jesus  Christ;  in  him 
tlie  Word  of  God,  and  the  salvation  of 
man  were  founded  "before  the  founda- 
tion of  the  world."  Epli.  1  : 4.  What- 
soever is  built  upon  an  eternal  basis, 
no  temporal  thing  can  overturn.  It 
is  this  tliat  St.  Paul  had  in  his  eye 
when  he  tells  us  that  neither  height, 
nor  depth,  nor  things  present,  nor 
things  to  come,  nor  angels,  nor  princi- 
palities shall  be  able  to  separate  us 
from  the  love  of  God.  Rom.  8  :  38. 

14.  And  what  greater  consolation 
can  we  wish  ?  Or  who  can  refrain 
from  rejoicing,  when  he  considers  that 
our  faith  and  prayer  are  founded  upon 
that  which  is  eternal?  Hence  it  is 
said,  "  Behold,  I  lay  in  Zion  for  a 
foundation,  a  stone,  a  tried  stone,  a 
precious  corner  stone,  a  sure  founda- 
tion: he  that  believeth  shall  not  make 
haste"  (Isa.  28:  IG) ;  or,  as  St.  Peter 
explains  it,  "shall  not  be  confounded" 
(1  Peter  2:6):  and  St.  Paul,  "Other 
foundation  can  no  man  lay,  than  that 
is  laid,  which  is  Jesus  Christ"  (1  Cor. 
3  :  11);  and  again,  "The  foundation 


of  God  standeth  sure,  having  this 
seal,  The  Lord  knoweth  them  that 
are  his."  2  Tim.  2:  19. 

15.  Against  this  foundation  even 
the  gates  of  hell  shall  not  prevail. 
Matt.  16  :  18.  This,  in  short,  is  the 
foundation  of  our  salvation,  our  faith 
and  blessedness,  which  is  more  secure 
than  heaven  and  earth. 

16.  For  prayer  is  a  conversation 
with  God — a  key  of  heaven — a  free 
access  to  God — a  familiarity  with  God 
— an  opener  of  his  mysteries — a  spir- 
itual banquet — a  heavenly  enjoyment 
— a  nurse  of  virtues — a  conqueror  of 
vices — a  medicine  of  the  soul — a  rem- 
edy against  infirmities — an  antidote 
against  sin — a  pillar  of  the  world — 
a  seed  of  blessing — an  increase  of 
faith — a  support  of  hope — a  parent  of 
charity — a  path  of  righteousness — a 
preserver  of  constancy — an  ornament 
of  holiness — a  fire  of  devotion — alight 
of  knowledge — a  repository  of  wisdom 
— the  strength  of  the  soul — a  remedy 
against  faint-hearted ness — a  founda- 
tion of  peace — the  joy  of  the  heart — 
a  jubilee  of  the  soul —  a  faithful  com- 
panion in  this  earthly  pilgrimage — the 
shield  of  a  Christian  soldier — a  rule 
of  humility — a  forerunner  of  honor — 
a  nurse  of  patience — a  guardian  of 
obedience — a  fountain  of  quietness — 
the  conquest  of  devils — a  comfort  of 
the  sorrowful — a  triumph  of  the  just 
— the  joy  of  the  saints — a  helper  of 
the  oppressed — the  ease  of  the  afflicted 
— the  rest  of  the  weary — an  ornament 
of  the  conscience — an  advancement 
of  graces — an  acceptable  sacrifice — an 
encourager  of  mutual  goodwill — the 
refreshment  of  this  miserable  life — 
the  sweetening  of  death — a  foretaste 
of  the  heavenly  life — the  earnest  de- 
sire of  everlasting  salvation. 


Chap.  XXXVII.] 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


291 


CHAPTER   XXXVI 1. 

REASONS  WHY  GOD  CERTAINLY  HEARS  OUR  PRAYERS. 

77/ow,  /yorrf,  art  good,  and  ready  to  forgive  ;  and  plenteous  in  mercy  unto  all  them  that  call  upon 
thee.  Give  ear,  0  Lord,  imio  my  prayer ;  and  attend  to  the  voice  of  my  supplications.  In  the 
day  of  my  trouble  Iwill  call  upon  thee;  for  thou  wilt  answer  me. — Ps.  86  :  5-7. 


THUS  saith  the  prophet  Jeremiah, 
"It  is  of  the  Lord's  mercies  that 
we  are  not  consumed,  because  his  com- 
passions fail  not.  They  are  new  every 
morning;  great  is  thy  faithfulness. 
The  Loi'd  is  my  portion,  saith  my 
soul;  therefore  will  I  hope  in  him." 
Lam.  3:22-24. 

2.  In  these  words  the  Holy  Spirit 
gives  us  strong  consolation  in  our  af- 
flictions, drawn  from  the  goodness 
and  lovingkindness  of  God;  without 
which  we  should  immediately  be  con- 
sumed. As  in  the  natural  world  light 
and  darkness,  by  the  appointment  of 
God,  alternately  succeed  each  other, 
so  do  light  and  darkness,  joy  and  sor- 
row, in  the  spiritual  world.  Hence 
there  is  a  necessity  that  the  light 
should  spring  up  after  darkness,  and 
joy  after  sorrow,  in  the  souls  of  the 
righteous.  Ps.  97  :  11.  For  both  our 
life  and  pur  well-being  depend  entirely 
upon  the  loving-kindness  of  God : 
"  For  in  him  we  live,  and  move,  and 
have  our  being."  Acts  17  :  28.  He  is 
the  never-failing  fountain  and  spring 
of  life  and  happiness.  His  works  tes- 
tify this,  for  by  the  eifects  we  judge 
of  the  cause.  Since,  therefore,  God  is 
?  the  Maker  and  Creator  of  all  things 
that  have  life,  it  follows  that  He  is 
Life  itself;  and  as  He  is  the  original 
of  all  that  is  good,  it  follow^s,  that  He 
himself  is  the  Supreme  Good  and 
I  Love  itself.  For  this  reason  He  is 
called  the  Living  God,  '^Thou  art  the 


Christ,  the  Son  of  the  living  God" 
(Matt.  16:16);  not  only  from  his  es- 
sence, as  being  an  original,  necessary 
Being,  but  also  from  the  effects  w^hich 
he  produces;  because  he  giveth  and 
preserveth  breath,  and  life,  and  mc 
tion  to  all  things.  Acts  17:25;  Ps. 
104  :  27.  "  Thou  (O  Belshazzar),  hast 
praised  the  gods  of  silver  and  gold, 
of  brass,  iron,  wood,  and  stone,  which 
see  not,  nor  hear,  nor  know  :  and  the 
God  in  whose  hand  thy  breath  is,  and 
whose  are  all  thy  ways,  hast  thou  not 
glorified."  Dan.  5:23.  "They  have 
forsaken  me,  the  fountain  of  living 
waters,  and  hewed  them  out  cisterns, 
broken  cisterns,  that  can  hold  no  wa- 
ter." Jer.  2:13.  "The  Lord  is  thy 
life,  and  the  length  of  thy  days." 
Deut.  30 :  20.  "  The  Lord  is  the 
strength  of  my  life."  Ps.  27  :  1. 
Whence  it  follows,  that  God  is  in  ef- 
fect the  life  of  every  living  creature, 
and  produces  and  preserves  life  in  all, 
according  to  the  words  of  St.  Paul, 
"  Of  him,  and  through  him,  and  to  him 
are  all  things:  to  whom  be  glory  for 
ever."  Amen.  Rom.  11:36.  "Christ 
is  all  in  all."  Col.  3  :  11. 

3.  Now  though  all  creatures  derive 
their  life  from  God,  yet  man  has  re- 
ceived it  from  his  Maker  in  a  more 
eminent  degree  ;  for  as  he  is  endowed 
with  a  rational  soul,  it  follows  that  he 
enjoys  a  more  noble  life  than  the  rest 
of  the  creatures.  The  life  of  angels 
again  is  more  noble  and  glorious  than 


292 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  II 


that  of  men,  because  the  glory  and 
majesty  of  God  manifest  themselves 
more  illustriously  in  them.  Hence 
also,  angels  are  described  in  2  Thess. 
1:7,  as  "  mighty,"  because  the}^  are  not 
subject  to  vanity  and  change  like  man. 
But  the  most  noble  life  is  that  of  Je- 
sus Christ  our  Lord,  because  he  is  God 
and  Life  itself;  according  to  St.  John, 
"  This  is  the  true  God,  and  eternal 
life"  (1  John  5:  20);  that  is,  He  is 
God  of  God,  Light  of  Light,  very  God 
of  very  God.  (Nicene  Creed.) 

4.  And  as  God  is  the  fountain  and 
principle  of  life,  so  he  is  also  of  all 
good.  For  he  is  the  supreme  and 
eternal  Good,  and  whatsoever  bears 
the  marks  and  characters  of  good,  is 
derived  from  this  original.  Thus, 
every  creature  has  received  a  small 
portion  of  the  divine  goodness,  by 
which  it  bears  witness  of  its  Maker, 
and  in  some  manner  calls  upon  man  to 
do  the  same.  Thus  the  vine  speaks  to 
us,  "  Consider,  O  man,  that  the  sweet- 
ness of  my  juice,  with  which  I  cheer 
thy  heart  (Ps.  104  :  15),  is  the  gift  of 
my  Maker."  And  so  the  bread : 
"That  virtue,  O  man,  by  which  I  sat- 
isfy thy  hunger,  is  bestowed  on  me  by 
my  Creator  and  thine."  This  is  the 
meaning  of  that  saying  of  St.  Augus- 
tine :  "  That  God  has,  as  it  were,  shed 
some  drops  of  his  divine  goodness 
upon  all  the  creatures,  that  they 
might  thereby  contribute  to  the  hap- 
piness of  man."  And  the  Psalmist 
says  :  "  Thou  crownest  the  year  with 
thy  goodness ;  and  thy  paths  drop 
fatness."  Ps.  65  :  11. 

5.  That  which,  in  nature,  we  call 
the  goodness  of  God,  is,  by  the  Scrip- 
tures, called  the  grace  of  God ;  this 
bearing  relation  to  the  soul,  and  that 
to  the  body.  And  as  God  has,  by  a 
thousand  ways,  discovered  his  good- 
ness in  the  great  Book  of  nature,  so 


he  has,  in  innumerable  instances,  dis- 
covered his  grace  and  mercy  in  the 
Book  of  his  word,  all  which  are  com- 
pleted in  Christ,  who  is  the  great 
centre  of  all  the  treasures  of  divine 
goodness  and  love  that  are  distributed 
in  heaven  and  earth. 

6.  Now,  as  it  is  the  nature  of  every 
good  being  to  be  communicative,  and 
otherwise  it  ceases  to  be  good  (for 
who  can  tell  what  is  good,  unless  it 
thus  discover  itself?);  so  no  man  could 
know  whether  God  were  good  and 
gracious  unless  he  had  communicated 
his  grace  and  goodness  to  others. 
Who  could  have  known  the  inestimO' 
ble  benefits  of  Christ  as  a  Saviour,  if 
he  had  not  so  abundantly  manifested 
his  love  towards  us  ? 

7.  But  why  was  God  pleased  to 
manifest  his  goodness,  grace,  and 
mercy  to  mankind  ?  It  was  for  this 
reason :  that  we  might  believe  in  him, 
love  him  above  all  things,  and  call 
upon  him  in  all  our  troubles;  and  he 
was  pleased  to  make  this  manifesta- 
tion of  himself,  that  it  might  be,  as  it 
were,  the  first  incentive  to  kindle  the 
flames  of  devotion  in  our  hearts.  For 
how  should  we  call  on  him  of  whom 
we  have  not  hoard  ?  Rom.  10  : 14.  As 
Almighty  God  discovered  himself  to 
Moses,  when  he  passed  by,  and  he, 
upon  the  sense  of  his  goodness,  grace, 
and  mercy,  immediately  began  to 
pray  (Exod.  34 :  8,  9),  so  has  He,  in 
like  manner,  manifested  himself  to  us, 
and  made  all  his  goodness  pass  before 
us,  that  we  also  might  learn  to  praise 
him. 

8.  But  you  will  say.  How  has  God 
manifested  himself  to  me?  If  he 
would  show  himself  to  me,  as  he  did 
to  Moses,  why  should  I  not  praise  him 
as  he  didr*  To  whjch  I  answer:  This 
is  done  in  Christ  Jesus,  in  whom  he 
manifested  all  his  goodness  after  a 


Chap.  XXXVIL] 


TRUE  CHIUSTIANITY. 


visible  manner.  "  We  beheld  his  glory, 
the  glory  aF»  of  the  only  begotten  of 
the  Father,  full  of  grace  and  truth." 
John  1 : 14.  And  did  we  but  seriously 
consider  all  that  our  blessed  Saviour 
has  done  for  us,  we  should,  doubtless, 
exclaim:  "The  Lord,  the  Lord  God, 
merciful  and  gracious,  long-suffering, 
and  abundant  in  goodness  and  in 
truth." 

10.  And  thus  we  see  in  what  sense 
the  type,  which  may  be  discerned  in 
this  narrative  of  Moses,  was  I'ulfilled 
by  the  incarnation  of  Christ.  For 
God,  descending  from  heaven  in  him^ 
was  pleased  to  make  his  glory  pass 
before  us. 

11.  When  Paul  and  Barnabas 
wrought  great  miracles  at  Athens,  the 
heathens  cried  out,  "  The  gods  are 
come  down  to  us  in  the  likeness  of 
men."  Acts  14  :  11.  This  was  their 
judgment  of  the  matter;  but  we  may 
in  a  very  proper  sense  say,  that  all 
the  goodness  and  grace  of  God  did, 
by  Christ,  come  down  to  us  upon 
earth,  in  order  that  we  might  therebj^ 
be  drawn  to  God,  and  that  the  spirit 
of  faith  and  prayer  might  be  bestowed 
on  us.  For  by  prayer  only  we  obtain 
the  grace  and  favor  of  God. 

12.  Let  us  now  produce  some  rea- 
sons which  may  convince  us,  that  God 
hears  our  prayers. 

13.  And  firsts  such  is  the  power  of 
prayer  and  entreaty,  that  they  often 
pacify  and  prevail  upon,  not  only  the 
compassionate  and  kind,  but  even 
morose  and  harsh  tempers;  of  which 
we  have  an  instance  in  the  case  of  the 
widow,  who  by  her  continual  prayers, 
prevailed  even  upon  that  unjust  judge, 
who  neither  feared  God,  nor  regarded 
man.  Luke  18  :  4,  5.  For  prayer,  as  it 
proceeds  from  the  spirit,  and  is,  as  it 
were,  the  strength  of  the  soul,  has  a 
marvellous  power  and  influence  upon 


the  minds  of  others,  so  as  to  be  able 
to  soften  and  mould  them  into  any 
form  of  benevolence.  Now  as  God  is 
not  a  harsh  Being,  but  merciful  in  the 
highest  degree,  the  most  sincere  love, 
the  most  perfect  patience,  the  most 
generous  compassion,  the  most  ardent 
love  itself,  and  in  a  word,  the  most 
absolute  perfection  ;  so  he  cannot  but 
be  tenderly  moved  by  the  ardent  and 
devout  prayers  of  his  servants.  Were 
it  otherwise,  it  would  follow,  that  God 
is  not  supremely  good,  loving,  and 
merciful.  Now,  as  true  as  it  is  that  he 
is  all  this ;  so  true  it  is  that  he  is  easy 
to  be  entreated  by  devout  and  humble 
prayer. 

14.  Tauler  says :  "  God  is  moved 
with  so  vehement  a  love  towards  us, 
as  if  his  divinity  itself  depended  on  us, 
and  his  onlj^  aim  and  design  were,  to 
discover  to  us  the  abyss  of  his  divinity, 
and  the  fulness  of  his  essence  and 
nature;  so  that  all  may  belong  to  us, 
even  as  it  belongs  to  him."  And 
again,  "  We  were  created,  and  are 
called  and  invited  to  things  immeas- 
urably great,  and  eternal ;  wherefore 
God  is  exceedingly  displeased  with  us, 
when  we  prefer  the  empty  and  trifling 
vanities  of  the  world  before  him,  who 
is  ready,  not  only  to  bestow  all  things 
else,  but  even  Himself  upon  us." 
Again,  "  So  great  is  the  love  of  God 
towards  us,  that  he  will  deny  us  noth- 
ing: yea,  he  anticipates  our  prayers, 
meets  us  (as  it  were)  half-way,  and 
courts  our  friendship,  being  a  thousand 
times  more  ready  to  give,  than  we  are 
to  receive." 

15.  The  second  argument  is  found  in 
the  truth  and  promise  of  God.  "  Call 
upon  me  in  the  day  of  trouble;  I  will 
deliver  thee."  Ps.  50  :  15.  "  Thou,  Lord, 
art  good  and  ready  to  forgive;  and 
plenteous  in  mercy  unto  all  them  that 
call  upon  thee."  Ps.  86  :  5.  The  Lord, 


294 


TRUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


[Book  II. 


we  see,  is  good;  and  if  this  be  not 
suffieient,  lie  is  also  ready  to  forgive; 
and  if  this  do  not  satisfy  us,  he  is  also 
plenteous  in  mercy.  But  to  whom  ? 
Even  to  all  those  that  call  upon  him. 
Hence,  it  is  said,  "  The  Lord  is  nigh 
unto  all  them  that  call  upon  him,  to 
all  that  call  upon  him  in  truth.  lie 
will  fulfil  the  desire  of  them  that  fear 
him;  he  also  will  hear  their  cry,  and 
will  save  them."  Ps.  145:  18,  19;  Isa. 
65:24;  John  10:23;  Matt.  7:7,  8. 
Ask,  but  rest  not  there ;  seek  also ; 
neither  think  this  sufficient,  hut  knock. 
"  For  every  one  that  asketh,  rcceiv- 
eth ;  and  he  that  secketh,  findeth; 
and  to  him  that  knocketh,  it  shall  be 
opened."  "  What  things  soever  3'e 
desire,  when  you  pray,  believe  that  ye 
receive  them,  and  ye  shall  have  them." 
Mark  11  :  24.  Compare  this  with  Luke 
11  :  9.  And  that  God  will  keep  his 
promise,  is  as  certain,  as  that  he  really 
is  what  he,  in  his  holy  word,  has 
declared  himself  to  be.  And  that  he 
may  hear  us,  and  pour  his  abundant 
goodness  upon  us,  he  has  commanded 
us  to  pray  often,  to  pray  earnest!}^, 
and  without  ceasing.  Luke  18 :  1 ;  1 
Thess.  5:  17. 

16.  A  third  argument  for  our  prayer, 
is  God's  paternal  tenderness,  which  is 
thus  illustrated.  "  If  a  son  shall  ask 
bread  of  any  of  you  that  is  a  father, 
will  he  give  him  a  stone  ? — If  ye,  then, 
being  evil,  know  how  to  give  good 
gifts  unto  your  children  ;  how  much 
more  shall  your  heavenly  Father  give 
the  Holy  Spirit  to  them  that  ask  him  ?" 
Luke  11 :  11,  13.  And  is  not  God  this 
Father,  of  whom  the  whole  family 
in  heaven  and  in  earth  is  named "  ? 
(Eph.  3  :  15)  whom  St.  Paul  calls, 
"The  Father  of  mercies,  and  God  of 
all  comfort  ?"  2  Cor.  1 :  3.  Shall  man 
then  be  merciful,  and  shall  God,  that 
created  that  merciful  heart,  be  unmer- 


ciful ?  Shall  he  that  gave  to  parents 
such  tender  affection,  be  without  com- 
passion himself?  Why  should  God  call 
himself  a  Father,  if  he  be  not  of  a  pa- 
ternal disposition  ?  So  that,  in  short, 
we  must  conclude,  either  that  God  is 
unjustly  styled  our  Father,  or  else  he 
will  hear  the  prayers  of  his  children 
that  call  upon  him.  Hence,  it  is  said, 
"Thou,  O  Lord,  art  our  Father."  Isa. 
G3  :  16.  And,  "  I  am  a  father  to  Israel, 
and  Ephraini  is  my  firstborn."  Jcr. 
31:9.  But  if  the  affections  of  a  mother 
be  so  great,  that  she  cannot  but  have 
"  compassion  on  the  son  of  her  womb" 
(Isa.  49  :  15),  why  should  we  think  God 
so  void  of  mercy?  Why  should  we 
question  God's  compassions  toward 
us,  if  we  approach  him  with  penitent 
and  contrite  hearts?  How  do  the 
mother's  bowels  yearn  over  her  be- 
loved son,  when  she  sees  him  laboring 
under  any  dangerous  disease  ?  So  the 
Almighty  God  says  of  himself:  "There- 
fore, my  bowels  are  troubled  for  him; 
I  will  surely  have  mercy  upon  him, 
saith  the  Lord."  Jer.  31  :  20. 

17.  A  fourth  argument  is,  the  inter- 
cession of  Christ.  With  what  ardent 
prayer  did  he,  in  the  time  of  his  hu- 
miliation upon  eartl),  recommend  his 
Church  to  his  Father,  and  intercede 
for  all  believers! 

18.  Thus,  "Holy  Father,  keep 
through  thine  own  name,  those  whom 
thou  hast  given  me;  that  they  may 
be  one,  as  we  are.  Sanctify  them 
through  thy  truth  ;  thy  word  is  truth. 
I  pray  not  that  thou  shouldest  take 
them  out  of  the  world,  but  that  thou 
shouldest  keej)  them  from  the  evil. 
Neither  j^ray  I  for  these  alone,  but  for 
them  also  which  shall  believe  on  me 
through  their  word.  Father,  I  will 
that  they  also,  whom  thou  hast  given 
me,  be  with  me  where  I  am ;  that  the 
love  wherewith  thou  hast  loved  mo, 


Chap.  XXXVII.] 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


295 


may  be  in  them,  and  I  in  tlicm."  John 
17: 11,  17,  15,  2d,  24,  2G.  Nor  did  he 
pray  so  I'or  us  only  upon  earth  ;  for 
even  now  he  continues  his  interces- 
sions for  us  at  the  right  hand  of  God. 
"Seeing  then  that  we  have  a  great  high 
priest,  that  is  passed  into  the  heavens, 
Jesus  tiie  Son  of  God; — let  us  come 
boldly  unto  the  throne  of  grace,  that 
we  may  obtain  merc}^  and  find  gi-ace 
to  help  in  time  of  need."  lieb.  4:  14, 
16;  7:23;  9:  11;  Rom.  8:34. 

19.  A  fifth  argument  i^^tlie  testimony 
of  the  Holy  Spirit,  who  "  beareth  wit- 
ness with  our  spirit,  tliat  we  are  the 
children  of  God "  (Rom.  8:16),  and 
■this  witness  in  our  hearts,  cannot  de- 
ceive us.  For  if  this  testimony  be  in 
us  of  a  truth,  w^e  shall  have  a  demon- 
strative evidence  that  we  are  God's 
children,  and  that  he  hears  us  in 
Christ  when  we  pray  unto  him. 

20.  Sixthly,  because  God  and  Christ 
are  with  us,  and  dwell  in  us  by  faith, 
how  can  we  suppose  that  God  will  not 
hear  our  sighs  and  groans?  "Thou 
understandest  my  thought  afar  off. 
There  is  not  a  word  in  my  tongue, 
but,  lo,  O  Lord,  thou  knowest  it  alto- 
gether." Ps.  139  :  2,  4.  Think  not, 
therefore,  that  God  is  separated  from 
thee  by  any  distance  of  place,  that 
ma}^  hinder  thy  prayers  from  coming 
to  him,  "  for  he  is  in  thee,  and  thou  in 
him."  Acts  17 : 28 ;  John  17:23.  Since, 
therefore,  he  lives  and  works  in  thee, 
why  should  he  not  hear  thy  prayers? 
"Lord,  all  my  desire  is  before  thee; 
and  my  groaning  is  not  hid  from 
thee?"  Ps.  88:10.  ''Let  the  words 
of  ray  mouth,  and  the  meditation  of 
my  heart,  be  acceptable  in  thy  sight." 
Ps.  19:14. 

21.  Seventhly,  because  the  Holy 
Spirit,  who  is  truly  God,  is  also  the 
Spirit  of  prayer,  and  himself  maketh 
intercession   in   us   with   sighs  and 


groanings  unutterable.  Zech.  12:10; 
Rom.  8:  26.  Why  then  shouldest  thou 
imagine  that  God  will  not  see,  hear, 
and  regard  that  whicli  he  himself 
works  in  thee?  Therefore  it  is  im- 
possible that  even  the  feeblest  sigh 
proceeding  from  the  Holy  Spii'it  in  us, 
and  tending  towards  God,  can  be  lost 
or  come  to  nought.  For  as  it  proceeds 
from  God,  so  it  goes  to  him;  and 
whatsoever  is  in  him  cannot  perish. 
The  deeds  are  wrought  in  God,  and 
will  be  made  manifest.  John  3  :  21. 

22.  Eighthly,  God  is  not  forgetful 
like  men,  as  "a  book  of  remembrance 
is  w^ritten  before  him,  for  them  that 
fear  the  Lord,  and  that  thinli  upon  his 
name  "  (Mai.  3  : 16)  :  so  that  he  cannot 
be  forgetful  of  our  prayers.  God  can- 
not forget  that  which  is  good,  nor  will 
he  call  the  sins  of  the  penitent  to  re- 
membrance. So  mighty  and  so  abun- 
dant is  the  grace  of  God,  that  he  blots 
out  our  sins,  and  calls  not  our  trans- 
gressions to  mind.  But  the  good 
Avhich  he  himself  lias  wroui^ht  in  us, 
he  can  never  forget ;  for  then  he  must 
forget  himself  and  his  own  works.  It 
is  therefore  impossible  that  God  should 
disregard  those  prayers  which  his  own 
Holy  Spirit  works  in  us;  any  more 
than  he  can  forget  his  word,  or  be  un- 
mindful of  his  promise.  "Since  I 
spake  against  him,  I  do  earnestly  re- 
member him  still,"  saith  God  by  the 
prophet.  Jer.  31  :  20.  And  again, 
"  Thou  tellest  ray  wanderings ;  put 
thou  ray  tears  into  thy  bottle."  Ps. 
56  :  8.  So  he  assures.us  that  "  He  will 
ever  be  raindful  of  his  covenant."  Ps. 
111:5.  And  what  is  this  covenant? 
Nothing  else  but  the  remission  of  our 
sins,  confirmed  to  us  by  the  death  of 
Christ,  and  sealed  by  his  Holy  Spirit. 
Eph.  1  :  13. 

23.  And  now,  j)6rhaps,  thou  wilt 
say,  If  these  things  are  so,  how  comes 


296 


it  to  pass  that  God  does  not  hear  and 
grant  ni}"  petitions?  I  have  often 
prayed,  and  called,  and  sighed,  and 
all  to  no  purpose. 

24.  Thus  much,  indeed,  must  be 
granted,  that  many  a  man  prays  a 
great  while  for  that  which  he  does 
not  obtain;  and  thence  we  judge  that 
his  prayers  are  not  heard.  What  then 
becomes  of  these  our  reasons  for  be- 
lieving that  prayer  will  assuredly  be 
heard?  This  is  a  very  great  trial, 
and  has  given  much  disturbance  to 
many  sincere  and  well-disposed  souls. 

25.  But  here  we  must  observe,  that 
the  certninty  of  God's  hearing  our 
prayers,  is  incontestably  proved  by 
the  arguments  already  produced, 
which  are  built  upon  an  immovable 
foundation  ;  whence  it  appears,  that 
God  does  as  certainly  hear  our  pray- 
ers, as  He  is  (1.)  merciful,  and  a  lover 
of  mankind.  (2.)  As  he  is  true  in  all 
his  promises,  yea,  eternal  truth  itself. 
(3.)  As  he  has  a  fatherly  tenderness 
for  us.  (4.)  As  Jesus  Christ  is  our 
mediator.  (5.)  As  God  and  Christ 
dwell  in  us;  which  are  all  truths  so 
certain  and  evident,  that  no  believing 
heart  ought  to  question  them. 

26.  But  we  complain  that  God  does 
not  presently  give  us  what  we  ask  for, 
and,  therefore,  that  our  prayers  are 
not  heard.  For  this  two  reasons  may 
be  given :  1.  That  God  hears  our 
prayers,  regarding  more  our  happi- 
ness than  our  desires.  2.  That  he  re- 
serves to  himself  the  liberty  of  be- 
stowing the  blessings  which  we  ask, 
either  upon  our  bodies  or  our  souls,  as 
he  shall  think  most  proper.  Thus, 
perhaps,  we  ask  of  God  some  temporal 
blessings,  who  seeing  them  to  be  unfit 
for  us,  gives  us  spiritual  ones ;  by 
which  means  we  not  only  receive 
what  we  prayed  for,  but  so  much  the 
more,  as  the  good  of  the  soul  is  to  be 


[Book  II 


preferred  to  that  of  the  body.  For  as 
the  soul  is  much  more  noble  than  the 
body,  and  spiritual  blessings  are  more 
excellent  than  earthly;  so  much  bet- 
ter is  it  for  us,  that  God  should  give 
us  his  eternal  and  spiritual  blessings 
rather  than  those  transitory  and 
fading  enjoyments  in  which  we  are 
generally  most  delighted.  lie  hears 
our  prayers,  not  always  with  respect 
to  our  bodies,  but  to  our  souls;  which 
is  of  far  greater  importance.  If  it 
should  please  God  to  visit  you  with 
some  bodily  disease,  and  you  pray  for 
health,  doubt  not;  your  prayers  will 
be  heard,  and  you  shall  certainly  en- 
joy, if  not  the  health  of  your  body, 
yet  the  health  of  your  soul,  wiiich  is 
much  to  be  preferred.  Every  man  in 
his  sound  senses  must  think  so.  What 
advantage  would  it  be  to  have  the 
body  in  health,  but  a  sinful,  distem- 
pered soul,  liable  to  eternal  death? 
When  it  is  well  with  the  soul,  a  man 
may  say  with  David,  "  Whom  have  I 
in  heaven  but  thee?  and  there  is  none 
upon  earth  that  I  desire  besides  thee. 
My  flesh  and  my  heart  faileth:  but 
God  is  the  strength  of  my  heart,  and 
my  portion  forever."  Ps.  73  :  25,  26. 
And  with  the  suffering  Job,  "I  know 
that  my  Eedeemer  liveth."  Job  19  :  25. 
And  from  Him  the  soul  may  derive 
life.  Therefore  David,  comparing 
spiritual  blessings  with  earthly,  tells 
us:  "The  law  of  thy  mouth  is  better 
unto  me  than  thousands  of  gold  and 
silver."  Ps.  119:72. 

27.  But,  j^erhaps,  you  will  say  that 
you  pray  for  both ;  the  health  of  your 
soul  as  well  as  of  your  body;  and  for 
spiritual  blessings,  as  well  as  tem- 
poral. To  this  the  Lord  himself 
answers  thee,  "  My  grace  is  sufficient 
for  thee"  (2  Cor.  12:9);  which  was 
the  reply  given  to  St.  Paul,  though  he 
had  desired  to  be  answered  in  his  own 


TRUE  CHPJSTIANITY. 


Chap.  XXXYII.] 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


297 


way.  And  thus  it  appears,  that  God 
always  hears  our  prayers,  if  not  witli 
regard  to  our  bodies,  yet  certainly  to 
our  souls. 

28.  Besides,  God  has  reserved  to 
himself  the  liberty  of  accomplishing 
our  desires  either  in  this  world,  or  the 
next,  as  he  shall  deem  most  proper. 
Wherefore  if  thou  dost  not  receive  the 
blessings  for  wdiich  thou  prayest,  con- 
sider that  it  is  not  good  for  thee  to  en- 
joy them  here,  but  that  the  answer  to 
thy  prayers  is  reserved  for  the  other 
life,  Avhich  is  more  noble  and  durable, 
and  more  capable  of  pure  enjoyments 
than  this.  There  the  Lord  will  bestow 
on  thee  a  thousandfold,  for  all  that  lie 
seemed  to  deny  thee  here.  As  He  can- 
not forget  our  praj'ers,  so  He  cannot 
fail  to  answer  them  graciously;  if  not 
in  this  life,  yet  certainly  in  that  which 
is  to  come.  As  many  prayers  as  thou 
offerest  up  here,  so  many  blessings 
shalt  thou  receive  hereafter;  for  then 
"we  shall  reap  if  we  faint  not."  Gal. 
6  :  9.  Then  will  the  Lord  say  to  the 
believing  soul,  "Behold  tliy  praj'cr 
which  thou  offeredst  to  me.  See,  here 
is  that  for  which  thou  didst  pray,  and 
a  thousand  times  more  than  thou 
didst  desire."  And  for  this  time  of 
retribution  we  must  patiently  wait. 

29.  That  man  would  be  a  very  fool- 
ish husbandman,  who  would  expect  to 
reap  as  soon  as  he  had  sown;  and  who, 
when  he  had  done  this,  Avould  cry  out 
with  tears,  that  he  had  sown  much 
seed,  but  could  see  no  sign  of  harvest. 
Thou  fool!  wait  till  the  season  of  har- 
vest arrives,  and  then  thou  shalt  re- 
ceive the  fruits  of  thy  labor  with  a 
blessed  increase.  These  are  the  com- 
plaints which  many  people  make:  "I 


have  prayed,"  says  one,  "  so  often ;  I 
have  so  often  sighed  from  the  bottom 
of  my  soul;  but  I  see  no  prospect  of 
being  heard,  so  that  all  my  prayers, 
and  sighs,  and  tears,  are  in  vain."  Ah, 
impatient  soul !  Thou  hast  scarcely 
sowed,  and  dost  thou  already  talk  of 
harvest?  Wait  for  the  precious  har- 
vest of  eternal  life,  and  thou  shalt  reap 
an  abundant  crop  of  glory!  "For  what- 
soever a  man  soweth,  that  shall  he  also 
reap."  Gal.  G  :  7.  There  thou  shalt 
gather  with  joy  the  fruit  of  the  numer- 
ous prayers,  which,  as  so  many  pre- 
cious seeds,  thou  hast  sown  in  tears. 
Psalm  126  :  5.  This  is  the  word 
and  promise  of  God,  wiiich  shall  cer- 
tainly be  fulfilled,  either  here  or  in  the 
other  world.  Thus,  when  thou  art 
taking  thy  last  sad  flirewell  of  a 
dying  child,  husband,  wife,  or  friend, 
thou  must  consider  that  this  is  the 
season  in  which  the  bodies  of  thy 
friends,  and  thine  own  also,  are,  as  it 
were,  to  be  sown  and  committed  to 
the  earth;  but  that  the  harvest  of  the 
resurrection  is  at  hand,  when  "  the 
angels,  the  reapers,  shall  gather  the 
sheaves,  and  j)Ut  them  into  barns." 
Matt.  13  :  30,  39.  There  we  shall 
find  that  our  prayers,  sighs,  and  tears 
were  not  lost,  but  only  sent  before- 
hand, to  be  received  again  with  usury, 
finding  all  things  in  God  that  ever  our 
souls  could  conceive  or  desire.  So  the 
promises  of  God,  and  the  arguments 
produced  to  sustain  them,  shall  stand 
firm  and  unshaken  in  Christ  Jesus,  to 
be  eternally  fulfilled  to  all  believing 
souls,  to  their  everlasting  joy  and  sal- 
vation, for  which  we  shall  render 
eternal  thanks  and  praises  to  God. 


ll 


298 


TEUE  CIIEISTIANITY. 


[Book  11. 


CHAPTER  XXXVII 1. 

SEVEN  HELPS  OR  AIDS  FOR  OUR  INFIRMITIES  IN  PRAYER. 

Likewise  ilie  Spirit  also  helpefh  our  infirmilics  :  for  we  know  not  what  we  should proy  for  as  m 
ought:  Out  the  Spirit  itself  makeih  intercession  for  us  with  grc.anivgs  which  cannot  be  uttered. 
And  he  that  searcheth  the  hearts  knoweth  wliat  is  the  mind  of  the  Spirit,  because  he  makeih 
inter  cession  for  the  saints  according  to  the  ivlil  of  God. — Rom.  8  :  26,  27. 


SINCE  our  prayers  are,  alas!  very- 
weak  and  imperfect,  let  us  sec 
wliat  assistance  God  has  given  us  in 
his  holy  word,  in  order  to  help  us  in 
that  duty. 

2.  The  first  help  is  our  only  Media- 
tor and  Advocate,  Jesus  Christ,  the 
Son  of  God.  1  John  2  :  2.  He  is  our 
advocate,  and  pleads  our  cause  before 
God,  when  we  are  hardly  able  to  ex- 
press what  w^e  want.  He  is  therefore 
called  the  Logos,  or  the  eternal  Word  of 
the  Father,  because  God  by  him  has 
discovered  his  will  to  us  ;  as  He  is  also 
called  the  Mediator,  because  He  pleads 
our  cause  before  God.  A  type  of  Him 
we  have  in  Moses,  the  mediator  of  the 
Old  Testament;  to  whom  the  people, 
flying  from  the  face  of  God  in  Mount 
Sinai,  said,  ^' Speak  thou  wnth  us" 
(Exod.  20  :  19).  And  when  Moses  com- 
plained that  he  was  slow  of  speech,  and 
of  a  slow  tongue,  when  he  was  com- 
manded to  appear  before  Pharaoh; 
God  tells  him,  "Aaron,  thy  brother, 
can  speak  well.  He  shall  be  to  thee 
instead  of  a  mouth."  Exod.  4  :  10,  14, 
16.  So  we  also,  when  we  should  pray, 
are  dull  and  slow  of  speech,  and  there- 
fore we  must  fly  to  Christ,  our  heav- 
enly Aaron,  who  is  to  us  instead  of  a 
mouth.  The  same  thing  is  expressed 
to  us  by  the  mercy-seat.  Exod.  25  : 17, 
21.  Therefore  Christ  commands  us  to 
pray  in  his  name  (John  IG  :  23),  who 
is  our  eternal  High  Priest,  having  an 


everlasting  priesthood  (Heb.  7:16). 
interceding  for  us  (Eom.  8:34),  "ia 
whom  we  have  boldness,  and  access 
with  confidence  by  the  faith  of  him. ' 
Eph.  3:12. 

3.  The  second  help  is  God  the.  Holy 
Ghost.  "I  will  pour  upon  the  house 
of  David,  and  upon  the  ii] habitants  of 
Jerusalem,  the  spii-it  of  grace,  and  of 
supplication."  Zech.  12  :  10.  This  spirit 
is  given  us  as  a  testimony  of  the  divine 
grace,  and  of  our  adoption.  Hence  St. 
John  says,  "  Hereby  know  we  that  we 
dwell  in  him,  because  he  hath  given  us 
of  his  Spirit."  1  John  4  :  13.  And  St. 
Paul,  "  Ye  have  not  received  the  spirit 
of  bondage,  but  the  Spirit  of  adoption, 
whereby  we  cry,  Abba,  Father.  The 
Spirit  itself  beareth  witness  with  our 
spirit^  that  we  are  the  children  of  God." 
Eom.  8  :  15,  16.  He  was  also  typified 
by  the  anointing  of  the  jDriests  under 
the  law.  Exod.  28  :  41 ;  29  :  7.  Thus 
God  has  anointed  us  with  the  Spirit  of 
Christ  (I  Jo-hn  2  :  20)  ;  that  w^e  should 
offer  to  him  daily  the  fruit  of  our  lips. 
Ps.  69  :3a,  31;  Heb.  13  : 15.  This  Spirit 
of  God  is  the  author  of  all  those  devout 
aspirations  which  we  meet  with,  such 
as  :  "  O  Lord,  hear;  O  Lord,  forgive ; 
0  Lord,  hearken  and  do."  Dan.  9  :  19. 

4.  The  third  help  to  strengthen  us  in 
prayer,  is  found  in  the  promises  of  God. 
"  Call  upon  me  in  the  day  of  trouble, 
and  I  will  deliver  thee."  Ps.  50:15. 
"  He  shall  call  upon  me,  and  I  will  an- 


(JHAP.  XXXYIII.] 


TEUE  CIIETSTIANITY. 


299 


swer  him."  Ps.  91  :  15.  See  also  Ps. 
145:19;  Luke  11  :  11,  13,  and  18.  "Be- 
fore they  call,  I  will  licar."  Isa.  60  :  24. 
"  The  eyes  of  the  Lord  are  over  the 
righteous,  and  his  cars  are  open  to 
theirpraj^ers."  Ps.34:16.  "  Whosoever 
shall  call  on  the  name  of  the  Lord  shall 
be  delivered."  Joel  2  ;  82.  "Ask,  seek, 
knock."  Matt.  7:  7.  "  The  Lord  is  rich 
(in  mercy,  Eph.  2  :  4)  to  all  that  call 
upon  him."  Pom.  10  :  12.  See  also 
Luke  11  :  11-13;  18  :  6,  7. 

5.  The  fourth  help  in  prayer,  is  the 
remembrance  of  the  saints,  whose  prayers 
God  has  heard.  Look  at  the  examples 
of  the  ancients,  and  be  strengthened. 
And,  indeed,  w^e  must  needs  be  so, 
when  we  seasonably  call  to  mind  in- 
stances of  God's  providence  and  divine 
assistance.  Upon  this  foundation  all 
the  prophets  of  old  built  their  prayers. 
Thus,  when  God  was  angry  with  Is- 
rael for  the  sin  of  the  golden  calf,  and 
said  to  Moses :  "  Let  me  alone^  that  my 
wrath  may  wax  hot  against  them,  and 
that  I  may  consume  them  "  (Ex.  32  : 
10);  "then  Moses  his  chosen  stood  be- 
fore him  in  the  breach,"  as  the  Psalm- 
ist expresses  it  (Ps.  106  :  23),  putting 
God  in  mind  of  his  former  mercies, 
saying,  "Lord,  why  doth  thy  wrath 
wax  hot  against  thy  people,  which 
thou  hast  brought  forth  out  of  the 
land  of  Egypt,  with  great  power,  and 
with  a  mighty  hand?  "Wherefore 
should  the  Egyptians  speak  and  say, 
Por  mischief  did  he  bring  them  out  to 
slay  them  in  the  mountains,  and  to 
consume  them  from  the  face  of  the 
earth  ?  Turn  from  thy  fierce  wrath, 
and  repent  of  this  evil  against  thy 
people,  etc.  And  the  Lord  repented 
of  the  evil  which  he  thought  to  do 
unto  his  people."  Exod.  32  :  11-14. 

6.  David  had  recourse  to  the  same 
romed}'  in  almost  all  his  Psalms;  put- 
ting God  in  mind,  as  it  were,  of  his 


former  mercies,  goodness,  and  faith- 
fulness. So  Ps.  25  :  6,  "  Pemember 
thy  tender  mercies."  Ps.  77  :  5,  etc., 
"  I  have  considered  the  days  of  old,  the 
years  of  ancient  times,"  etc.  Ps.  85: 
1-6,  "Lord,  thou  hast  been  favoi-able 
unto  thy  land  :  thou  hast  brought  back 
the  captivity  of  Jacob.  Thou  hast  for- 
given the  iniquity  oi' thy  people;  thou 
hast  covered  all  their  sin.  Thou  hast 
taken  away  all  thy  wrath  ;  thou  hast 
turned  thyself  from  the  fierceness  of 
thine  anger.  Turn  us,  O  God  of  our 
salvation,  and  cause  thine  auger  to- 
ward us  to  cease.  AVilt  thou  be  an- 
gry with  us  forever?  Wilt  thou  draw 
out  thine  anger  to  all  generations? 
Wilt  thou  not  revive  us  again;  that 
thy  people  may  rejoice  in  thee?" 

7.  How  admirably  does  the  prophet 
Isaiah  use  the  same  form  of  supplica- 
tion (chap.  63: 10-10),  putting  God  in 
mind  of  his  former  mercies,  and  open- 
ing, as  it  were,  by  this  kc}',  the  im- 
mense treasures  of  his  compassion. 
"Where  is  he  that  brought  them  up 
out  of  the  sea,  with  the  shepherd  of 
his  flock?  where  is  he  that  put  his 
Holy  Spirit  within  him?  That  led 
them  by  the  right  hand  of  Moses, 
with  his  glorious  arm,  dividing  the 
water  before  them,  to  make  himself 
an  everlasting  name?  That  led  them 
through  the  deep,  as  a  horse  in  the 
wilderness,  that  they  should  not  stum- 
ble? As  a  beast  goeth  down  into  the 
valley,  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  caused 
him  to  rest:  so  didst  thou  lead  thy 
people,  to  make  thyself  a  glorious 
name.  Look  down  from  heaven,  and 
behold  from  the  habitation  of  thy  holi- 
ness and  of  thy  glory;  where  is  thy 
zeal,  and  thy  strength,  the  sounding 
of  thy  bowels,  and  of  thy  mercies 
towards  me  ?  Are  they  restrained  ? 
Doubtless  thou  art  our  Father,  though 
Abraham  be  ignorant  of  us,  and  Israel 


300 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  II. 


acknowledge  us  not:  thou,  O  Lord, art 
our  Father,  our  Redeemer;  thy  name 
is  from  everlasting." 

8.  This  prayer  of  the  prophet  is 
founded  upon  these  arguments:  (1.) 
Because  the  love  of  God  is  eternal, 
therefore  it  will  not  be  withheld  from 
me.  (2.)  I  acknowledge  mj^self  to  be 
a  sinner,  but,  at  the  same  time,  I  re- 
member that  thy  grace  has  been  ex- 
tended to  sinners  Vv'ho  repented.  "Re- 
member not  the  sins  of  my  youth." 
Ps.  25  :  7.  (3.)  ^fy  sins  have  been 
very  great,  but  let  thy  merc}'  also  be 
great.  (4.)  Remember  that  I  am  the 
work  of  thine  own  hands.  "Remem- 
ber, I  beseech  thee,  that  thou  hast 
made  me  as  the  clay;  and  wilt  thou 
bring  me  into  dust  again?  Thy  vis- 
itation hath  preserved  my  spirit." 
Job  10:9,  12. 

9.  Tho  fifth  comfort  in  prayer  is,  the 
tender  love  of  God  to  mankind,  and  his 
promises  to  help  the  afflicted.  "  Look 
upon  mine  affliction  and  my  pain;  and 
forgive  all  my  sins."  Ps.  25:18.  Again, 
"This  poor  man  cried,  and  the  Lord 
heard  him."  Ps.  34:6.  Thus  we  are 
assured  that  God  does  not  despise  the 
miseries  of  the  distressed,  although 
proud  men  may  do  it.  For  God  judges 
not  as  corrupt  man  judges;  he  has 
not  eyes  of  flesh,  nor  doth  he  see  as 
man  seeth.  Job  10  :  4.  And  as  it  gen- 
erally happens  among  us,  that  the 
more  need  a  man  has  of  friends,  the 
fewer  he  finds;  so,  on  the  other  hand, 
God  has  a  more  tender  and  particular 
regard  for  him  that  is  destitute  and 
afflicted.  "  The  Lord  is  nigh  unto 
them  that  are  of  a  broken  heart,  and 
saveth  such  as  be  of  a  contrite  spirit." 
Ps.  34:  18.  "Thou  hast  seen  it;  for 
thou  beholdest  mischief  and  spite,  to 
requite  it  with  thy  hand:  the  poor 
committeth  himself  unto  thee;  thou 
art  the  helper  of  the  fatherless."  Ps. 


10:  14.  And,  indeed,  such  are  the 
proper  objects  of  divine  merc}'.  To 
enhance  the  comfort  and  certainty  of 
these  promises,  the  Psalmist  mentions 
various  classes  of  the  afflicted ;  so  that 
none  who  are  in  distress  may  despair: 
"The  Lord  executeth  judgment  for 
the  oppressed;  which  giveth  food  to 
the  hungry.  The  Lord  looseth  the 
prisoners;  the  Lord  opcneth  the  eyes 
of  the  blind ;  the  Lord  raiseth  them 
that  are  bowed  down ;  the  Lord  loveth 
the  righteous ;  the  Lord  preserveth  the 
strangers;  he  relieveth  the  fatherless 
and  widows."  Ps.  146  :  7-9.  To  this 
may  be  referred  what  the  prophet 
Isaiah  says,  "  To  this  man  will  I  look, 
even  to  him  that  is  poor,  and  of  a  con- 
trite spirit,  and  that  tremblcth  at  my 
word."  Isa.  66:2.  And  "The  ex- 
pectation of  the  poor  shall  not  perish 
forever."  Ps.  9:  18.  And  "He  will 
regard  the  prayer  of  the  destitute,  and 
not  despise  their  prayer."  Ps.  102: 17. 

10.  The  sixth  help  is,  the  considera- 
tion of  God's  unspeakable  compassion. 
He  puts  a  better  construction  upon 
our  prayers  than  we  intended,  and 
understands  our  necessities  more  per- 
fectly than  we  can  express  them.  He 
makes  merciful  allowance  for  our  in- 
firmities in  prayer;  according  to  the 
words  of  Abraham,  "Let  not  the 
Lord  be  angrj'-,  and  I  will  speak." 
Gen.  18  :  30.  Hence  St.  Paul  says, 
"  Blessed  be  God,  even  the  Father  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  Father  of 
mercies,  and  the  God  of  all  comfort, 
who  comforteth  us  in  all  our  tribula- 
tion." 2  Cor.  1 :  3.  Compare  this  with 
Ps.  103  :  8.  By  virtue  of  this  com- 
passion of  God,  none  of  our  prayers 
are  in  vain.  God  keeps  an  exact  ac- 
count of  all  our  sighs  and  tears  (Ps. 
56  : 8),  for  the  sake  of  those  tears 
which  Christ  our  blessed  Saviour  shed, 
who,  in  the  days  of  his  flesh,  ofi'ered 


Chap.  XXXTX.] 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


301 


up  prayers  and  supplications  with 
strong  cr3^ing  and  tears.  Ilcb.  5  : 7. 

11.  The  seventh  help  in  prayer,  is 
the  remembrance  of  the  covenant  of 
grace,  which  God  has  made  with  us. 
I     "  This  shall  be  the  covenant,"  etc.  Jer. 
31  :  33.    And,  "  The  covenant  of  my 
peace  shall  not  be  removed,  saith  the 
Lord,  that  hath  mercy  on  thee."  Isa. 
54  : 10.    IIo,  every  one  that  thirsteth, 
come  !  I  will  make  an  everlasting  cove- 
nant with  you."  Isa.  55  :  1,  3.  In  this 
I    covenant  of  grace  the  assurance  that 
I    our  prayers  shall  be  heard  is  contained. 
I    "Seek  ye  the  Lord  while  he  may  be 
!    found,  call  ye  upon  him  while  he  is 
j    near."  Isa.  55  :  6. 

I  12.  What  we  have  said  upon  this 
head,  is  most  happily  exemplified  in 
the  prayer  of  Daniel.  O  Lord,  the 
great  and  dreadful  God,  keeping  the 

i  covenant  and  mercy  to  them  that  love 
him,  and  to  them  that  keep  his  com- 
mandments.— And  now,  O  Lord  our 
God,  that  hast  brought  thy  people 
forth  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt  with  a 
mighty  hand,  and  hast  gotten  thee  re- 
nown, as  at  this  day."  (Here  is  the 


putting  God  in  mind  of  his  former 
mercies.)  "Hear,  O  our  God,  the 
prayer  of  thy  servant,  and  his  suppli- 
cations, and  cause  thy  face  to  shine 
upon  thy  sanctuary  that  is  desolate, 
for  the  Lord's  sake."  (This  is  plead- 
ing the  name  and  merits  of  Jesus  the 
Messiah.)  ''O  Lord,  hear;  O  Lord, 
forgive ;  O  Lord,  hearken  and  do." 
(These  are  the  groans  of  the  Holy 
Spirit.)  "  O  my  God,  incline  thine 
ear,  and  hear;  open  thine  eyes,  and 
behold  our  desolations  "  (in  regard  of 
his  promise) ;  "  because  for  our  sins, 
and  the  iniquities  of  our  fathers,  Jeru- 
salem and  thy  people  are  become  a 
reproach  to  all  that  are  about  us." 
(Here  is  a  confession  of  sin,  and  an  ac- 
knowledgment of  misery.)  "For  we 
do  not  present  our  supplications  be- 
fore thee,  for  our  righteousnesses,  but 
for  thy  great  mercies  "  (this  is  an  ac- 
knowledgment of  man's  unworthiness, 
and  of  God's  mercy,  which  is  followed 
with  a  remembrance  of  the  covenant); 
"  For  thy  city  and  thy  people  are 
called  by  thy  name."  Dan.  9  :  4,  15, 
17,  18,  19,  16. 


CHAPTER  XXXIX. 

THE  CONVERSATION  OF  A  BELIEVING  SOUL  WITH  GOD. 

}Vilt  thou  he  angry  with  us  forever  ?  Wilt  thou  draw  out  thine  anger  to  all  generations  ?  Wilt 
thou  not  revive  us  again  :  that  thy  people  may  rejoice  in  thee  ?  Shew  us  thy  mercy,  O  Lord, 
and  grant  us  thy  salvation. — Ps.  85  :  5-7. 


I  rpHESE  words  contain  the  familiar 
Jl  discourse  of  the  devout  and  faith- 
ful soul  with  God.    Who  w^ould  ven- 

I  ture  to  talk  so  freely  to  an  offended 
prince?  But  so  indulgent  is  God  to  a 
believing  soul,  that  he  gives  liberty  to 


come  freely  and  without  restraint  into 
his  presence.  As  soon  as  the  believer 
enters,  God  asks,  AYhat  is  thy  de- 
sire ?  come  near,  and  be  not  afraid." 
This  is  represented  to  us  in  the  case 
of  Bathsheba  (1  Kings  1 : 16),  going 


302 


TRUE  CHRISTIAOTTY. 


[Book  II 


into  the  presencc-cliamber  of  king  Da- 
vid, and  making  her  petition.  Upon 
which,  the  king  sware  unto  her  with 
an  oatli.  So  also  in  that  of  Esther, 
whom,  80  soon  as  she  came  into  his 
presence,  the  king  touched  with  his 
golden  sceptre.  Est.  5:1. 

2.  It  is  lield  to  bean  act  of  singular 
grace  and  favor,  if  a  king  vouchsafe  to 
talk  familiarly  with  his  subjects.  It 
w  as  upon  this  account  that  the  Roman 
emperor  Titus  was  called  The  delight 
of  mankind,  for  his  gracious  treatment 
of  all  who  were  near  him,  filled  them 
with  joy.  But  how  much  greater  fa- 
vor and  happiness  is  it,  that  God,  the 
Lord  of  lords,  and  King  of  kings 
(whom  the  Psalmist  calls,  The  most 
high  and  terrible  Lord,  a  great  King 
over  all  the  earth  "),  (Ps.  47 :  2),  should 
not  only  talk  with  miserable  men, 
who,  as  Abraham  says,  "  are  but  dust 
and  ashes"  (Gen.  18  :  27);  but  should 
even  converse  kindly  with  rebellious 
sinners,  who  are  at  enmity  with  him 
throui>;li  sin.  Isa.  f)9  :  2.  So  that  when 
a  Christian  considers,  on  the  one  hand, 
the  greatness  and  majesty  of  God;  and 
the  impurity,  corruption,  misery,  and 
vileness  of  human  natureon  the  other 
hand,  he  cannot  but  cry  out  with  Da- 
vid, "  What  is  man  that  thou  art 
mindful  of  him  ?  and  the  son  of  man, 
that  thou  visitest  him?"  Ps.  8:4. 
The  most  righteous  man  living  must 
acknowledge  himself  to  be  unworthy 
to  converse  with  God.  This  was  the 
sentiment  of  the  devout  Abraham, 
who  therefore  excuses  his  presuming 
to  intercede  with  God  lor  the  Sodom- 
ites, saying,  "Let  not  the  Lord  be 
angry,  and  I  will  speak"  (Gen.  18: 
30,  32) :  and  yet  ever}^  time  that  Abra- 
ham speaks,  God  vouchsafes  to  an- 
swer. And  as  he  is  the  father  of 
"them  which  are  of  faith  "  (Gal.  3  : 
7),  he  gives  us  a  notable  example  of 


the  devout  soul's  conversation  with 
God. 

3.  It  is  therefore  a  most  certain 
and  undoubted  truth,  that  whensoever 
the  faithful  soul  calls  upon  God  by 
prayer,  he  never  fails  to  answer  by 
the  divine  consolations  of  his  Spirit. 
An  instance  of  this  we  have,  where 
the  Psalmist  calls  upon  God  in  these 
words  :  "  Lord,  thou  hast  been  favor- 
able unto  thy  land.  Thou  hast  for- 
given the  iniquity  of  thy  people  ;  thou 
hast  turned  thyself  from  the  fierceness 
of  thine  anger.  Wilt  thou  not  revive 
us  again  ?  Shew  us  thy  mercy,  0 
Lord,  and  grant  us  thy  salvation.  I 
will  hear  what  God  the  Lord  will 
speak."  Ps.  85  :  1,  etc.  The  answer  he 
received  in  his  heart;  therefore  he 
says  :  "His  salvation  is  nigh  them  that 
fear  him."  Yer.  9.  And  as  he  here 
prays,  that  he  may  hear  what  the  Lord 
God  will  say  concerning  him;  God  an- 
swers him,  "  Hear,  O  my  people,  and 
I  will  testify  unto  thee."  Ps.  50  : 7. 
The  afflicted  soul  prays,  "  O  Lord,  re- 
buke me  not  in  thine  anger."  Ps.  6  : 1. 
To  which  God  answers,  "  The  Lord  is 
merciful  and  gracious,  slow  to  anger, 
and  plenteous  in  mercy."  Ps.  103  : 8. 
The  soul  says,  "Whither  shall  I  flee 
from  thy  presence?"  Ps.  139:7.  To 
which  the  Lord  answers,  "  Come  unto 
me,  all  ye  that  labor,  and  are  heavy 
laden,  and  I  will  give  you  rest."  Matt. 
11:28.  The  soul  says,  "I  know,  0 
Lord,  that  the  way  of  man  is  not  in 
himself;  it  is  not  in  man  thatwalketh, 
to  direct  his  steps."  Jer.  10  :  23.  To 
which  it  is  answered,  "  I  will  instruct 
thee,  and  teach  thee  in  the  way  in 
which  thou  shalt  go ;  I  will  guide  thee 
with  mine  eye."  Ps.  32  :  8.  The  be- 
lieving soul  prays,  "Teach  me  thy  way, 
O  Lord;  I  will  walk  in  thy  truth." 
Ps.  86:11.  To  which  the  Lord  an- 
swers, "I  am  the  way,  the  truth,  and 


:    Chap.  XXXIX.] 

I  ^  

the  life"  (John  14  :  6) ;  the  if  thou 
woulddst  not  wander;  the  truths  if  thou 
wouldest  not  be  deceived;  the  life,  if 
thou  wouldest  avoid  eternal  death. 
The  believing  soul  conaplains,  "There 
is  no  soundness  in  my  flesh,  because 
of  thine  anger;  neither  is  there  any 
rest  in  ray  bones,  because  of  my  sin. 
My  wounds  stink  and  are  corrupt,  be- 
cause of  my  foolishness."  Ps.  38  :  3,  5. 
To  which  it  is  answered,  "  The  chas- 
tisement of  our  peace  was  upon  him  ; 
and  with  his  stripes  we  are  healed." 
Isa.  53 : 5.  The  devout  soul  says,  "  Heal 
me,  0  Lord,  and  I  shall  be  healed  : 
save  me,  and  I  shall  be  saved."  Jer. 
17  : 14.  It  is  answered,  "Who  forgiv- 
eth  all  thine  iniquities;  who  healeth 
all  thy  diseases."  Ps.  103  :  3.  The  soul 
complains,  and  cries  out:  I  have  sin- 
ned above  the  number  of  the  sands  of 
,  the  sea.  To  which  God  answers  by 
I  the  prophet  Isaiah,  "I  have  blotted 
out,  as  a  thick  cloud,  thy  transgres- 
sions, and  as  a  cloud  thy  sins."  Isa. 
43  :  25 ;  44  :  22.  The  soul  cries  out, 
Alas!  I  am  a  grievous  sinner.  And 
Jesus  Christ  answers,  "  I*am  not  come 
to  call  the  righteous,  but  sinners  to 
repentance."  Matt.  9  :  13.  The  soul 
prays,  "  Eemeraber  not  the  sins  of  my 
youth,  nor  my  transgressions."  Ps.  25 : 
7.  To  which  God  answers,  "If  the 
wicked  will  turn  from  all  his  sins  that 
he  hath  committed,  and  keep  all  my 
statutes,  and  do  that  which  is  lawful 
and  right,  he  shall  surely  live,  he  shall 
not  die.  All  his  transgressions  that 
he  hath  committed,  they  shall  not  be 
mentioned  unto  him."  Ezek.  18  :  21, 
[  22.  The  soul  cries  out,  "Wash  me 
thoroughly  from  mine  iniquity,  and 
cleanse  me  from  my  sin."  Ps.  51 :  3. 
To  which  God  answers,  "  Though  your 
j  sins  be  red  like  crimson,  they  shall  be 
!  as  wool."  Isa.  1 : 18.  "  Lord,  enter  not 
into  judgment  with  thy  servant;  for 


303 


in  thy  sight  shall  no  man  living  be 
justified."  Ps.  143  :  2.  To  w])ich  it  is 
answered,  "God  sent  not  his  Son  into 
the  world,  to  condemn  the  world  ;  but 
that  the  world  through  him  might  be 
saved.  He  that  believeth  on  him  is 
not  condemned."  John  3  :  17,  18.  The 
soul  prays,  "Create  in  me  a  clean 
heart,  O  God,  and  renew  a  right  spirit 
within  me."  Ps.  51  :  10.  To  which  it 
is  answered,  "A  new  heart  also  will  T 
give  you,  and  a  new  spirit  will  I  put 
within  you,  and  cause  you  to  walk  in 
my  statutes."  Ezek.  36  :  26,  27.  The 
soul  says,  "  I  am  bowed  down  greatly; 
I  go  mourning  all  the  day  long."  Ps 
38  :  6.  To  which  it  is  answered,  "  The 
Lord  hath  sent  me  to  comfort  all  thai 
mourn."  Isa.  61  :  2.  It  is  said,  "  Look 
upon  mine  affliction  and  my  pain."  Ps 
25  :  18.  And  it  is  answered,  "  To  him 
will  I  look,  that  is  poor,  and  oft*  con- 
trite spirit."  Isa.  6G:2.  "Thoutellest 
my  wanderings."  Ps.  56  :  8.  To  which 
the  Lord  answers,  "  The  very  hairs  of 
your  head  are  all  numbered."  Matt. 
10:30.  The  soul  cries  out,  "When 
shall  I  come  and  appear  before  God?" 
Ps.  42  :  2.  To  which  is  answered, 
"  Where  I  am,  there  shall  also  my 
servant  be."  John  12  :  26.  The  soul 
complains,  "How  long,  O  Lord,  wilt 
thou  forget  me?  forever?  How  long 
wilt  thou  hide  thy  face  from  me  ?  How 
long  shall  I  take  counsel  in  my  soul, 
having  sorrow  in  my  heart  daily? 
How  long  shall  mine  enemy  be  exalted 
over  me?"  Ps.  13: 1,-2.  To  which  is 
answered,  "  For  a  small  moment  have 
I  forsaken  thee;  but  with  everlasting 
kindness  will  I  have  mercy  on  thee." 
Isa.  54  :  7,  8.  Compare  thy  present 
sulfering  with  God's  eternal  grace. 
Wait  for  the  promise,  which,  though 
late,  will  surely  be  fulfilled  at  last. 
Ilab.  2  :  3.  The  soul  says,  "  Thou  art 
my  God;  be  not  far  from  me;  for 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


304 


TRUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


[Book  II. 


trouble  is  near;  for  tliere  is  none  to  i 
help."  Ps.  22  :  10,  11.  To  which  it  is 
answered,  "  I  will  be  with  him  in  trou- 
ble ;  I  will  deliver  him,  and  honor 
him."  Ps.  91  :  15.  The  soul  prays, 
"  Lighten  my  e3'es,  lest  I  sleep  the 
sleep  of  death."  Ps.  13  :  3.  To  which 
it  is  answered,  "I  will  ransom  them 
from  the  powder  of  the  grave;  I  will 
redeem  them  from  death."  Hosea,  13  : 
14.  The  soul  says,  "  I  have  a  desire  to 
depart,  and  to  be  with  Christ."  Phil. 


1  :  23.  To  which  Christ  answers,  "  To- 
day  shalt  thou  be  with  me  in  para- 
dise." Luke  23  : 43. 

4.  In  a  word,  the  Holy  Scripture  is 
nothing  else  but  a  conversation  of  the 
devout  soul  with  God.  AVhenever 
the  soul  raises  itself  to  God,  and 
spreads  its  misery  and  complaints  be- 
fore him,  then  God  answers  it  by  some 
internal  comfort,  or  by  the  words  and 
promises  of  the  Holy  Scriptures. 


CHAPTER  XL. 

A  CONVERSATION  BETWEEN  FAITH  AND  THE  MERCY  OF  GOD. 
Mercy  and  truth  are  met  together ;  righteousness  and  peace  have  kissed  each  other. — Ps.  85  :  10, 


THE  goodness  of  God  comes  forth 
to  meet  us,  and  gives  merciful 
answers  to  the  prayers  of  faith  ;  "for 
mercy  shall  compass  us  about."  Ps. 
32  : 10.  It  calls  to  us  :  "  Eeturn,  saith 
the  Lord,  and  I  will  not  cause  mJne 
anger  to  fall  upon  you  :  for  1  am  mer- 
ciful, and  I  will  not  keep  anger  for- 
ever. Only  acknowledge  thine  in- 
iquity, that  thou  hast  transgressed 
against  the  Lord  thy  God."  Jer.  3  : 
12,  18.  To  which  faith  answers, 
"  Have  mercy  upon  me,  O  God,  ac- 
cording to  thy  lovingkindness ;  ac- 
cording unto  the  multitude  of  thy 
tender  mercies,  blot  out  my  trans- 
gressions." Ps.  51  :  1.  Mercy  calls. 
Him  that  cometh  to  me,  I  Avill  in  no 
wise  cast  out."  John  6  :  37.  Faith  an- 
swers, "  Draw  me  ;  we  will  run  after 
thee."  Cant.  1  :  4.  Mercy  says,  "  The 
Lord  hath  sent  me  to  bind  up  the 
broken-hearted,  to  comfort  all  that 
mourn."  Isa.  Gl  :1,  2.    Faith  answers 


out  of  Psalm  51  :  1*^ :  "  Kestore  unto 
me  the  joy  of  thy  salvation ;  and  up- 
hold me  with  thy  free  Spirit."  Mercy 
says,  out  of  Isaiah  43  :  25  and  44  :  22. 
"I  have  blotted  out  as  a  thick  cloud, 
thy  transgressions,  and,  as  a  cloud, 
thy  sins."  Faith  answers  out  of  Psalm 
25  :  18,  "  Look  upon  mine  affliction 
and  my  pain,  *xnd  forgive  all  my  sins." 
Merc}^  comforts  us  and  says,  out  of 
Psalm  103:13,  "Like  as  a  father 
pitieth  his  children,  so  the  Lord 
pitieth  them  that  fear  him."  To 
which  faith  answers,  out  of  Isaiah 
G4  :  8,  "But  now,  O  Lord,  thou  art  our 
Father."  Mercy  says,  "  Come  unto 
me."  Matt.  11:28.  Faith  answers, 
"  Unto  thee,  O  Lord,  do  I  lift  up  my 
soul."  Ps.  25:  1.  Mercy  says,  "Thou 
hast  played  the  harlot  with  many 
lovers;  yet  return  again  to  me,  saith 
the  Lord."  Jer.  3  : 1.  Faith  answers. 
"I  will  arise  and  go  to  my  Father, 
and  will  say  unto  him  :  Falhor,  I  have 


Chap.  XLT.] 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


305 


sinned  against  heaven,  and  before  thee, 
and  am  no  more  worthy  to  be  called 
thy  son;  make  me  as  one  of  thy  hired 
servants."  Luke  15  :  18,  19.  Mercy 
says,  "This  my  son  was  dead,  and  is 
alive  again;  he  was  lost,  and  is  found." 
Luke  15  : 21.  To  which  faith  an- 
swers, "I  have  trusted  in  thy  mercy; 
my  heart  shall  rejoice  in  thy  salva- 
tion." Ps.  13  :  5.  Mercy  proclaims, 
out  of  Isaiah  55  :  1,  "Ho,  every  one 
that  thirsteth,  come  ye  to  the  waters." 
To  which  faith  answers,  "  As  the  hart 
panteth  after  the  water-brooks,  so 
panteth  my  soul  after  thee,  O  God. 
My  soul  thirsteth  for  God,  for  the  liv- 
ing God  ;  when  shall  I  come  and  ap- 
pear before  God  ?"  Ps.  42 :  1,  2.  Mer- 
cy says,  "  Who  forgiveth  all  thine 
iniquities;  who  healeth  all  thy  dis- 
eases." Ps.  103  :  3.  Faith  exclaims, 
"Enter  not  into  judgment  with  thy 
servant."  Ps.  143  :  2.  Mercy  says,  "  I 
am  the  way,  the  truth,  and  the  life." 
John  14:6.  Faith  answers,  "Shew 
me  thy  way,  O  Lord ;  teach  me  thy 
paths.  Lead  me  in  thy  truth,  and 
teach  me."  Ps.  25  :  4, 5.    Mercy  prom- 


ises, "  I  will  ransom  them  from  the 
power  of  the  grave:  I  will  redeem 
them  from  death  :  O  death,  I  will  be 
thy  plagues;  O  grave,  I  will  be  thy 
destruction."  Ilosea  13  :  14.  Faith 
answers,  "He  that  is  our  God,  is  the 
God  of  salvation;  and  unto  God  the 
Lord  belong  the  issues  from  death." 
Ps.  68  :  20.  Mercy  says,  "  I  am  the 
resurrection  and  the  life;  he  that  be- 
lieveth  in  me,  though  he  were  dead, 
yet  shall  he  live."  John  11:25.  To 
which  faith  answers,  "  I  know  that 
my  Redeemer  liveth,  and  that  he  shall 
stand  at  the  latter  day  upon  the  earth  : 
and  though  after  my  skin  worms  de- 
stroy this  body,  yet  in  my  flesh  shall 
I  see  God."  Job  19  :  25,  26,  Mercy 
says,  "  Fear  thou  not;  behold,  I  have 
graven  thee  upon  the  palms  of  my 
hands."  Isa.  41  :  10;  49  :  16.  "  Thou 
art  mine;  neither  shall  any  man 
pluck  thee  out  of  my  hand."  John 
10  :  28.  To  which  faith  answers, 
"  Into  thine  hand  I  commit  my  spirit; 
thou  hast  redeemed  me,  O  Lord  God 
of  truth."  Ps.  31  :  5. 


CHAPTER  XLL 

THE  GREAT  BENEFITS,  AND  THE  GREAT  EFFICACY  OF  PRAISE  OFFERED  TO  GOD. 

In  the  day  of  my  trouble  I  sought  the  Lord.    I  call  to  remembrance  my  song  in  the  night; 
I  commune  with  mine  own  heart. — Ps.  77:2. 


THIS  passage  is  an  excellent  rule  of 
life,  teaching  every  man  how  to 
conduct  himself  under  the  cross.  As 
the  word  of  God  is  the  rule  of  our  life 
in  prosperity,  according  to  the  Psalm- 
ist: "I  will  instruct  thee  and  teach 
thee  in  the  way  which  thou  shalt  go  : 
I  will  guide  thee  with  mine  eye  "  (Ps. 


32:8);  and  "Thou  shalt  guide  me 
with  thy  counsel,  and  afterward  re- 
ceive me  to  glory  "  (Ps.  73  :  24)  :  yea, 
moreover,  as  the  word  of  God  ought 
to  be  the  rule  of  our  faith,  as  the 
Psalmist  tells  us,  ''Thy  word  is  a 
lamp  unto  my  feet,  and  a  light  unto 
my  path"  (Ps.  119  :  105)  :  and  "Hold 


20 


30(5 


TRUE  CIIRTSTIAXITY. 


[Book  II. 


np  my  goings  in  thy  paths,  that  my 
footsteps  slip  not"  (Ps.  17  :  5) — so  also 
ouglit  it  to  be  our  rule  and  direction 
in  bearing  the  cross,  as  David  teaches 
lis,  saying,  In  the  day  of  my  trouble 
I  sought  the  Lord;"  that  is,  I  will  look 
up  to  God,  who  has  laid  this  cross 
upon  me,  and  beg  of  him  comfort  and 
assistance  in  the  day  of  my  trouble. 

2.  Ilcnce  may  every  Christian  learn, 
when  l^e  is  in  affliction,  not  to  fix  his 
thoughts  too  much  upon  the  immedi- 
ate causes  or  instruments  of  his  suf- 
ferings; but  to  lift  up  his  heart  to 
God;  to  apply  to  himself  the  divine 
promises;  to  pray  and  sing  praises  to 
his  God  :  and  these  are  the  true  and 
certain  consolations  of  an  afflicted 
soul.  David  says,  "In  the  day  of  my 
trouble  I  sought  the  Lord."  As  a 
mind  oppressed  with  grief  eases  it- 
self by  communicating  its  troubles  to 
a  faithful  friend,  so  is  our  afflicted 
spirit  refreshed  and  comforted  when 
we  offer  prayer  and  thanksgiving  to 
God.  Thus  David  "  called  to  remem- 
bi'ance  his  son^^  in  the  nio;ht,  and  com- 
muned  with  his  own  heart"  (Ps.  77: 
6);  that  is,  when  it  was  night  he 
longed  earnestly  for  the  morning,  that 
he  might  rise  and  comfort  his  weary 
soul  b}^  praj'crs  and  thanksgiving  unto 
Gotl  his  Comforter:  in  the  mean  time, 
he  communed  with  his  own  heart,  and 
poured  out  his  soul  in  secret;  and 
God,  who  saw  and  heard  in  secret, 
who  understood  even  the  most  secret 
sighs  and  breathings  of  his  dejected 
spirit,  comforted,  strengthened,  and 
refreshed  him. 

3.  Amongst  other  things  that  may 
be  learned  from  this  beautiful  passage 
of  the  Psalmist,  this  is  one,  that  the 
singing  of  holy  hymns  and  praises  to 
God,  proceeding  from  a  truly  devout 
soul,  are  attended  with  great  advan- 
tages and  spiritual  blessings. 


4.  The  truth  of  this  appears,  1. 
From  nature  itself  2.  From  the  effi- 
cacy of  prayer.  3.  From  the  ex- 
amples found  in  the  Old  Testament. 
4.  Fi'om  the  examples  in  the  New.  5. 
From  the  examples  of  holy  men  in 
both,  who  were  by  this  means  filled 
with  the  Holy  Ghost.  6.  From  the 
nature  and  properties  of  the  Psalms. 
7.  From  the  frequent  use  of  the  blessed 
Psalms  among  the  ancients,  whenever 
they  were  under  any  adversity.  All 
these  considerations  prove  that  there 
is  a  great  virtue  or  efficacy  in  psalms 
and  hymns  of  praise.  By  this  I 
would  not  be  understood  to  mean 
nothing  but  bare  words  and  empty 
sounds,  void  of  faith  and  devotion ; 
but  i-ather  such  a  vigorous  faith,  such 
an  ardent  devotion,  as  may  break 
forth  into  holy  hymns  and  spiritual 
songs,  singing  and  making  melody  ia 
the  heart  unto  the  Lord.  Let  us 
briefly  describe  this  subject. 

5.  As  to  the  first,  namely,  the  book 
of  the  world,  or  nature,  it  is  clear  that 
the  praise  of  God  is  ihe  great  end  of 
the  whole  creation.  That  this  is  the 
grand  employment  of  the  angelical 
choirs,  appears  from  many  passages 
in  the  Revelation  of  St.  John,  as  also 
from  Isaiah  6  : 3  and  the  148Lh  Psalm ; 
which,  inviting  all  creatures  to  praise 
God,  for  whose  glory  they  were  cre- 
ated, begins  with  the  angels  (ver.  2), 

"  Praise  ye  him,  all  his  angels;  praise  j 
ye  him,  all  his  hosts."  From  the  an- 
gelical he  descends  to  the  sidereal 
world,  saying,  "  Praise  ye  him,  sun 
and  moon  :  praise  him,  all  ye  stars  of 
light."  To  which  may  be  referred  the 
words  of  Job  (chap.  *  38  :  7):  "When 
the  morning  stars  sang  together." 
Thence  he  descends  to  the  sea,  calling 
on  the  waters,  and  all  the  numerous 
inhabitants  of  the  waters,  to  praise  j 
the  God  that  made  them.    Thence  \ 


CiiAP.  XLI.] 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


307 


looking  up  to  the  regions  of  the  air, 
he  culls  to  "  the  fire  and  hail,  mow 
and  vapor,  stormy  wind  fulfilling  his 
word."  Thence  he  passes  to  the 
earth  :  "  mountains  and  all  hills ;  fruit- 
ful trees,  and  all  cedars."  Thence  to 
the  living  creatures:  "  beasts,  and  all 
cattle;  creeping  things  and  flying 
fowl."  Thence  to  men,  beginning 
with  the  rulers  of  the  world  :  kings 
of  the  earth,  and  all  people;  princes, 
and  ail  judges  of  the  earth.  Both 
3^oang  men  and  maidens,  old  men  and 
children,  praise  the  name  of  the  Lord." 
And  lastly,  to  the  church  of  God,  "  his 
saints,  a  people  near  unto  him — praise 
ye  the  Lord." 

6.  The  second  argument  was  the 
efficacy  of  the  prayer  of  faith.  This 
is  attested  by  the  word  of  God,  the 
examples  of  holy  men,  and  daily  ex- 
perience.   For  we  are  assured  by  all 
the  promises  of  God,  that  not  one  de- 
vout prayer,  not  one  sigh  or  tear, 
comes  from  us  in  vain.      Put  thou 
my  tears  into  thy  bottle."  Ps.  6:9; 
56  :  8.    "  They  tliat  sow  in  tears  shall 
reap  in  joy."  Ps.  126  :  5.    "  The  Lord 
is  nigh  unto  all  them  that  call  upon 
him,  to  all  that  call   upon  him  in 
truth."  Ps.  145:18.    Nothing,  indeed, 
in  this  w^orld  can  be  successful  with- 
out prayer;  forasmuch  as  every  good 
and  every  perfect  gift  cometh  down 
from  God,  and  must  be  asked  of  him. 
Without  constant  prayer  a  man  can 
neither  live  nor  die  in  peace.  Now, 
as  the  offering  of  praise  to  God  is 
nothing  else  but  the  prayer  of  a  de- 
vout soul  overflowing  with  divine  joy, 
in  which  holy  men  of  God  have  cele- 
brated and  conveyed  to  posterity  the 
mercies  and  wonders  of  God  their 
Creator;  it  is  plain  that  the  singing 
of  praises  to  God  is  an  act  of  devo- 
tion, full  of  spiritual  comfort  and  ad- 
vantage. 


7.  Thirdly,  this  is  confirmed  by 
many  examples  found  in  the  Old  Tes- 
tament. Exod.  15;  l^eut.  32;  1  Sam. 
2;  Isa.  12;  26;  38;  64;  Jon.  2;  llab. 
8;  and  the  whole  Book  of  Psalms. 

8.  Fourthly,  this  is  confirmed  by  the 
examples  of  the  New  Testament;  es- 
pecially those  two  divine  hymns  of 
Mary  and  Zacharias  (Luke  1  :  46,  68), 
of  which  the  Christian  Church  has 
appointed  one  to  be  sung  in  the  morn- 
ing, and  the  other  in  the  evening,  as  a 
morning  and  evening  sacrifice  unto 
God;  thereby  instructing  us,  that 
singing  psalms  and  praises  unto  God 
ought  to  begin  and  end  the  day.  Such, 
too,  is  the  exhortation  of  the  Psalmist, 
"It  is  a  good  thing  to  give  thanks 
unto  the  Lord,  and  to  sing  praises 
unto  thy  name,  O  Most  High :  to 
shew  forth  thy  lovingkindness  in  the 
morning,  and  thy  faithfulness  every 
night."  Ps.  92:1,2.  But  why  such 
lovingkindness  "in  the  morning"? 
Because  "it  is  new  every  morning." 
Lam.  3  :  23.  And  why  such  "faithful- 
ness every  night"?  Because  "the 
Lord,  that  neither  slumbereth  nor 
sleepeth,"  is  our  guardian  by  night. 
Ps.  121  :  3.  To  this  we  may  add  what 
we  are  told  by  St.  Matthew  (chap.  26: 
30),  that  Jesus  Christ  himself  at  his 
last  Supper,  sung  a  hymn  with  his  dis- 
ciples. And  St.  Paul  says  to  the 
Ephesians  (chap.  5  :  18, 19),  "  Be  filled 
with  the  Spirit;  speaking  to  your- 
selves in  psalms,  and  hymns,  and 
spiritual  songs,  singing  and  making 
melody  in  your  heart  to  the  Lord ; 
giving  thanks  always,  etc."  And 
again  :  "Let  the  word  of  Christ  dwell 
in  you  richly  in  all  wisdom;  teach- 
ing and  admonishing  one  another  in 
psalms,  and  hymns,  and  spiritual 
songs,  singing  with  grace  in  your 
hearts  to  the  Lord."  Col.  3  :  16,  17. 
And  St.  James  says,  "  Is  any  among 


308 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  II. 


you  afflicted?  let  him  pray.  Is  any 
merry  ?  let  him  sing  psalms."  James 
5  :  13. 

9.  Fifthly,  by  the  praises  offered  to 
God  by  the  holy  men  of  the  Old  Tes- 
tament and  the  New,  who  were  filled 
with  the  Holy  Ghost.  Of  this  wo 
have  two  instances.  First,  when 
Samuel  had  anointed  Saul  to  be 
king,  he  gave  him  a  sign,  saying, 
"  Thou  shalt  meet  a  company  of 
prophets  with  a  psaltery,  and  a  tab- 
ret,  and  a  pipe,  and  a  harp,  before 
them  ;  and  they  shall  prophesy.  And 
the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  will  come  upon 
thee,  and  thou  shalt  prophesy  with 
them,  and  shalt  be  turned  into  another 
man."  1  Sam.  10  :  5,  6.  The  second  is, 
when  Saul  had  sent  messengers  to 
take  David,  they  met  several  compa- 
nies of  prophets,  and  both  they  and 
Saul  himself  began  to  p^ophes3^  1 
Sam.  19 :  19-24.  Similar  to  this  is 
that  which  we  read  concerning  Elisha 
(2  Kings  3  :  15),  that  when  the  min- 
strel began  to  play,  that  holy  man 
prophesied. 

10.  In  the  Old  Testament  there 
were  several  kinds  of  divine  music ; 
some  of  trumpets,  some  of  psalteries 
and  harps,  some  of  cymbals,  and  other 
kinds  of  musical  instruments.  From 
this  some  imagine  that  the  Songs  of 
Degrees,  as  some  of  the  Psalms  are 
called,  took  their  names.  For  they 
did  not  sing  all  the  Psalms  to  the 
same  instrument,  but  adajDted  their 
instruments  to  their  subject^  whether 
it  were  cheerful  or  sorrowful.  All 
these  various  kinds  of  music  with 
which,  under  the  Old  Testament,  they 
sang  praises  unto  God,  being  a  part  of 
the  external  ceremonial  service,  have 
now  ceased;  and  our  spirit,  soul,  mind, 
and  mouth  are  become  the  trumpet, 
psaltery,  harp,  and  cymbal  of  God. 
To  which  St.  Paul  alludes,  when  he 


says,  "  Singing  with  grace  in  your 
hearts  to  the  Lord."  Col.  3  :  IG.  By 
which  expression  we  are  by  no  means 
forbidden,  either  in  public  or  private, 
to  praise  God  with  voices  or  instru- 
ments of  music;  but  it  requires  that 
all  this  be  done  with  true  devotion,  in 
the  spirit,  and  from  the  heart,  lest  re- 
ligion should  be  thought  to  consist  in 
empty  sounds  and  the  external  porap 
of  divine  service.  For  the  New  Testa- 
ment, see,  for  example,  Acts  4  :  24-31. 

11.  Sixthly,  the  nature  and  proper- 
ties of  the  Psalms  prove  the  same 
thing.  Some  of  them  are  supplica- 
tory, others  consolatory;  some  peni- 
tential, others  doctrinal ;  and,  lastly, 
others  prophetical:  from  which  vari- 
ety of  style  and  intention  the  devout 
soul  may  reap  a  correspondent  variety 
of  comforts  and  benefits. 

12.  Seventhly,  we  are  instructed  by 
the  examples  of  Moses  and  David 
that  songs  of  praise  were  used  upon 
different  occasions.  As  (1)  Against  ene- 
mies. These  may  be  called  prayers 
for  protection.  Such  is  Psalm  68, 
which  the  man  of  God  sang  when  he 
was  advancing  against  his  enemies: 
"Let  God  arise,  let  his  enemies  be 
scattered."  Some  think  that  Psalm 
91  was  composed  by  David  in  the 
time  of  that  great  pestilence,  which, 
in  the  space  of  three  days,  swept 
away  70,000  men.  2  Sam.  24:15.  And 
I  doubt  not  that  many  a  man  has 
been  protected  in  national  calamities 
by  a  proper  use  of  this  Psalm.  (2) 
In  time  of  victory  over  enemies.  These 
we  may  call  Psalms  of  victory.  Thus 
David,  when  he  had  gained  six  vic- 
tories, composed  the  18th  Psalm,  as 
may  be  gathered  from  2  Sam.  22 : 
1.  So  Jehoshaphat  marched  against 
the  Moabites  with  singers  going  be- 
fore him,  who  were  to  bless  and 
praise  the  Lord  with  a  loud  voice; 


CiiAP.  XLII.] 


TEUE  CHEISTIA^^'ITY. 


309 


and  he  conquered.  2  Chron.  20  :  21. 
etc.  (3)  Li  great  calamities.  Thus  we 
read  (1  Sam.  21:13)  that  David,  when 
he  changed  his  behavior  before  Ach- 
ish,  composed  the  34th  Psalm,  as  ap- 
pears by  the  title.  So  he  sang  Psalm 
3,  when  he  fled  from  Absalom.  So 
■when  the  apostles,  in  great  diffi- 
culties, prayed  in  the  words  of  the  2d 
Psalm,  -'the  place  was  shaken  where 
they  w^ere  assembled  together.'^  Acts 
4  :  31.  And  these  are  Psalms  of 
mourning  or  lamentation.  (4)  There 
are  also  eucharistical  Psalms.  So 
David  sung  the  105th  Psalm  before 
the  ark  of  the  covenant.  1  Chron.  17  : 
16.  (5)  There  are  complaining  Psalms, 
as  the  102d  appears  to  be  by  the  in- 
scription; also  some  against  calum- 
niators, as  the  4th,  7th,  52d;  also 
against  diseases,  as  the  30th. 

13.  Thus  much  concerning  the  effi- 
cacy and  admirable  benefits  of  divine 
h3'mns  and  thanksgivings.  Whence  it 
appears  that  it  is  the  duty  of  a  Chris- 
tian to  praise  God  as  well  as  to  pray 
to  him  every  day.  For  (1),  it  being 
the  constant  employment  of  the  holy 
angels  to  bless  and  praise  God,  when 
the  Church  on  earth  does  the  same, 
there  arises  thence  a  divine  and  heav- 
enly communion  betwixt  the  Church 


on  earth  and  the  Church  in  heaven; 
fulfilling,  in  some  measure,  that  peti- 
tion of  the  Lord's  prayer,  "  Thy  will 
be  done  in  earth,  as  it  is  in  heaven." 
Matt.  6  :  10.  Come,  then,  ye  devout 
souls,  and  when  jq  retire  into  your 
closets  to  pour  out  your  souls  before 
God  in  secret,  remember  also  to  praise 
him  with  a  Psalm  of  thanksgiving. 
(2)  Moreover,  it  would  be  quite  proper, 
and  becoming  a  Christian,  to  accustom 
children,  from  their  infancy",  to  sing 
psalms  and  praises  unto  God,  accord- 
ing to  the  Psalmist,  "  Out  of  the  mouth 
of  babes  and  sucklings  hast  thou  or- 
dained strength,  because  of  thine  ene- 
mies" (Ps.  8:2):  the  advantage  of 
which,  is  expressed  in  the  following 
w^ords — "that  thou  mightest  still  the 
enemy  and  the  avenger."  (3)  "We 
are  encouraged  to  this  duty  by  God's 
gracious  acceptance  of  it,  and  delight 
in  it;  upon  which  account  the  Psalmist 
calls  upon  him,  saying,  "Thou  art 
holy,  O  thou  that  inhabitest  the  praises 
of  Israel."  Ps.  22  :  3.  (4)  Experience 
itself  teaches  us  that  by  divine  hymns 
we  kindle  flames  of  devotion  in  our 
souls,  and  receive  rich  returns  of  spir- 
itual joy,  lively  comfort,  solid  peace, 
and  rest  in  God. 


CHAPTER  XLII. 

THE  REASONS  FOR  WHICH  WE  OUGHT  DAILY  TO  OFFER  PRAISES  TO  GOD. 

Praise  ye  the  Lord,  O  give  thanks  nnio  the  Lord;  for  he  is  good:  for  his  mercy  endureth  forever. 

Ps.  106:  1;  107  :  1  ;  118:  1. 


THUS  saith  the  devout  David, 
"  Seven  times  a  day  do  I  praise 
thee,  because  of  thy  righteous  judg- 
ments" (Ps.  119  :  164)  ;  that  is,  many 
times  in  a  day  do  I  sing  praises  in 


honor  of  thy  holy  name.  By  this  he 
teaches  us,  that  a  man  cannot  spend 
his  time  better  than  by  retiring  at 
least  once  a  day  into  his  closet,  and 
praising  God  in  secret.    Yea,  though 


310 


TEUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


[Book  II. 


his  hands  be  employed  in  labor  and 
business,  yat  may  he,  in  the  quiet  still- 
ness of  his  heart,  offer  up  his  praises 
unto  God  wlieresover  he  is.  For  the 
prayer  of  a  true  Christian  is  not  con- 
fined to  any  certain  time  or  place,  since 
he  worships  "in  spiiit  and  in  truth" 
(John  4:23);  and  the  Spirit  is  not 
circumscribed  by  any  limits  of  time 
or  place.  To  which  also  relates  the 
admonition  of  St.  Paul,  when  he  com- 
mands us  "  to  sing  with  grace  in  our 
hearts  to  the  Lord  "  (Col.  3  : 16) ;  tbat 
being,  indeed,  the  fittest  place  wherein 
God  may  be  praised. 

2.  But  as  we  are  by  nature  dull  and 
inactive  in  tbe  discharge  of  this  duty, 
therefore  God  has  given  us,  in  his 
Word,  certain  helps  to  quicken  us. 

3.  Tbe  first  of  these  is  his  own  com- 
mand. He  made  us,  his  servants  and 
creatures,  for  his  own  glory,  as  we 
ourselves  appoint  servants  to  manage 
business  for  us.  lie,  therefore,  who 
does  not  daily  praise  God,  was  cre- 
ated by  him  in  vain,  and  cannot  be 
his  servant.  Hence  w^e  are  com- 
manded, over  and  over  again,  in  Holy 
Scripture,  above  all  things,  to  praise 
God.  Thus,  "  Praise  ye  the  Lord. 
Praise  him,  O  ye  servants  of  the 
Lord."  Ps.  113  :  1.  '^O  give  thanks 
unto  the  Lord."  Ps.  118:  1.  ''Thou 
shalt  glorify  me."  Ps.  50  : 15.  Tbis  is 
an  argument  to  us,  that  the  cbicf  part 
of  our  religious  worship,  our  chief 
service  in  this  world,  and  our  happi- 
ness in  the  next,  consist  in  the  exer- 
cise of  praise  and  tbanksgiving;  upon 
which  account  we  ought  to  esteem  it 
our  greatest  happiness  and  most  hon- 
orable employment.  So  the  holy 
Psalmist  saj's,  "My  soul  shall  be  sat- 
isfied as  with  marrow  and  fatness; 
and  my  mouth  shall  praise  thee  with 
joyful  lips."  Ps.  63  :  4.  And  again, 
"  Delight  thyself  in  the  Lord,  and  he 


shall  give  thee  the  desires  of  thine 
beart."  Ps.  37:4.  O  how  truly  happy, 
then,  and  blessed  is  he  who  is  come  to 
such  perfection  of  divine  worship  as 
to  deligbt  in  the  Lord,  and  to  be  con- 
tinually offering  praises  and  thanks! 
"  He  shall  be  satisfied  with  the  good- 
ness of  thy  house,  even  of  thy  holy 
temple."  Ps.  65  :  5.  If  we  think  it  an 
honorable  thing  to  be  employed  in 
the  service  of  any  earthly  prince, 
how  much  more  ouc^ht  a  man  to  re- 
joice  when  he  considers  that  he  may 
be  admitted  to  the  service  of  the 
Lord  of  lords,  and  King  of  kings,  be- 
ing, in  his  own  nature,  no  better  than 
dust  and  ashes,  and  a  poor  sinner! 
This  single  consideration  ought  to  be 
of  sufficient  weiujht  to  encourai^e  him 
to  praise  God  daily. 

4.  Secondly,  the  advantages  that  a 
man  derives  from  this  exerci6e,  is  au- 
other  argument.  For  since  God  has 
no  need  of  our  praises,  and  is  neither 
the  better  nor  the  worse  for  our  obe- 
dience or  neglect;  and  since  the  most 
acceptable  praise  which  we  can  offer 
him  is,  at  best,  but  the  fruit  of  "un- 
clean lips  "  (Isa.  6  :  5),  as  the  prophet 
Isaiah  speaks,  it  follows  that  the  ad- 
vantage redounds  only  to  ourselves, 
as  being  the  means  of  drawing  down 
upon  us  the  i\xvor  and  blessings  of 
heaven  :  a  thankful  heart  being  the 
proper  receptacle  of  divine  grace. 
This,  in  short,  is  that  which  brings 
God  down  into  our  souls,  and  makes 
us  truly  the  living  temples  of  the 
Holy  Ghost;  and  where  God  is,  there 
is  the  fulness  of  divine  blessing. 
Moreover,  by  the  daily  exercise  of 
thanksgiving,  we  keep  up  communion 
with  the  blessed  choirs  of  triumphant 
saints  and  angels  in  heaven.  They 
are  incessantly  singing  the  praises  of 
God  above;  whilst  we  below,  by  the 
same  exercise,  are  conquering,  by  de- 


Chap.  XLTI.] 


TPvUE  CHEISTIAXITY. 


311 


grees,  the  enemies  of  our  sulviition 
(Ps.  18  :  29),  till  at  length,  by  a  eon- 
staut  prae^iee  of  this  divine  diit}^,  we 
are  filled  with  an  immovable  assur- 
ance that  we  are  united  to  Gotl,  and 
that  we  shall  be  for  ever  ha|)i)y  with 
him  in  heaven,  according  to  the  prom- 
ise of  our  blessed  Lord,  "  Where  1 
am,  there  shall  also  my  servant  be." 
John  12:2G.  And  now,  would  to  God 
that  wretched  man  would  so  lay  these 
consido-ations  to  heart,  and  so  sin- 
cerel}'  endeavor  to  practise  them,  that 
every  soul  might  become,  in  truth,  a 
house  of  prayer ! 

5.  Third  1}^,  we  are  encouraged  to 
the  dail}^  practice  of  thanksgiving, 
from  the  consideration  of  the  compas- 
sion, the  loving/d/idness,  and  everlasting 
goodness  of  God.  This  is  an  argument 
continually  inculcated  in  the  Book  of 
Psalms,  to  teach  us  that  the  chief  and 
fundamental  reason  why  we  ought 
continually  to  bless  and  jiraise  God, 
is,  because  he  is  good  and  gracious, 
and  "  his  mercy  endureth  for  ever." 
Ko  heart  of  man  can  conceive,  nor 
tongue  express,  the  height  and  depth 
of  that  love  which  disposes  the  great 
and  mighty  God  to  show  himself  thus 
loving  and  merciful  to  wretched  man- 
kind, who  are  dust  and  ashes,  laden 
with  iniquities,  and  ungrateful  to  God; 
and  that  he  not  only  continues  his 
wonted  mercies  to  them,  notwith- 
standing their  repeated  provocations; 
but  is  also  perpetually  dispensing 
fresh  showers  of  blessings  upon  the 
whole  rebellious  race.  And  this  is 
what  every  man  must  needs  experi- 
ence in  himself  Look  into  thine  own 
soul,  whosoever  thou  art;  what  canst 
thou  find  there  but  misery  and  sin  ? 
Yet  God  continues  merciful  and  lon<>:- 
suffering,  is  slow  to  anger,  and  not 
willing  to  punish  thee  as  thy  sins 
have  deserved.    This  is  a  degree  of 


mercy  which,  as  thy  own  heart  must 
confess,  no  man  living  does  or  can  ex- 
ercise towards  his  brethren.  AVe  can- 
not so  long  forbear  to  punish  those 
that  liave  offended  us;  and  when  we 
punish,  mercy  seldom  pleads  for  the 
criminal,  till  we  are  satiated  with  ven- 
geance; whereas  the  rod  of  God  is 
often  lifted  up,  but  his  mercy  averts 
the  impending  stroke,  and  rescues  the 
sinner  from  punishment.  So  that 
every  man  must  confess  that  the 
punishments  of  heaven  are  not  only 
less  than  Tve  deserve,  but  are  always 
qualified  w^ith  a  double  portion  of 
mercy.  Whence  it  follows,  that  God 
is  essentially  and  truly  love,  which 
every  man  daily  experiences  in  him- 
self 

6.  Eead  the  Holy  Scriptures  and  see 
how  tenderly,  yea,  how  affectionately 
God  vouchsal'es  to  deal  with  mankind, 
so  that  no  father  or  mother  upon 
earth  can  be  more  indulgent  to  their 
darling  child.  Thus,  ''Is  Ephraim 
my  dear  son  ?  is  he  a  pleasaiit  child? 
For  since  I  spake  against  him,  I  do 
earnestly  remember  him  still;  there- 
fore, my  bowels  are  troubled  for  him; 
I  will  surely  have  mercy  upon  him, 
saith  the  Lord."  Jer.  31 :  20. 

7.  God  not  only  bestows  his  favors 
plentifully  both  on  our  souls  and  bod- 
ies, but  also  does  it  with  so  much  ten- 
derness and  good  will,  that,  as  he  him- 
self says,  "  He  rejoices  over  us  to  do 
us  good"  (Jer.  32:41);  as  if  he  were 
glad  to  find  men  willing  to  be  happy 
in  the  blessed  manifestations  of  his 
love;  which  is,  indeed,  the  truest 
demonstration  that  it  is  sincere. 
Were  not  God  thus  merciful,  our  very 
being  w^ould  soon  be  at  an  end,  which 
nothing  but  his  infinite  mercy  can 
sustain;  yea,  "His  lovingkindness  is 
better  than  life  itself"  (Ps.  63:3), 
which  "  compasseth  us  about "  (Ps.  32  : 


312 


TEUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


[Book  II. 


10),  as  tender  mothers  embrace  their 
helpless  infants. 

8.  The  same  goodness  of  God  dis- 
covers itself  in  all  his  creatures;  in 
which,  as  in  a  glass,  we  may  contem- 
plate the  wonderful  riches  of  divine 
mercy:  "The  earth  is  full  of  the 
riches  of  God."  Ps.  104  :  24.  For 
whose  sake  was  all  that  is  good,  both 
in  heaven  and  earth,  created  ?  Not 
for  Ilim  certainly,  who  is  Himself  all- 
suflScient,  and  stands  not  in  need  of 
any  creature.  The  sun,  moon,  and 
stars  serve  not  to  enlighten  him;  the 
fire,  the  air,  tlie  earth,  and  water  do 
him  no  service,  but  us.  And  when  he 
"fills  our  hearts  with  food  and  glad- 
ness "  (Acts  14  :  17),  it  is  his  goodness 
that  we  taste,  it  is  his  bounty  that 
feeds  and  nourishes  us.  He  it  is  that 
gives  us  healthy  and  sound  bodies, 
w^hich  are  more  valuable  to  us  than 
an  empire.  If  it  should  please  God  to 
turn  the  water  into  blood,  as  he  did  in 
Egypt  (Exod.  7:20),  we  could  not, 
with  all  our  boasted  treasure,  purchase 
one  single  drop  to  relieve  our  greatest 
necessities.  Or  should  he,  as  he  did 
once  (Exod.  10  :  22),  cover  the  earth 
with  thick  darkness,  no  prince  upon 
earth  could,  with  all  his  riches,  pur- 
chase one  single  gleam  of  light.  Or 
what  would  all  the  world  signify  to 
him  that  should  but  for  one  moment 
be  deprived  of  the  benefit  of  the  air? 
All  these  are  very  great  blessings  of 
God,  but  because  they  are  common, 
few  are  so  sensible  of  them  as  to  be 
thankful  for  them.  Eeflect,  more- 
over, on  the  mercies  of  redemption 
and  sanctification,  in  which  the  good- 
ness and  grace  of  God  so  transcend- 
ently  appear,  that  eternity  itself 
would  be  too  short  to  praise  and  mag- 
nify these  blessings  as  we  ought.  To 
redeem  a  lost  world  is  much  more 
glorious  than  to  create  it  at  first ;  and 


to  regenerate  a  man  by  a  spiritual 
new  birth,  more  wondrous  than  at 
first  to  produce  him  by  a  natural 
birth.  Lastly,  whosoever  will  care- 
fully consider  the  works  and  provi- 
dence of  God,  may  read  the  plain 
characters  of  his  mercy  and  love  in 
every  part  of  the  creation. 

9.  Dull,  ungrateful  creatures  that 
we  are,  how  apt  are  we  to  forget  our 
benefactor,  and  despise  the  hand  that 
blesses  us !  God  is  thus  led  in  mere 
mercy  to  use  the  rod  of  discipline,  and 
to  take  away  our  worldlj^  comforts 
from  us,  in  order  thereby  to  reduce  us 
to  a  sober  sense  of  ourselves,  and  of 
our  dependence  on  him,  to  whom  all 
our  thanks  are  due.  Thus  God  speaks 
by  the  prophet  Ilosea,  "  She  did  not 
know  that  I  gave  her  corn,  and  wine, 
and  oil,  and  multiplied  her  silver  and 
her  gold:  therefore  will  I  return,  and 
take  them  from  her."  Hosea  2  :  8.  So 
that  the  cross  is,  as  it  were,  the  light 
by  which  we  see  and  discover  the  true 
value  of  divine  blessings,  and  who  it 
is  that  bestows  them.  For  ingratitude 
is  the  greatest  degree  of  blindness,  and 
the  highest  afi'ront  against  God.  And 
since  the  whole  world  is  full  of  the 
glory  of  God,  much  more  ought  the 
heart  of  man  to  be  full  of  it. 

10.  Indeed  the  excellency  of  the 
divine  love  discovers  itself  chiefly  in 
this,  that  he  bestows  his  favors  even 
upon  rebels  and  enemies.  "  For  he 
maketh  his  sun  to  rise,  and  sendeth 
his  rain  on  the  just  and  on  the  unjust." 
Matt.  5  :  45. 

11.  The  goodness  and  mercy  of  God 
herein  appear  still  more  illustrious, 
that  though  we  continue  ungrateful, 
and  our  hearts  "  cast  forth  wickedness 
as  a  fountain  casteth  forth  her  w^aters  " 
(Jer.  6  :  7),  yet  he  still  strives  to  con- 
quer our  ingratitude  by  his  goodness, 
and  does  not  take  his  mercy  from  us; 


Chap.  XLII.] 


TEUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


313 


as  the  Psalmist  says,  "  His  mercy  en- 
durcth  forever."  Ps.  136:1.  So  tliat 
as  the  heart  of  man  is,  as  it  were,  an 
abyss  of  iniquity  (Jer.  17  :  9),  so  God 
is  an  abyss  of  mercy,  an  ever-flowing 
fountain  of  goodness,  so  much  superior 
in  kind,  as  well  as  in  degree,  to  that 
of  any  created  being,  that  he  doeth 
nothing  but  good,  and  receives  notliing 
in  return  but  evil ;  which  the  uncreated 
and  infinite  Good  alone  could  do  or 
suffer.  And  when,  provoked  by  our 
wickedness,  he  seems  sometimes  to  lay 
aside  his  mercy,  and  "  in  anger  to  shut 
up  his  tender  mercies"  (Ps.  77:10), 
yet  even  that  is  nothing  but  paternal 
resentment,  not  tending  to  destruction, 
but  so  tempered  with  compassion,  that 
mercy  triumphs  over  judgment.  So, 
"  If  his  children  forsake  my  law,  I  will 
visit  their  transgressions  with  the  rod  : 
nevertheless  my  lovingkindness  will  I 
POt  utterly  take  from  him."  Ps.  89  : 
30-33.  And,  "In  wrath  remember 
mercy."  Hab.  3  :  2.  So,  too,  we  read. 
He  doth  not  afflict  willingly  the  chil- 
dren of  men."  Lam.  3  :  33.  For  pun- 
ishment is,  as  it  were,  contrary  to  his 
nature  and  essential  goodness.  For 
though  the  Scriptures  often  speak  of 
God's  being  angry,  yet  such  expressions 
are  used,  after  the  manner  of  men,  only 
in  compliance  with  the  w^eakness  of 
human  capacities.  Yea,  God  is  never 
angry  with  his  faithful  servants;  but 
only  with  wicked  and  obstinate  sin- 
ners ;  and  when  he  corrects  the  former 
in  mercy,  he  punishes  the  latter  in  his 
wrath  ;  for  "  the  wrath  of  God  abideth 
on  them."  John  3  :  36.  Hence  David 
prays,  "  O  Lord,  rebuke  me  not  in  thine 
anger."  Ps.  6:1.  As  if  he  had  said, 
"Lord,  chasten  me  with  mercj^  as  a  ten- 
der father  corrects  his  beloved  child." 
Wherefore,  it  is  as  impossible  that  the 
mercy  and  goodness  of  God  should  fail 
or  cease  towards  mankind  (though  he 


sometimes  afflicts  us),  as  that  the  sun 
should  actually  be  extinguished  by  a 
cloud,  or  the  vast  ocean  be  absorbed 
by  a  sponge.  "  For  his  mercy  endureth 
forever."  Ps.  130  :  1.  And  this  is  the 
reason  of  God's  reconciliation  and  for- 
giveness, not  once  or  twice,  but  as 
often  as  the  sinner  begins  to  repent 
and  sue  for  mercy.  This  mercy  does 
not  last  for  a  few  hours,  or  a  few  days 
only,  but  forever;  so  that  the  entire 
nature  and  essence  of  God,  infinite  as 
it  is,  is  nothing  else  but  love.  No 
sooner  does  the  sinner  sincerely  pray 
for  pardon,  but  the  merciful  God  freely 
bestows  it,  3'ea,  ho  is  more  willing  and 
ready  to  pardon,  than  we  lo  ask  it. 

12.  Now  if  God  pours  his  blessings 
upon  us  so  plentifully  in  this  life,  that 
we  taste  and  enjoy  them  by  all  our 
senses  ;  how  much  more  fully  shall  we 
be  convinced,  in  the  other  world,  by 
most  blessed  experience,  that  his  mercy 
endureth  forever?  If  we  receive  so 
many  mercies  from  him  now  in  this 
vale  of  sin  and  misery,  as  that  "  in  him 
we  live,  and  move,  and  have  our  be- 
ing" (Acts  17:28),  how  much  more 
glorious  will  his  mercy  appear  here- 
after, when  we  shall  be  cleansed  from 
all  sin,  and  rendered  capable  of  the 
purest  enjoyments? 

13.  Fourthly,  the  praises  of  God 
have  been  the  special  employment  of 
all  holy  men.  Most  of  the  prophets 
of  the  Old  Testament  composed  holy 
hj'mns,  to  the  praise  and  honor  of 
God.  Thus  did  Moses  (Exod.  15  ;  Deut. 
32),  Hannah  (1  Sam.  2),  Jehoshaphat 
(2  Chron.  20),  Ilezekiah  (Isa.  38),  and 
Jeremiah  (Lam.  3).  David  was,  how- 
ever, the  most  eminent,  w^ho  is  so  fer- 
vent in  the  praise  of  God,  as  to  say, 
that  "His  praise  shall  continually  be 
in  his  mouth."  Ps.  34  :  1.  In  the  New 
Testament,  the  Virgin  Marj^  (Luke  1 : 
46-55),  and  Zacharias  (Luke  1  :  6S- 


314 


TEUE  CIIEISTIANITY. 


[Book  II 


70);  also  St.  Paul  and  St.  Peter,  in 
many  places  of  tlieir  Epistles.  These 
examples  sufficiently  show  that  they 
believed  acts  of  thanksgiving  and 
praise  to  be  the  most  noble  services 
which  we  can  possibly  perform  in  this 
valley  of  misery.  And,  therefore,  if 
we  are  desirous  to  be  partakers  with 
the  saints  in  glory,  it  is  necessary  that 
wo  should  imitate  their  examples  in 
praising  and  magnifying  God. 

14.  Fifthly,  all  creatures  invite  us 
to  praise  God.  Thus  David  speaks 
to  them  all,  ''Bless  the  Lord,  all  his 
works,  in  all  places  of  his  dominion." 
Ps.  103  :  22.  And,  indeed,  every  crea- 
ture, in  its  way,  gives  glory  to  its  Cre- 
ator; for  he  has  stamped  such  illus- 
trious characters  of  his  glory  and 
goodness  on  them  all,  that  they  can- 
not conceal  them.  ''The  heavens  de- 
clare the  glory  of  God ;  and  the  firma- 
ment shcweth  his  handy  work."  Ps. 
19:1.  And  Job  says,  "Where  wast 
thou,  when  the  morning  stars  sang 
together'/"  Chap.  38  :  4,  7.  For  even 
the  sun,  the  moon,  and  all  the  host  of 
heaven,  when  they  give  their  light, 
bear  w^itness  at  th-e  same  time  to  the 
majesty  and  goodness  of  Ilim  that 
made  them.  The  earth  praises  God 
when  it  is  fruitful  and  flourishing. 
The  herbs  and  flowers,  by  their  fra- 
grance, beauty,  and  variety  of  colors, 
show  forth  the  might  and  wisdom  of 
their  Maker.  The  birds  with  their 
songs;  the  trees  with  their  fruits;  the 
sea  with  its  inhabitants  (Ps.  104  :25j; 
in  short,  all  the  creatures  in  their  sev- 
eral places,  praise  the  God  that  made 
them,  whilst  they  fulfil  his  will,  and 
answer  the  end  for  which  they  were 
created.  Ps.  148  :  1,  etc.  And  not  only 
so,  but  they  call  upon  mankind,  by  the 
virtues  and  powers  which  God  has  im- 
planted in  them,  as  witnesses  of  his 
wisdom  and  goodness,  to  praise  and 


glorify  God.  Whatever  way  we  turn 
our  eyes,  we  see  so  many  marks  of 
divine  goodness,  that  one  would  think 
that  nature  was  nothing  but  one  great 
history  of  the  glory  of  its  Maker.  But 
foriismuch  as  God  has  been  more  gra- 
cious and  bountiful  unto  man  than  to 
any  other  of  his  creatures,  ni  an  kind 
are  ccrtainlj^  obliged  to  furnish  larger 
and  more  frequent  returns  of  gratitude 
than  they. 

15.  Sixthly,  we  must  know,  that 
when  we  have  done  all  that  we  can  to 
set  forth  the  greatness  and  majesty  of 
God,  the  best  and  most  devout  of  men 
must  fall  short  of  the  dignity  of  a  sub- 
ject, which  no  tongue,  either  of  men 
or  angels,  can  worthily  express.  For 
"Who  can  utter  the  mighty  acts  of 
the  Lord  ?  who  can  show  forth  all  hi? 
praise  ?"  Ps.  106  :  2.  The  most  exalt- 
ed ])raises  of  holy  men  are  more  prop- 
erly acts  of  admiration  and  wonder, 
than  attempts  to  express  to  the  full 
the  infinite  love  and  majest}^  of  God. 
They  have  the  will,  but  not  the  abil- 
ity, to  praise  God  in  adequate  terras. 
Thus  holy  David  in  many  Psalms  stira 
up  his  soul,  and  all  the  powers  there- 
of, to  praise  his  God  with  thanksgiv- 
ing. So  Moses,  "The  Lord  is  ray 
strength  and  song,  and  he  is  become 
my  salvation.  He  is  my  God,  and  I 
will  prepare  him  a  habitation ;  my 
father's  God,  and  I  will  exalt  him," 
Exod.  15  :  2.  Observe,  he  calls  God 
his  strength  ;  and  were  not  that  strength 
with  us,  in  us,  and  above  us,  we  should 
quickly  be  turned  into  dust,  and  van- 
ish like  a  shadow.  Therefore  it  is 
said:  "Every  man  at  his  best  state  is 
altogether  vanity."  Ps.  39:  5.  Moses 
also  calls  God  his  salvation;  for  he  is 
our  righteousness  against  sin;  our 
strength  against  infirmities;  our  ref- 
uge in  persecution;  our  joy  in  sad- 
ness; and  lastly  our  life  in  death. 


Chap.  XLITI.] 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


315 


16.  And  now,  what  is  there  in 
heaven  or  in  earth  that  may  be  com- 
pared unto  our  God,  with  whom  is 
such  abundant  salvation;  who,  by 
his  power,  sustains  the  heaven  and 
the  earth,  and  all  that  is  therein  (Tsa. 
40:12);  who  is  so  holy  that  all  the 
angels  adore  him  (Isa.  6  :  3),  so  "fear- 
ful in  praises"  (Exod.  15:11)  that 
the  heaven,  the  earth,  and  all  that  is 
under  the  earth,  bow  and  tremble? 
He  is  so  praiseworthy  that  all  his 
works  ought  to  be  had  in  honor,  and 
every  creature  ought  to  praise  his 
Maker :  so  wise,  so  powerful,  as  to 
create  all  things  out  of  nothing;  to 
bring  light  out  of  darkness;  right- 
eousness out  of  sin;  and  life  out  of 
death.  Should  we  now  pass  to  the 
great  work  of  our  redemption,  who 
can  express  it?  He  suffers  his  only 
Son  to  become  man,  that  we  mia:ht 
become  the  children  of  God.  He  suf- 
fers all  pain  as  man,  that  we  might 
enjoy  everlasting  felicity;  he  took 
upon  him  the  form  of  a  servant,  that 
we  might  be  partakers  of  his  heavenly 
kingdom  ;  lastly,  he  underwent  death 
for  us,  that  w^e,  through  him,  might 
have  life  eternal.  Such  works,  such 
love,  who  can  worthily  celebrate  ? 
Where  is  he  that  can  explain  how 


the  infinite  God,  '^whom  the  heaven 
of  heavens  cannot  contain  "  (1  Kings 
8  :  27),  can  yet  dwell  in  us,  and  we  in 
him?  Or  how  he  made  our  immortal 
souls,  and  will  receive  them  to  him- 
self after  their  separation  from  the 
body?  Or  how  he  shall  raise  our 
dead  bodies  from  the  dust  of  the 
eai'th  unto  eternal  life  ?  It  is,  indeed, 
wonderful  and  strange,  that  that 
which  is  ''mortal  should  put  on  im- 
mortality." 1  Cor.  15:53.  Wherefore, 
praise  the  Lord,  O  my  soul. 

17.  If  any  man,  then,  desires  to 
answer  the  end  of  his  creation,  and 
not  to  be  thought  the  only  ingrate 
among  all  the  works  of  God  ;  if  he 
desires  to  walk  worthy  of  his  Chris- 
tian calling,  and  after  death  to  be 
partaker  with  the  saints  of  light  and 
everlasting  glory,  let  his  soul  praise 
the  Lord,  and  let  him  beseech  God 
that  He  would  never  suffer  his  soul  to 
be  unmindful  or  negligent  of  this 
duty.  And  those  things  which  we 
cannot  sufficiently  praise  in  this  world 
shall  be  worthily  celebrated  in  the 
next,  when  "  that  which  is  in  part 
shall  be  done  away.  For  now  we  see 
through  a  glass  darkly,  but  then  face 
to  face."  1  Cor.  13  : 10,  12.  Which  may 
God  grant,  for  Jesus  Christ's  sake. 


CHAPTER  XLIII. 

TO  PRAISE  GOD  IS  THE  HIGHEST  AND  MOST  HONORABLE  EMPLOYMENT  OF  MEN. 

It  is  a  good  thing  to  give  thanks  unto  the  Lord — vpon  on  instrument  of  ten  strings^  aiid  upon  the 
psaltery ;  upon  the  harp  with  a  solemn  sound.  For  tliou,  Lord,  hast  made  me  glad  through 
thy  work ;  I  will  triumph  in  the  works  of  thy  hands.  0  Lord,  how  great  are  thy  works! 
and  tJiy  thoughts  are  very  deep.  A  brutish  man  knoweth  not ;  neither  doth  a  fool  understand 
this.  Ps.  92 :  1-6. 


THERE  are  six  Psalms  which  have 
been  distinguished  by  the  name 
of  Golden  Songs,  namely,  16,  56,  57, 


58,  59,  60,  to  show  us  that  the  praise 
of  God  and  prayer  are  the  spiritual 
and  heavenly  treasure  of  a  believing 


316 


TEUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


[Book  II. 


heart.  And  that  this  is  the  greatest 
honor  man  is  capable  of,  appears 
hence.  (1.)  That  a  cheerful  confidence 
in  God  is  that  which  procures  the  soul 
the  greatest  liberty  of  access  to  him. 
Hence  it  is  said,  "  Honor  and  majesty 
are  before  him  ;  strength  and  beauty 
are  in  his  sanctuary."  Ps.  96:6.  And 
that  this  freedom  of  access  is  the 
highest  honor  of  man,  the  very  angels 
themselves  confess,  who  glory  in  that 
exalted  privilege.  "I  am  Gabriel,  that 
stand  in  the  presence  of  God."  Luke 
1:  19. 

2.  The  giving  praise  to  God  is  a 
great  honor  and  treasure  of  man,  be- 
cause (2)  thereby  we  become  like  the 
angels  in  heaven.  Therefore  our  bless- 
ed Saviour,  pointing  out  the  future 
glory  of  men,  says,  "  They  shall  be  as 
the  angels  of  God."  Matt.  22:30; 
Luke  20  :  86.  This,  though  it  is  ulti- 
matel}'-  to  be  understood  of  the  purity 
and  other  perfections  of  their  glori- 
fied bodies  in  another  life;  in  which 
respect  we  shall  not  only  be  like  the 
angels,  but  also  be  conformed  to  the 
gloriBed  body  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  (according  to  Phil.  3  :  21,  and 
1  John  3  :  2,  "It  doth  not  yet  appear 
what  we  shall  be;  but  we  know  that 
when  he  shall  appear,  we  shall  be  like 
him ;  for  we  shall  see  him  as  he  is") 
— 3'et  even  as  no  man  can  be  like  him 
in  the  other  world,  that  has  not  been 
conformed  to  him  in  this;  that  is  to 
eay,  that  has  not  believed  in  him,  imi- 
tated his  holy  life,  followed  him  in  his 
meekness  and  humility,  and,  in  a 
word,  perfectly  clothed  himself  with 
the  image  of  the  patient,  humble,  af- 
flicted and  crucified  Jesus,  that  he 
may  be  like  him  in  his  glorious,  ex- 
alted, and  perfect  state  in  the  other 
w^orld ;  so  also  shall  no  man  be  like 
the  angels  in  heaven,  that  has  not  en- 
deavored to  conform  himself  to  their 


examples  on  earth.  There  is  then  nc 
instance  in  which  we  can  better  imi- 
tate them  here,  than  by  offering  up 
devout  and  incessant  prayers  and 
praises  to  God;  for  this  is  the  em- 
ployment of  the  holy  angels.  Isa.  6  : 
3  ;  Ps.  103  :  20.  Whosoever  then  doe^ 
this,  imitates  those  blessed  spirits, 
and  maintains  fellowship  with  them. 
Hence  it  follows,  that  to  be  continu- 
ally celebrating  the  pi-aises  of  God  is 
the  noblest  and  most  honorable  em- 
ployment that  man  is  capable  of. 
And  this  may  be  done  at  any  time, 
and  in  any  place  by  a  devout  soul, 
praising  from  the  ground  of  the  heart. 
It  is  thence  that  the  true  praises  of 
God  proceed,  according  to  that  ex- 
pression, "  singing  with  grace  in  your 
hearts  unto  the  Lord."  Col.  3  :  16. 

3.  That  singing  praises  to  God  is  the 
greatest  glory  and  highest  honor  that 
a  man  can  receive,  appears  (3)  hence; 
that  by  this  a  man  becomes,  as  it 
were,  the  harp  or  instrument  on  whieli 
the  Holy  Spirit  is  pei'petually  sound- 
ing forth  the  praises  of  God.  Of  this  | 
we  have  a  very  beautiful  representa- 
tion, where  the  Evangelist  saw  a  great 
multitude  clothed  in  white,  and  fol- 
lowing the  Lamb  of  God;  and  "he 
heard  the  voice  of  harpers  harping 
with  their  harps."  Rev.  14  : 2.  This 
was  also  indicated  under  the  Old  Tes- 
tament by  that  admirable  variety  of 
musical  instruments  mentioned  by  Pa- 
vid  in  Ps.  150.  All  these  instruments 
express  nothing  else  but  the  various 
gifts  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  by  which  the 
name,  the  praise,  the  honor,the  wisdom, 
the  mercies,  and  wonderful  works  of 
God  were  to  be  published  to  the  world;  | 
which  instruments  are  now  laid  aside  'i 
to  make  room  for  the  divine  harmony 
of  spiritual  music,  even  that  of  praise  ^ 
and  thanksgiving  to  God.  For  what  I 
the  musical  instrument  is  to  man,  that 


Chap.  XLIII.] 


TRUE  CIIEISTIANITY. 


317 


the  soul  of  man  is  to  the  Spirit  of 
God,  being  attuned  and  rendered  har- 

:  monious  by  the  hand  that  holds  it. 
Thus  it  is  said,  "  Out  of  the  mouth  of 

I  babes  and  sucklings  thou  hast  or- 
dained strength."  Ps.  8  :  2.  But  what 
greater  glorj^  can  the  heart,  mouth,  or 
soul  of  man  desire  and  enjoy,  than  to 
be  as  so  many  organs  or  musical  in- 
struments of  the  Spirit  of  God  ?  This 
is  what  David  means,  "  The  Spirit  of 
the  Lord  spake  by  me,  and  his  word 
was  in  my  tongue"  (2  Sam.  23  :  2) ; 
and  the  apostle,  ^'Be  ye.  filled  with 
the  Spirit:  sj^eaking  to  yourselves  in 
psalms,  and  hymns,  and  spiritual 
songs,  singing  and  making  melody  in 
your  heart  to  the  Lord."  Eph.  5 : 
18,  19. 

4.  That  the  praising  of  God  is  a 
man's  greatest  privilege,  and  most 
valuable  treasure,  appears  (4)  hence : 
because  in  that  exercise  is  contained 
the  greatest  spiritual  joy.  Hence  it  is 
said,  "Thou,  Lord,  hast  made  me  glad 
through  thy  work ;  I  will  triumph  in 
the  works  of  thy  hands."  Ps.  92  :  4. 
And  as  in  this  divine  joy  consists  the 
greatest  part  of  the  happiness  of  eter- 
nal life,  and  the  kingdom  of  God  with- 
in us,  which  we  are  told,  "is  peace  and 
joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost"  (Rom.  14:17); 
so  whoever  desires  a  foretaste  of  the 
happiness  of  that  blessed  state,  may 
obtain  it  by  the  daily  exercise  of 
praise  and  thanksgiving.  This,  when 
it  proceeds  from  a  sincere  heart,  gives 
life  and  divine  joy  both  to  the  soul 
and  body;  as  we  are  told  in  Ps.  63, 
and  Ps.  84.  What  is  Paradise  itself, 
but  pure  joy  and  unmixed  pleasures; 
where  ^'we  taste  and  see  that  the 
Lord  is  good"  ?  Ps.  34  :  8.  And  what 
is  eternal  life,  but  the  abundance  of 
this  joy,  "  and  pleasures  at  God's  right 
hand  for  evermore  "  ?  Ps.  16  :  11. 

5.  The  greatness  and  excellency  of 


this  duty  appears  (5)  hence:  that  by 
it  we  are  led  to  the  cdntemplalion  of 
all  the  wonderful  works  of  God,  whence 
such  rays  of  divine  ligiit  and  wisdom 
dart  upon  the  soul,  as  scatter  and  dis- 
sipate the  clouds  of  error  and  darkness 
in  which  men  are  naturally  involved. 
Thus  saith  the  Psalmist,  ^'O  Lord, 
how  great  are  thy  works !  and  thy 
thoughts  are  very  deep.  A  brutish 
man  knoweth  not,  neither  doth  a  fool 
understand  this."  Ps.  92  :  5,  6.  And 
St.  Paul,  "The  Spirit  searcheth  all 
things,  yea,  the  deep  things  of  God." 
1  Cor.  2  :  10.  Therefore,  the  more  a 
man  knows  of  God,  the  more  he 
praises  him;  and  the  more  he  praises 
him,  the  more  he  increases  in  the 
knowledge  of  him.  For  the  higher 
any  one  rises  in  the  praises  of  God,  so 
much  the  more  deeply  he  descends 
into  the  contemplation  of  his  nature 
and  providence.  I  do  not  mean  the 
presumj:)tuous  inquiries  of  some  curi- 
ous searchers  into  forbidden  myster- 
ies, but  those  riches  of  the  divine  wis- 
dom which  God  often  discovers  to  the 
soul  that  loves  and  praises  him,  and 
which  strike  her  dumb  by  the  excess 
of  glory  and  sublime  manifestations 
of  Himself  If  the  queen  of  Sheba 
was  so  astonished  at  the  riches  and 
magnificence  of  Solomon's  court,  as  to 
break  out  in  these  words,  "  Thy  wis- 
dom and  prosperity  exceedeth  the 
fame  which  I  heard.  Happy  are  thy 
men,  happy  are  these  thy  servants, 
which  stand  continually  before  thee, 
and  that  hear  thy  wisdom"  (1  Kings 
10  :  7,  8),  how  much  more  should  the 
devout  soul  be  swallowed  up  in  rap- 
ture and  astonishment,  at  those  reve- 
lations of  divine  light  and  glory  which 
God  frequently  vouchsafes  to  them 
that  love  and  praise  him,  causing 
them  to  cry  out  with  David,  "O, 
Lord,  how  great  are  thy  works!  and 


318 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  II. 


thy  thoughts  are  very  deep"!  Ps. 
92:5.  And  again,  "The  secret  of 
the  Lord  is  with  them  that  fear  liim; 
and  he  will  show  them  his  covenant." 
Ps.  25  :  14.  And  again,  "Thou  shalt 
make  me  to  know  wisdom  in  the  hid- 
den part."  Ps.  51  :  6.  Therefore,  as 
the  queen  of  Sheba  says,  "Happy  are 
thy  men,  happy  are  these  thy  ser- 
vants, which  stand  continually  before 
thee,  and  hear  thy  wisdom  ;"  so  those 
that  continual!}^  praise  God,  are  the 
servants  of  God,  standing  continually 
about  liis  table,  believing  in  spirit  the 
divine  wisdom,  and  hearkening  to  the 
word  of  God.  This  is  the  never-fail- 
ing fountain  of  true  wisdom,  which 
one  of  the  ancient  fathers  treats  of, 
calling  it  "the  deep  ocean  of  divine 
wisdom."  But  sublime  and  glorious 
as  it  is,  "a  brutish  man  knoweth  not; 
neither  doth  a  I'ool  understand  this." 
In  a  w^ord,  the  more  closely  a  man  ap- 


proaches God  by  praise  and  thanks- 
giving, the  clearer  manifestations  has 
he  of  the  riches  and  treasures  of  the 
divine  wisdom;  which  at  the  same 
time  are  hidden,  and  as  it  were  locked 
up  from  those  that  are  without  under- 
standing in  the  w^ays  of  God. 

6.  We  may  conclude  that  praising 
God  is  the  highest  honor,  the  most 
exalted  privilege,  and  greatest  benefit 
to  man;  because  (6)  by  this  man  gains 
the  victory  over  all  his  enemies,  both 
Satan  and  men.  See  Psalm  8  :  2  ;  18  : 
3,  etc.;  118  :  5-15.  We  have  a  plain 
instance  of  this  in  the  case  of  Jehosh- 
aphat,  who,  wnth  one  divine  hj'mn, 
routed  a  vast  army  of  his  enemies 
wnthout  loss  of  blood;  as  we  find,  2 
Chron.  20  :  21,  22.  Such  songs  of  vic- 
tory are  frequently  to  be  met  with  in 
the  Psalms:  as  Psalms,  18;  46;  47; 
76,  etc. 


CHAPTER  XLIY. 

OF  PATIENCE,  WHICH  TRIUMPHANTLY  ENDURES  THE  CROSS,  AND  WAITS  FOR  THE 

PROMISED  GLORY. 

Ve  have  need  of  patience,  thai,  after  ye  have  done  the  will  of  God,  ye  might  receive  the 
promise. — Heb.  10  :  36. 


TRUE  Christian  patience  is  that  vir- 
tue by  w^hich,  in  all  afflictions  that 
cannot,  by  ordinary  means,  be  avoided, 
we  resign  ourselves  to  the  divine  will, 
and  submit  entirely  to  it;  choosing 
rather  to  suffer  the  greatest  evils,  than 
murmur  against  God,  or  let  go  our  de- 
IDcndence  on  him. 

2.  The  first  reason  or  ground  of  this 
virtue  is,  the  counsel  and  gracious  will 
of  God,  hy  which  we  arc  nppointed  to 
Bufferings  and  afflictions;  according  to 


Eom.  8:29:  "Whom  he  did  foreknow, 
he  also  did  predestinate  to  be  con- 
formed to  the  imaii-e  of  his  Son."  As, 
therefore,  God  appointed  his  own  be- 
loved Son  to  the  sufferings  of  the 
cross,  that  thereby  he  might  bring- 
him  to  glory;  so  also  has  he  appoint- 
ed all  the  true  members  of  Christ  to 
bear  the  cross,  without  which  they 
cannot  be  his  body.  Eph.  5  :  30.  To 
each  of  these  he  has  marked,  meas- 
ured, and,  as  it  were,  w^eighed  out,  his 


Chap.  XLIY.] 


TEUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


319 


exact  portion  of  affliction,  which  can- 
not be  escaped^  much  less  shaken  off 
by  impatience;  but  may  be  alleviated 
by  obedience  and  humble  submission, 
and  overcome  by  the  power  of  Jesus 
Christ. 

3.  The  second  reason  why  we  ought 
to  be  patient  is  the  ajyproaching  con- 
summation of  all  things;  at  which 
time,  as  our  blessed  Lord  has  told  us, 
''iniquity  shall  abound,  and  love  shall 
wax  cold."  Matt.  24  :  12.  The  conse- 
quence of  this  must  be  that  sincere 
Christians  will  be  exposed  to  various 
afflictions,  crosses,  injuries,  and  sun- 
dry kinds  of  death  ;  for  "  all  that  will 
live  godly  in  Christ  Jesus  shall  suffer 
persecution."  2  Tim.  3  :  12.  Christ 
assures  us  that  the  righteous  must 
expect  tribulations  and  persecutions 
for  the  testimony  of  a  good  con- 
science. John  15  :  20;  16  :  1.  And  the 
A\hole  Eevelation  of  St.  John  testifies 
that  Antichrist  shall  persecute  the 
Church  of  God  till  the  last  coming  of 
the  Lord;  then  the  conflict  will  at 
last  end,  and  the  dragon  and  false 
prophets  be  cast  into  the  lake  of  fire 
and  brimstone.  Do  not,  therefore, 
deceive  thyself  with  golden  dreams 
of  felicity,  but  possess  thy  soul  in  pa- 
tience, and  strengthen  th^'self  against 
the  approaching  calamities. 

4.  Thirdly,  the  hope  of  the  restitu- 
tion of  all  things,  and  the  expectation 
of  everlasting  happiness,  is  another  ar- 
gument to  support  our  patience.  For 
as  "  the  husbandman  waiteth  for  the 
precious  fruit  of  the  earth,  and  hath 
long  patience  for  it,  until  he  receive 
the  early  and  latter  rain  "  (James  5  : 
7),  comforting  himself  under  all  his 
toils  with  the  hopes  of  a  plentiful 
harvest,  so  should  Christians  also 
learn  to  "  possess  their  souls  in  pa- 
tience "  (Luke  21  :  19),  and  to  per- 
suade themselves  that  the  great  and 


universal  harvest  of  the  long-expected 
day  of  the  Lord  shall  repair  all  our 
losses,  and  give  to  every  one  of  us 
the  fruit  of  our  labors.  For  as  the 
husbandman  by  no  means  reckons 
his  seed  lost,  though  it  is  for  a  while 
buried  in  the  earth,  but  only  sows  it 
there  in  hopes  of  a  harvest,  so  when 
Providence  is  pleased  to  take  from  us 
our  lives,  our  friends,  our  estates^  or 
honor,  we  must  not  look  upon  them 
as  lost,  but  be  assured  that  they  are 
sown  in  hope  of  the  great  day  of 
harvest,  when  w^e  shall  reap  abun- 
dantly, ''if  we  faint  not."  Gal.  6:9. 
So  also  afflictions  are  compared  to 
seed-time:  "They  that  sow  in  tears 
shall  reap  in  joy.  He  that  goeth 
forth  and  weepeth,  bearing  precious 
seed,  shall  doubtless  come  again  with 
rejoicing,  bringing  his  sheaves  with 
him."  Ps.  126  :  5,  6. 

5.  Fourthly,  another  support  of  pa- 
tience is  the  coming  of  Jesus  Christ; 
when  all  our  sorrow^s  shall  be  done 
away,  yea,  be  turned  into  joy  (John 
16  :  20),  and  the  just  judgment  of  God 
shall  fall  upon  our  enemies;  and  then 
"  shall  every  man  have  praise  of  God." 
1  Cor.  4 :  5.  And  this  day  is  at  hand : 
"the  coming  of  the  Lord  draweth 
nigh."  James  5  :  8.  "  Vengeance  is 
mine,  saith  the  Lord."  Eom.  12  : 19. 
The  time  of  the  cross  is  short,  but  the 
glory  that  follows  it  will  be  eternal. 
And  that  day  of  deliverance  cannot 
be  far  off. 

6.  The  fifth  support  of  patience  is 
the  truth  and  faithfulness  of  God;  by 
the  consideration  of  which  "we  ought 
to  stablish  our  hearts,"  as  St.  James 
says,  so  that  they  may  not  weaver. 
James  5  :  8.  For  as  we  tie  a  tender 
tree  to  a  post,  that  it  may  not  be 
broken  by  the  winds;  and  as  we  cast 
anchor  in  a  storm,  to  hold  the  ship, 
that  it  may  not  be  driven  by  the  tern- 


320 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  II. 


pest;  so  ought  we  to  apply  our  faint 
and  weak  hearts  to  tlie  firm  pillar  of 
God's  word,  and  hold  the  ship  of  our 
souls  by  the  anchor  of  hope,  that  it 
sink  not.  Ileb.  G  :  19.  For  how  many 
and  great  promises  of  divine  assist- 
ance have  we  in  the  Holy  Scriptures ! 
How  many  instances  of  strange  de- 
liverances have  we  daily  before  our 
eyes!  And  what  variety  of  methods 
has  God  to  deliver  us!  How  many 
has  he  preserved  in  pestilence  and 
famine  (2  Kings  6  :  25;  7  :  16),  and 
delivered  from  the  peril  of  the  sword! 
2  Chron.  20:22;  14:12.  For  God 
can  turn  the  hearts  of  enemies  to 
unity  and  peace,  or  disappoint  the  de- 
signs of  the  adversary,  as  appears  in 
the  history  of  the  blessed  Jesus :  "  for,'' 
says  the  angel,  they  are  dead  which 
sought  the  young  child's  life."  Matt. 
2  :  20.  God  can  also  convert  an  ad- 
versary, as  he  did  St.  Paul.  Acts  9  : 
8,  etc.  How  often  does  he  disappoint 
the  bloody  intentions  of  wicked  men ! 
Saul  had  a  design  upon  the  life  of 
David,  and  thought  he  was  so  penned 
in  that  he  could  not  escape ;  but  God 
recalls  him  by  the  message  of  a  new 
incursion  of  the  Philistines  into  his 
country.  1  Sam.  23  :  27.  And  the 
chief  priests  having  sent  their  officers 
to  lay  hold  on  the  blessed  Jesus,  the 
latter  were  so  affected  by  our  Lord's 
discourses,  that  they  could  not  find  in 
their  hearts  to  touch  him.  John  7  :44. 
Sometimes  God  smites  the  enemies  of 
his  servants  with  blindness,  as  in  the 
cases  of  Elisha  (2  Kings  6:  18)  and  of 
Lot.  Gen.  19  :  11.  Consider,  too,  the 
innumerable  legions  of  angels  that 
guarded  the  Christians  of  old  time, 
and  miraculously  preserved  them 
from  imminent  dangers,  as  in  the 
case  of  St.  Peter.  Acts  5:19;  12: 
7-11.  And  how  often  was  St.  Paul 
wonderfully  preserved,  and  the  de- 


signs laid  against  his  life  discovered! 
Acts  23  :  16.  At  length,  by  a  tem- 
poral death,  God  puts  an  end  to  the 
miseries  of  his  servants. 

7.  Sixthlj^,  how  glorious  shall  the 
recompense  of  past  afiSictions  be  to  the  i 
faithful  in  the  other  world,  which  they  ! 
would  not  exchange  for  all  the  pleas- 
ures and  glories  of  this !  Eom.  8  :  18. 

"  Blessed  are  they  that  mourn ;  for 
they  shall  be  comforted."  Matt.  5  :  4. 
And  in  Rev.  21 :  4  and  Isa.  25  :  8,  it  is  i 
said,  that  "God  shall  wipe  away  all  il 
tears  from  the  eyes  of"  his  saints. 
But  how  shall  he  wipe  away  the  tears 
of  those  that  never  sincerely  wept  ? 

8.  Seventhly,  we  must  set  before  our 
eyes  the  examples  of  holy  men,  as  Abel, 
Noah,  Lot,  Abraham,  Isaac,  Jacob, 
Joseph,  David,  Job,  and  especially  the 
man  of  God,  Moses  ;  who,  as  the  Holy 
Scripture  witnesses,  was  "  very  meek, 
above  all  the  men  which  were  upoii 
the  face  of  the  earth."  Num.  12:3. 
The  people  were  sometimes  murmur- 
ing against  him,  sometimes  chiding 
him,  and  sometimes  threatening  to 
stone  him;  but  he  broke  their  stub- 
born hearts  by  his  meekness  and  pa- 
tience, pacifying  them  with  gentle 
words,  praying  to  God  for  them,  and 
entreating  rather  to  be  blotted  out  of 
the  book  of  life,  than  that  they  should 
be  cut  off  in  His  displeasure.  Exod. 
32:32.  So  also  Elijah,  having  been 
most  cruell}^  persecuted,  yet  obtained 
rain  from  God  for  his  ungrateful  coun- 
tr}'.  1  Kings  18  :  45.  Micaiah,  before 
the  kings  Ahab  and  Jehoshaphat,  was 
struck  by  the  false  prophets,  and  cast 
into  prison,  only  for  dealing  sincerely 
with  the  king,  and  giving  him  a  salu- 
tary warn  i  ng.  1  Kings  22 : 24 ;  2  Ch  ron. 
18  : 23.  Why  should  I  mention  Isaiah, 
sawn  asunder  as  a  reward  for  his  faith- 
ful services,  or  Jeremiah,  bitterly  per- 
secuted by  his  countrymen  (Jer.  15 : 


Chap.  XLIY.] 


TEUE  CIIEISTIANITY. 


321 


10),  or  Daniel,  cast  into  the  den  of 
lions  (Dan.  6  :  6),  or  John  the  Baptist 
beheaded  (Matt.  14  :  10),  or  St.  Paul, 
and  all  the  aiiiictions  which  he  en- 
dured (2  Cor.  11  :  28,  etc.),  or  the  eiif- 
ferinc:H  and  trials  of  the  rest  of  the 
Apostles,  and  all  the  holy  martyrs? 
See  Heb.  11  : 35,  etc.  Should  3^011  in- 
quire of  all  these,  by  what  way  they 
entered  into  heaven,  they  will  all  with 
one  voice  answer:  By  the  way  of  the 
cross  and  tribulation.  Acts  14  :  22. 
JSTeither  did  Christ  himself  enter  by 
any  other  way.  So  says  St.  Peter, 
"Christ  suffered  for  us,  leaving  us  an 
example,  that  ye  should  follow  his 
steps :  who,  when  he  was  reviled,  re- 
viled not  again ;  when  he  suffered,  he 
threatened  not;  but  committed  him- 
self to  him  that  judgeth  righteously." 
1  Pet.  2  :  21,  23.  So  great  was  the  pa- 
tience of  our  blessed  Redeemer,  that 
though  the  sun  hid  its  head  at  the 
time  of  his  passion,  being  unwilling  to 
witness  indignities  so  great ;  though 
the  earth  trembled,  and  the  rocks  rent 
(Luke  23:44;  Matt.  27:51);  yet  he, 
still  hanging  upon  the  cross,  mur- 
mured not  against  his  enemies,  nor  by 
either  word  or  gesture  discovered  the 
least  impatience ;  but  on  the  other 
hand,  prayed  for  his  enemies,  that 
they  might  be  saved  by  that  blood 
which  they  so  unjustly  shed.  Now  if 
this  be  the  lot  of  the  children  of  God, 
that  he  chasteneth  every  one  whom 
,  he  loveth  and  receiveth,  it  follows  that 
i  we  must  either  suffer,  or  quit  our  title 
to  be  the  sons  of  God.  Heb.  12 :  6-8. 
;  If  our  heavenly  Father  spared  not  his 
I  own  Son,  though  he  was  without  sin, 
but  chastened  him  with  the  rod  of 
affliction;  canst  thou,  who  art  an 
r  adopted  son,  and  polluted  with  innu- 
i  merable  sins,  expect  to  escape  it? 
I  Moreover,  if  God  bear  so  patiently 
with   our  provocations,  how^  much 


more  patient  ought  we  to  be,  when 
we  are  punished  for  our  good,  w^ith  a 
view  to  our  amendment!  "Let  us 
rather  rejoice,"  as  St.  Peter  exhorts 
us  (1  Epistle  4  :  13),  "inasmuch  as  we 
are  partakers  of  Christ's  sufferings; 
that  when  his  glory  shall  be  revealed, 
we  may  be  glad  also  with  exceeding 

joy." 

9.  Eighthly,  we  shall  bear  our  af- 
flictions patiently,  when  we  consider 
that  Christ  Jesus  has  sanctified  and 
blessed  our  crosses  by  his  own,  and  has 
taken  away  the  sting  of  affliction,  and 
made  it  to  us  the  instrument  of  bless- 
ing, life,  and  glory.  For  as  the  suf- 
ferings of  Christ  ended  in  glory,  so 
will  the  sufferings  of  every  Christian 
be  turned  into  everlasting  joy. 

10.  Ninthly,  behold  the  glorious  re- 
ward of  those  that  bore  their  cross 
loith  patience.  Though  many  of  the 
holy  martyrs  were  most  barbarously 
treated,  most  inhumanly  punished, 
and  cruelly  put  to  death,  some  thrown 
to  wild  beasts,  some  boiled  in  oil, 
others  in  melted  lead;  yet  there  is  no 
man  so  impious  or  foolish,  as  to  say, 
that  he  had  not  rather  be  in  their  con- 
dition now,  than  that  of  their  mur- 
derers. Who  would  not  now  prefer 
the  condition  of  the  poor  Lazarus,  to 
that  of  the  rich  man?  Luke  16:25. 
But  if  thou  wouldest  obtain  the  glory 
of  the  saints,  thou  must  also  bear  the 
same  crosses,  and  bear  theni  with  the 
same  patience.  To  this  we  must  refer 
those  words  of  our  blessed  Saviour : 
"  Blessed  are  ye  when  men  shall  revile 
you,  and  persecute  you,  and  shall  say  all 
manner  of  evil  of  you  falsely,  for  my 
sake.  Eejoice,  and  be  exceeding  glad ; 
for  great  is  your  reward  in  heaven." 
Matt.  5:11,  12..  As  also  those  in  Eoni. 
8: 17,  18,  "If  we  suffer  with  Christ,  we 
shall  also  be  glorified  with  him."  And 
again,  "  I  reckon  that  the  sufferings 


322 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  II. 


of  this  present  time  are  not  worthy 
to  be  compared  with  the  glory  which 
shall  be  revealed  in  us." 

11.  Tenthly,  let  the  deep  compas- 
sion of  God  be  a  support  to  our  pa- 
tience, who  can  no  more  forget  us, 
than  a  mother  can  forget  her  sucking 
child.  Isa.  49  : 15.  He  says,  that  "  his 
bowels  are  troubled  for  Ephraim,  and 
that  he  will  have  mercy  upon  him." 
Jer.  31 :  20.  Hence  also  he  is  said  to 
be  "failhfiil,  who  will  not  suffer  us  to 
be  tempted  above  that  we  are  able  " 
(1  Cor.  10  :  13)  ;  not  chastening  us  for 
our  hurt,  but  that  we  may  obtain  ev- 
erlasting life,  '^and  not  be  condemned 
with  the  world."  1  Cor.  11:32.  For, 
if  the  cross  be  nothing  but  a  token  of 
God's  favor,  wouldest  thou  rather 
choose  the  pleasures  and  dainties  of 
the  rich  man  here,  and  have  his  pun- 
ishment hereafter,  than  enter  into 
eternal  life  by  the  way  of  the  cross, 
and  wear  a  crown  of  gl\ory  ? 

12.  All  that  has  been  said  on  this 
head,  is  admirably  explained  in  the 
Epistle  to  the  Hebrews  (Heb.  12: 1-11) 
as  follow^s  :  "  Let  us  run  with  patience 
the  race  that  is  set  before  us,  looking 
unto  Jesus,  the  author  and  finisher  of 
our  faith  ;  who,  for  the  joy  that  was 
set  before  him,  endured  the  cross,  de- 
spising the  shame,  and  is  set  down  at 


the  right  hand  of  the  throne  of  God. 
For  consider  him  that  endured  such 
contradiction  of  sinners  against  him- 
self, lest  ye  be  wearied  and  faint  in 
your  minds.  Ye  have  not  yet  resisted 
unto  blood,  striving  against  sin.  And 
ye  have  forgotten  the  exhortation 
wdiich  speaketh  unto  you  as  unto 
children,  My  son,  despise  not  thou  the 
chastening  of  the  Lord,  nor  faint 
when  thou  art  rebuked  of  him.  For 
whom  the  Lord  loveth  he  chasteneth, 
and  scourgeth  every  son  whom  he  re- 
ceiveth.  If  ye  endure  chastening, 
God  dealeth  with  you  as  with  sons ; 
for  what  son  is  he  whom  the  father 
chasteneth  not  ?  But  if  ye  be  with- 
out chastisement,  whereof  all  are  par- 
takers, then  are  ye  bastards,  and  not 
sons.  Furthermore,  we  have  had 
fathers  of  our  flesh  wdiich  corrected 
us,  and  we  gave  them  reverence :  shall 
we  not  much  rather  be  in  subjection 
to  the  Father  of  spirits  and  live? 
For  they  verily  for  a  few  days  chas- 
tened us  after  their  own  pleasure  ]  but 
he  for  our  profit,  that  we  might  be 
partakers  of  his  holiness.  ISTow  no 
chastening  for  the  present  seemeth  to 
be  joyous,  but  grievous  ;  nevertheless, 
afterward  it  yieldeth  the  peaceable 
fruit  of  righteousness,  unto  them 
which  are  exercised  thereby." 


CHAPTER  XL  V. 

DIVINE  CONSOLATION  PRODUCES  PATIENCE  UNDER  AFFLICTIONS. 

Blessed  is  the  man  thai  endureth  temptatioii :  for  when  he  is  tried,  he  shall  receive  the  crown  of 
life,  which  the  Lord  has  promised  to  them  that  love  him. — James  1  : 12. 

EVEN  as  God  has  provided  healing  ley  of  misery  and  tears,  no  man  can 

remedies  for  the  body  in  exter-  be  perfectly  free  from  crosses,  afflic- 

nal  nature;  so  has  he  also  for  the  soul  tions,  and  troubles;  so  nothing  can  be 

in  his  holy  Word.    And  as  in  this  val-  more  seasonable  than  to  collect  certain 


CiiAP.  XLV.] 


TRUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


323 


lieads  out  of  the  word  of  God,  by  a 
proper  application  of  which  we  may 
find  help  and  comfort  in  the  hour  of 
temptation. 

2.  The  first  comfort  is  the  considera- 
tion of  the  divine  providence,  which 
lays  the  burden  upon  us.  "  The  Lord 
killeth,  and  maketh  alive:  he  bringeth 
down  to  the  grave,  and  bringeth  up." 
1  Sam.  2:6.  "The  Lord  gave,  and 
the  Lord  hath  taken  awa3\"  Job  1  : 
2L  "Are  not  two  sparrows  sold  for 
a  fLirthing  ?  and  one  of  them  shall  not 
fall  to  the  ground  without  3'our  Fa- 
ther." Matt.  10  :  29.  "  I  form  the 
light,  and  create  darkness:  I  make 
peace,  and  create  evil."  Isa.  45  :  7. 
"  llappy  is  the  man  whom  God  cor- 
rectclh ;  therefore,  despise  not  thou 
the  chastening  of  the  Almighty  :  for 
he  maketh  sore,  and  bindeth  up  3  he 
woundeth,  and  his  hands  make  whole." 
Job  5  :  17,  18.  It  is,  therefore,  foolish 
to  be  angr}^  with  those  whom  God 
makes  the  instruments  of  our  correc- 
tion. "Wherefore  doth  a  living  man 
complain,  a  man  for  the  punishment 
of  his  sins  ?  Let  us  search  and  try 
our  ways,  and  turn  again  to  the 
Lord."  Lam.  3  :  39,  40.  This  is  the 
design  of  God,  that  we  should  repent 
and  turn  from  our  sins,  and  not  mur- 
mur against  him  that  afflicts  us. 

8.  The  second  head  of  comfort  is  to 
consider  the  end  and  design  of  our 
cross,  namely,  that  God  sends  it,  not 
out  of  wrath,  but  from  pure  love  to 
our  souls.  How  dangerous  it  is  to  a 
man's  soul  to  be  always  prosperous 
and  at  ease,  we  may  learn  not  only 
from  the  case  of  "  the  rich  man " 
(Luke  16  :  25),  but  also  from  the  ex- 
ample of  our  first  parents,  whose  hap- 
piness in  paradise  being  greater  than 
they  could  bear,  they  were,  by  the 
temptations  of  Satan,  seduced  from 
their  obedience  and  dependence  upon 


God.  Gen.  3.  And  every  day  fur- 
nishes us  with  fresh  instances  of  the 
danger  of  such  a  state.  Now,  though 
God,  in  strict  justice,  might  have  con- 
demned man  to  everlasting  punish- 
ment, yet  he  chose  rather  to  have 
pity  on  him,  and  devised  means  for 
recovering  his  lost  happiness;  and 
one  of  these  is  the  cross,  or  affliction. 
For  this  cause  he  drove  him  out  of 
paradise,  that  in  the  "sweat  of  his 
face  he  should  eat  bread  "  (Gen.  3  : 
19),  to  the  intent  that,  by  sufferings, 
he  might  be  brought  to  repentance; 
and  this  is  his  constant  method  even 
to  this  day.  Though  we  offend  him 
by  innumerable  sins,  yet,  in  his  abun- 
dant mercy,  he  leaves  nothing  un- 
done, no  means  untried,  that  may 
lead  to  our  conversion  and  amend- 
ment. And  this  is  the  reason  why 
Providence  appoints  every  particular 
man  his  cross,  that  we  may  all  be 
kept  in  true  penitence  and  the  fear 
of  God  unto  eternal  life.  Hence  it  is 
that  God  is  said  to  correct  those 
whom  he  loves,  that  they  may  not 
be  condemned  with  the  world.  Prov 
3  :  11,  12;  13  :  24;  Heb.  12  :  6;  1  Cor. 
11  :32. 

4.  The  third  argument  is  sin  itself, 
by  considering  whether  thou  hast 
not  deserved  thy  punishments.  If 
thou  hast  (which  thou  canst  not 
deny),  then  it  is  agreeable  to  the  di- 
vine justice  that  thou  shouldest  suf- 
fer. Now,  a  temporal  suffering,  at- 
tended with  the  divine  mercy  and 
comfort,  is  certainly  more  desirable 
than  an  eternal  one,  without  hopes  of 
comfort  or  expectation  of  redemp- 
tion. Call  to  mind  the  rich  man,  in 
vain  crying  out:  "Father  Abraham, 
have  mercy  on  me"  (Luke  16:24). 
and  assure  thyself  that  it  will  be  no 
small  comfort  to  consider  that  God 
has  changed  the  eternal  punishment 


324 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  II. 


threatened  to  our  sins  into  a  temporal 
correction  that  can  be  endured. 

5.  Fourthly^  when  thou  art  afflicted, 
consider  how  much  Christ  suffered  for 
thy  sake !  Think  upon  his  poverty, 
"who  had  not  where  to  lay  his  head!" 
Matt.  8  :  20.  Ecmember  tlie  indigni- 
ties which  he  underwent,  such  as  no 
man  ever  did  or  will  endure:  being 
''despised  and  rejected  of  men"  (Isa. 
53  :  3,  4) ;  yea,  "  a  worm,  and  no  man." 
Ps.  22  :  6.  Moreover,  as  he  took  upon 
him  the  miseries,  pains,  and  diseases 
of  all  the  world,  hence  it  was  that  he 
underwent  such  bitter  sufferings,  such 
dreadful  torments,  that  even  the  sun 
and  moon  were  darkened  at  the  sight, 
the  earth  quaked,  and  the  rocks  rent; 
all  which,  though  for  the  sake  of  his 
most  cruel  enemies,  he  bore  with  a 
love  so  inexpressibly  pure,  with  a 
meekness  and  patience  so  sincere, 
that  "  as  a  lamb,  he  opened  not  his 
mouth."  Moreover,  though  we  pro- 
voke him  every  day  by  innumerable 
transgressions,  yet  he  continues,  and 
will  still  continue  faithful,  and  ready 
to  receive  us  to  his  favor  upon  our  re- 
pentance (Jer.  3:9);  yea,  and  if  the 
ransom  he  has  already  paid  were  not 
sufficient,  he  would  lay  down  his  life 
again  for  our  sakes.  Therefore,  he 
bears  patiently  with  us,  and  waits 
day  and  night  to  be  gracious.  For  so 
strong,  so  ardent,  is  his  love  towards 
us,  that  it  cannot  be  quenched  by  any 
sins,  any  ingratitude  of  ours,  if  we  but 
sincerely  repent  of  them.  His  love  is 
higher  than  heaven,  deeper  than  the 
sea,  and  exceeding  even  our  most  ex- 
alted thoughts  and  expressions.  But 
there  is  one  thing  necessary  on  our 
part,  and  that  is,  reijetitance.  There- 
fore, he  calls  upon  all  without  distinc- 
tion, "  Come  unto  me,  all  ye  that  labor 
and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give 
you  rest."  Matt.  11  :  28.    And,  "  O  Je- 


rusalem, Jerusalem,  how  often  would  I 
have  gathered  thy  children  together  I" 
Matt.  23  :  37.  "  If  any  man  thirst,  let 
him  come  unto  me,  and  drink."  John 
7  :  37.  By  these  words  of  Holy  Scrip- 
ture, he  continually  invites  every  one 
to  come  to  him  that  stands  in  need  of 
mercy.  How  then  canst  thou  imagine 
that  He  will  forsake  thee  in  the  time 
of  trouble,  who  endured  so  many  and 
great  miseries  for  thy  sake!  It  is  for 
this  that  God  calls  himself  our  Father. 
Now  we  know  that  a  father  is  more 
compassionate  and  tender  than  a  mas- 
ter: so  that  he  would  not  have  us 
dread  him,  but  love  him  as  a  dutiful 
child  does  an  indulgent  father.  When, 
therefore,  any  affliction  befalls  thee, 
receive  it  cheerfully,  and  remember 
that  thy  Father  sends  it  to  thee  for 
good,  and  kiss  the  rod,  and  the  hand 
that  holds  it.  Consider  the  compas- 
sion of  God  as  thy  greatest  security, 
the  firm  foundation  of  all  thy  hopes; 
firmly  believing  that  thy  heavenly 
Father  will  lay  no  more  upon  thee 
than  he  knows  to  be  absolutely  neces- 
sary for  the  salvation  of  thy  soul. 

6.  Fifthly^  we  must  call  to  mind  the 
consolatory  promise  of  our  blessed 
Saviour,  '-Verily,  verily^  I  say  unio 
you,  that  ye  shall  weep  and  lament, 
but  the  world  shall  rejoice;  and  ye 
shall  be  sorrowful,  but  your  sorrow 
shall  be  turned  into  joy."  John  16  :  20. 
As  a  little  seed  is  multiplied  into  a 
number  of  grains,  so  one  affliction 
shall  produce  a  large  increase  of  spir- 
itual joy  and  glory.  '•  They  that  sow 
in  tears,  shall  reap  in  joy.  He  that 
goeth  forth  and  weepeth,  bearing- 
precious  seed,  shall  doubtless  come 
again  with  rejoicing,  bringing  his 
sheaves  with  him."  Ps.  126  :  5,  6.  If 
God  should  promise  to  convert  every 
pebble  about  thy  house  into  a  precious 
stone,  thou  wouldest  quickly  make  a 


Chap.  XLY.] 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


325 


large  collection,  and  bighly  value 
them.  The  case  of  crosses  and  afflic- 
tions is  just  the  same.  Learn  to  love 
them,  yea,  court  them,  knowing  that 
God  will  assuredlj^  convert  them  into 
treasures  of  blessings,  and  spiritual 
joys;  according  to  the  words:  '^I 
reckon  that  the  sufferings  of  this  pres- 
ent time,  are  not  worthy  to  be  com- 
pared with  the  glory  which  shall  be 
revealed  in  us."  Eom.  8:18. 

7.  The  sixth  ground  of  comfort  is 
found  in  the  examples  of  the  saints, 
none  of  whom  were  without  their 
cross.  Ask  them  one  by  one,  and  they 
will  answer  3'ou,  "  Through  much  trib- 
ulation we  entered  into  the  kingdom 
of  God."  Acts  U  :  22.  Ask  the  elders 
in  the  Revelation,  "Who  are  these?" 
and  they  will  tell  you,  "  These  are 
they  which  came  out  of  great  tribula- 
tion." Rev.  7  : 14.  Inquire  of  Abraham, 
Isaac,  Jacob,  Joseph,  Moses,  Aaron, 
David,  Daniel,  Elias,  Job,  and  all  the 
Prophets  and  Apostles;  they  will  tell 
3'ou  that  they  drank  deep  of  the  bit- 
ter cup  of  affliction,  which  was  to 
them  "  the  cup  of  salvation."  Ps.  116  : 
13.  If  we  consider  only  the  holy  mar- 
tyrs^ whose  tortures  and  sufferings 
were  terrible  and  affrighting,  we  shall 
find  that  nothing  could  seduce  them 
from  Christ.  And  what  comparison  is 
there  between  their  crosses  and  our 
light  afflictions,  who  "  have  not  yet 
resisted  unto  blood"!  Ileb.  12:4.  We 
cannot  bear  a  trivial  injury,  or  an  af- 
fronting expression  for  Christ's  sake, 
for  whom  the  blessed  martyrs  under- 
went the  most  ignominious  deaths. 
One  was  beheaded,  another  roasted 
alive,  a  third  crucified ;  some  were 
drowned,  some  stoned,  others  hanged, 
others  struck  through  with  darts, 
others  forced  to  walk  barefooted  upon 
red-hot  plates  of  iron ;  the  love  of 
Christ  so  swallowing  up  all  sense  of 


pain,  that  they  cried  out  that  "  they 
were  walking  upon  roses." 

8.  The  seventh  source  of  comfort  is, 
the  presence  of  God  with  us  under  the 
cross.  God  has  nowhere  declared  that 
he  dwells  with  the  merry,  but  rather 
with  the  afflicted  and  sorrowful.  "I 
dwell  in  the  high  and  holy  place,  with 
him  also  that  is  of  a  contrite  and 
humble  spirit,  to  revive  the  spirit  of 
the  humble,  and  to  revive  the  heart 
of  the  contrite  ones."   Isa.  57  :  15. 
'•Fear  thou  not;  for  I  am  with  thee; 
be  not  dismpyed^  for  I  am  thy  God;  I 
will  strengthen  thee;  yea,  I  will  help 
thee;  yea,  I  will  uphold  thee  with  the 
right   hand  of  my  righteousness. — 
When  thou  passest  through  the  wa- 
ters, I  will  be  with  thee;  and  through 
the  rivers^  they  shall  not  overflow 
thee;  when  thou  walkest  through  the 
fire,  thou  shalt  not  be  burned;  neither 
shall  the  flame  kindle  upon  thee."  Isa. 
41  :  10  ;  43  :  2.    "  Because  he  hath  set 
his  love  upon  me,  therefore  will  I  de- 
liver him  :  I  will  set  him  on  high,  be- 
cause he  hath  known  my  name."  Ps. 
91  : 14.  "  The  Lord  is  nigh  unto  them 
that  are  of  a  broken  heart,  and  saveth 
such  as  be  of  a  contrite  spirit."  Ps. 
34:18.    It  was  the  comforting  pres- 
ence of  God  that  enabled  the  holy 
martyrs  to  bear  up  so  boldly  under 
the  torments  that  were   laid  upon 
them,  and   to   disregard   their  tor- 
mentors, as  did  particularly  St.  Lau- 
rence and  St.  Vincent,  the  latter  of 
whom,  walking  upon  burning  coals, 
told  them,  '^he  was  walking  upon 
fragrant  roses."    Babylas,  the  mar- 
tyr, desired  that  the  chain  with  which 
he  was  bound  mia;ht  be  buried  'with 
him,  that  he  might  not  be  deprived 
of  so  great  an  ornament.  Ignatius 
wished  to  be  a  grain  of  wheat,  and  to 
be  ground  with  the   teeth  of  wild 
beasts,  that  he  might  become  clean 


32G 


TEUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


[Book  II. 


bread  unto  his  Saviour.  These  are 
such  instances  of  courage  and  joy  ful- 
ness as  utterly  exceed  the  powers  of 
nature,  and  arc  only  owing  to  the  in- 
fluences of  that  heavenly  Comforter 
who  supported  St.  Stephen,  and  made 


his  face  shine  before  the  council  as 
it  had  been  the  iiace  of  an  angel. 
Acts  G  :  15.  And  in  this  sense  is 
that  saying  of  the  Psalmist  verified, 
"  Th}^  comlbrts  delight  my  soul."  Ps. 
94  : 19. 


CHAPTER  XLVL 

MOTIVES  TO  patience;  AND,  THE  BENEFITS  OF  THE  CROSS. 

Be  patient,  brefhren,  unto  the  cowing  of  the  Lord.  Behold,  the  husbandman  v.a.iteih  for  the 
precious  fruit  of  the  earthy  and  hath  long  patience  for  it,  until  he  receive  the  early  and  latter 
rain. — James  6:  7. 


PATIENCE  is  that  virtue  by  which 
w^e  behave  ourselves  quietly  be- 
fore God  under  any  cross  or  tribula- 
tion, committing  ourselves  and  all  our 
concerns,  whether  temporal  or  eter- 
nal, without  any  reserve,  to  be  gov- 
erned and  disposed  of  by  the  all-wise 
providence  of  God,  entirely  resigning 
all  to  his  will :  to  the  practice  of  which 
the  following  arguments  strongly  per- 
suade us. 

2.  First,  because  every  cross  and 
calamity  of  life,  as  sword,  famine, 
pestilence,  and  other  punishments, 
proceed  from  God.  Nothing  happens 
in  this  world  at  random  or  by  chance, 
though,  by  the  permission  of  Provi- 
dence, many  evils  are  inflicted  on  us 
by  the  devil  and  his  instruments.  For 
thus  saith  the  Lord:  "I  form  the 
light,  and  create  darkness;  I  make 
peace,  and  create  evil ;  I  the  Lord  do 
all  these  things."  Isa.  45  :  7.  And 
"The  Lord  killeth,  and  maketh  alive; 
he  bi'ingeth  down  to  the  grave,  and 
bringeth  up."  1  Sam.  2  :  G.  What 
canst  thou  reply  to  all  this?  Wilt 
thou  be  impatient,  and  fight  against 
God? 


3.  Secondly,  v^e  must  remember  that 
our  punishments  are  less  than  we  de- 
serve. Our  sins  are  always  greater 
than  our  punishments,  and  our  suff'er- 
ings  less  than  our  ofl'ences.  Thou 
canst  not  but  own  that  the  mercies 
thou  hast  enjoyed,  from  thy  3'oulh  up 
unto  this  da}',  are  more  and  greater 
than  the  punishments  thou  hast  suf- 
fered. Why  then  shouldest  thou  not, 
with  profound  submission,  receive 
cheerfully  the  corrections  which  ho 
inflicts  for  thy  benefit,  to  save  thee 
from  destruction  ? 

4.  Thirdly,  if  we  have  in  many  ways 
provoked  God,  and  deserved  i:>unish- 
ment,  w^e  must  acknowledge  with  tho 
prophet  Daniel,  that  he  is  righteous 
in  all  that  is  brought  upon  us.  Dan. 
9:7.  Is  it  unreasonable  that  God 
should  punish  thy  sins,  either  in  this 
world  or  the  next?  And  if  this  be 
allowed,  w^hy  dost  thou  not  submit  to 
the  divine  chastisements  without  mur- 
muring or  repining?  For  it  is  better 
to  be  punished  now  than  hereafter,  as 
St.  Paul  tells  us  :  "  When  we  are 
judged,  we  are  chastened  of  the  Lord, 
that  we  should  not  be  condemned 


Chap.  XLYI.]  TEUE  CHEISTIAKITY.  327 


with  the  world."  1  Cor.  11:32.  Who- 
soever, therefore,  is  impatient,  and 
miirnnurs  ag-ainst  God,  accuses  him  of 
injustice,  and  calls  his  rig-hteousness 
in  question;  and  yet  "the  Loi'd  is 
righteous  in  all  his  ways,  and  holy  in 
all  his  works."  Ps.  145:17.  "Eight- 
eons  art  thou,  O  Lord,  and  upright 
arc  thy  judgments."  Ps.  119  :  137. 

5.  Fourthly,  doth  it  not  discover  a 
6tubborn  and  untractable  temper,  to 
fly  in  the  face  of  God,  who  has  so  long 
borne  with,  and  still  continues  to  bear 
with  thee  patientlj^-,  as  St.  Paul  says, 
speaking  of  the  goodness,  patience,  and 
long-suffering  of  God.  by  which  he  en- 
deavors to  draw  us  to  repentance  ?  See 
Rom.  2:4;  9:23;  11  :33. 

6.  Fifthly,  set  before  thine  eyes  the 
patience  of  thy  Saviour.  He  who  w^as 
spotless  innocence  and  purity  itself, 
though  he  could  have  destroyed  his 
enemies  in  a  moment,  yet  bore  their 
utmost  cruelties  with  patience,  and 
prayed  for  his  enemies.  How  much 
more  reason  then  have  we  to  be  pa- 
tient, who  have  deserved  the  greatest 
punishment,  even  eternal  punishment. 
As  Jacob  served  seven  years  for  Eachel 
(Gen.  29  :  18),  so  Christ,  for  our  sakes, 
submitted  to  the  greatest  miseries  of 
hfe,  for  three  and  thirty  years.  And 
should  we  refuse  to  suffer  a  short  af- 
fliction for  his  sake?  Consider  the 
patience  of  all  the  saints,  as  Joseph, 
and  Moses,  who  offered  to  lay  down 
his  life  for  his  people.  Exod.  32  :  32. 
So  David  saj's,  "If  I  shall  find  favor 
in  the  eyes  of  the  Lord,  he  will  bring 
me  again,  and  show  me  both  it  (the 
ark)  and  his  habitation  ;  but  if  he  thus 
say,  I  have  no  delight  in  thee  ;  behold 
here  am  I,  let  him  do  to  me  as  seemeth 
good  unto  him."  2  Sam.  15  :  25.  Con- 
sider also  the  cases  of  Job,  and  the 
holj'  Apostles  and  Martyrs. 

7.  Sixthly^  the  remembrance  of  God's 


great  mercies  should  move  us  to  pa- 
tience. For,  first  of  all,  thou  art  as- 
sured, that  by  Christ  thou  art  recon- 
ciled unto  God,  and  that  therefore  no 
man  can  rob  thee  of  this  transcendent 
merc}^,  though  the  whole  world  should 
league  together  against  thee :  "  for  the 
mercy  of  the  Lord  is  from  everlasting 
to  everlasting  upon  them  that  fear 
him."  Ps.  103  :  17.  What  then  can 
separate  us  from  the  love  of  God? 
Eom.  8  :  38,  39.  Moreover,  thou  art 
redeemed  by  Christ  unto  everlasting 
life ;  a  privilege  which  no  creature  can 
take  from  thee.  Now^  if  the  case  be 
so,  that  the  love  of  God  and  thy  eter- 
nal salvation  are  firmly  secured  to 
thee  ;  it  will  surely  be  easy  for  thee  to 
despise  the  threats  and  assaults  of  ex- 
ternal enemies  and  persecutors,  and, 
like  the  blessed  martyrs  of  old,  to  be 
wholly  regardless  of  what  man  can  do 
unto  thee. 

8.  The  seventh  support  of  j^atienco 
is  found  in  the  truth  and  pron:iise  of 
God.  "  Therefore  will  the  Lord  wait, 
that  he  may  be  gracious  unto  you; 
and  therefore  will  he  be  exalted,  that 
he  may  have  mercy  on  you :  for  the 
Lord  is  a  God  of  judgment:  blessed 
are  all  they  that  wait  for  him."  Isa. 
33  :  18.  See  also  Ps.  25  :  3  ;  Lam.  3  : 
25.  "  Blessed  is  the  man  that  enduiicth 
temptation ;  for  when  he  is  ti'ied,  he 
shall  receive  the  crown  of  life."  Jam. 
1  :  12. 

9.  Eighthly,  we  ought  to  submit  to 
anything  for  the  sake  of  the  glory  of 
God.  Thus  the  three  men  in  the  fiery 
furnace  (Dan.  3  : 16,  etc.) ;  Daniel  in 
the  lions'  den;  Joseph  in  prison;  Da- 
vid in  banishment;  all  gave  glory  to 
God  by  their  patient  suffering. 

10.  Ninthly,  for  the  sake  of  our  own 
advantage.  For,  first,  we  learn  many 
great  and  useful  lessons  under  the  dis- 
cipline of  the  cross.    "Patience  work- 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  II. 


etb  cxperior.ce  "  (Itom.  5  :  4),  saith  St. 
Paul.  Secoiitllj,  patience  breaks  tlie 
violence  of  our  sufferings;  upon  which 
account  our  blessed  Lord  promises  reU 
to  those  that  bear  his  yoke.  Matt.  11  : 
29.  On  the  other  hand,  impatience 
disquiets  the  soul,  adds  grief  to  our 
trouble,  and  a  sting  to  our  wounds, 
and  sometimes  casts  us  into  destruc- 
tion both  of  body  and  soul;  an  in- 
stance of  w^hich  we  have  in  the  Israel- 
ites, w^ho,  being  impatient,  and  mur- 
muring against  God,  w^ere  destroyed 
by  fiery  serpents  in  the  wilderness. 
Num.  21  :  6. 

11.  Tenths  great  is  the  rcAvard  of 
patience.  So  Job,  having  been  de- 
spoiled of  all  his  goods,  was  rewarded 
with  a  double  portion.  Job  42  :  10.  For, 
"Blessed  are  the  meek;  for  they  shall 
inherit  the  earth."  Matt.  5  :  5.  And, 
by  consequence,  cursed  are  the  impa- 
tient, for  they  shall  be  disinherited. 

12.  Eleventh,  patience  is  a  virtue  of 
unspeakable  advantage  to  all  orders 
of  men.  In  the  Church  it  is  a  virtue 
which  enables  men  to  bear  the  oppo- 
sition, contempt,  and  persecution  to 
which  they  ma}"  be  exposed  b^-  the 
conscientious  discharge  of  their  duty. 
In  the  State  it  is  a  useful  virtue,  ena- 
bling men  to  bear  with  patience  the 
odium  and  reproach  that  generally  at- 
tends public  stations.  For  history  in- 
forms us,  that  impatience,  and  a  desire 
of  revenge,  have  been  the  ruin  of  many 
flourishing  states  and  kingdoms.  As 
to  the  concerns  of  private  families, 
how  necessary  patience  is  there,  may 
be  learned  from  every  one's  experience, 
particularly  from  those  that  have  en- 
tered into  the  marriage-state;  in  which 
respect,  these  words  of  Solomon  are 
applicable,  "He  that  is  slow  to  anger, 
is  better  than  the  mighty."  Prov.  16  : 
82. 

13.  Twelfth,  consider  that  Christ  has 


taken  out  the  sting  of  our  afflictions, 
so  that  they  cannot  hurt  us  Avith  re- 
gard to  our  eternal  haj^piness;  for  by 
his  cross  and  passion  he  has  made  an 
atonement  for  our  sins,  and  has  taken 
away  those  punishments  that  were  due 
to  them.  If  then  our  cross  be  sancti- 
fied by  the  cross  of  Christ,  and  is  to 
us  a  remedy  against  all  our  spiritual 
diseases,  it  follows  that  the  cross  itself 
is  a  help  to  salvation;  which  made  the 
Apostle  say,  "All  things  work  together 
for  good  to  them  that  love  God."  Rom. 
8  :  28. 

14.  Lastly,  consider  how"  light  thy 
afflictions  are  w^hen  compared  with 
"the  glory  that  shall  be  revealed  in 
us."  Rom.  8  :  18.  Upon  which  ac- 
count the  love  of  God  is  still  more 
illustrious,  in  that  he  is  pleased  to  af 
flict  us  in  this  world.  For  the  dura- 
tion of  a  temporal  affliction,  if  com- 
pared to  eternity,  is  but  for  a  moment , 
on  the  other  hand,  the  joy  that  it  pro- 
duces lasts  to  eternity.  Hence  we 
ought  to  wish  and  pray  for  afflictions 
in  this  world,  that  Ave  may  have  rest 
in  the  other.  Therefore,  St.  Peter 
says:  "Though  now  for  a  season  ye 
are  in  heaviness; — yet  ye  rejoice  with 
joy  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory." 
1  Pet.  1 :  6,  8. 

THE  BENEFITS  OF  THE  CROSS. 

15.  The  cross  is  the  strait  and  nar- 
row w"ay  leading  to  life, — a  rod  of  di- 
vine correction,  to  awaken  us  from 
the  sleep  of  sin  and  death, — the  morn- 
ing star  that  ushers  in  the  sun  of 
consolation, — a  token  of  divine  favor, 
like  the  rainbow.  It  brings  us  to  a 
conformity  with  Christ, — strips  us  of 
the  armor  of  darkness,  and  clothes  us 
with  the  armor  of  light.  It  is  a  plant 
of  life, — a  cup  of  salvation, — a  trial  of 
faith, — the  edification  of  our  neighbor 
— the  parent  of  love, — a  companion  of 


CiiAP.  XLYII.] 


TEUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


329 


hope, — a  forerunner  of  grace, — a  med- 
icine of  the  soul, — a  preservative 
against  sin, — a  destroyer  of  the  car- 
nal life, — a  cherisher  of  the  spiritual 
life, — a  change  of  the  earthly  mind, — 
a  forsaking  of  the  world, — an  increase 
of  heaven Ij^  gifts, — a  conqueror  of 
pride, — a  nurse  of  humility, — a  teacher 
of  patience, — a  renewer  of  the  spirit, — 
a  strengthener  of  virtue, — a  discipline 


of  the  body, — an  enlivencr  of  the 
mind,  —  a  parent  of  wisdom,  —  a 
teacher  of  meekness, — an  encoura'^er 
of  prayer, — a  mistress  of  patience, — a 
guardian  of  chastity, — the  peace  of  the 
conscience, — a  source  of  inward  joys 
— a  glittering  jewel  of  the  faithful, — 
the  crown  of  the  martyrs, — the  glor37 
of  the  elect. 


CHAPTER  XLVII. 

SENTENCES,  AND  EXAMPLES  OF  PATIENCE  AND  CONSOLATION. 
We  must  through  much  tribulation  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God. — Acts  14  :  22. 


AS  the  life  of  a  Christian  consists  of 
crosses  and  afflictions,  through 
which  he  must  enter  into  the  kingdom 
of  God;  so  he  must  arm  himself  with 
patience,  and  beg  it  earnestly  of  God. 
We  must  not  think  that  we  are  born 
for  pastime  and  diversion,  but  for 
many  afflictions  and  trials  of  patience. 
And  here  w^e  will  consider  three  sev- 
eral arguments.  The  first  shall  con- 
tain some  select  sentences  and  testi- 
monies of  Scripture.  The  second, 
examples.  And  the  third,  encourage- 
ments. 


I.    SOME  SENTENCES  AND  TESTIMONIES 
or  SCRIPTURE. 

2.  Patience  submits  itself  with  meek- 
ness, quietness,  and  humility,  to  the 
cross;  receiving  all  kinds  of  afflictions, 
calamities,  and  persecutions,  whether 
bodily  or  spiritual,  as  the  cross  and 
yoke  of  Christ.  By  this  we  follow^ 
our  blessed  Saviour,  not  murmuring 
against  God,  but  acknowledging  in 
faith,  that  God  is  reconciled  to  us 


through  Christ,  and  comforting  our 
selves  under  the  severest  trials,  wnth 
the  hopes  of  deliverance.  This  is  also 
called  meekness  towards  them  that  in- 
jure and  persecute  us,  leaving  the 
avenging  of  our  quarrel  to  God  ;  not 
upon  a  principle  of  reason  or  worldly 
policy,  but  arising  from  the  grace  of 
God,  as  the  fruit  and  effect  of  true 
faith. 

3.  The  parts  of  this  description  are 
— 1.  Obedience.  2.  Imitation.  3.  Not 
to  murmur.  4.  To  consider  God  as  re- 
conciled to  us  through  Christ.  5.  To 
lessen  our  afflictions  by  hope.  6.  To 
behave  ourselves  with  meekness  to- 
w^ards  our  persecutors.  7.  Not  to  ex- 
ercise revenge.  And  so  it  contains  in 
it  faith,  hope,  charity,  humility,  meek- 
ness, and  obedience. 

4.  These  virtues  are  to  be  practised 
and  exercised  by  all  the  disciples  of 
Christ,  who  are  purchased  for  heaven 
and  eternal  life :  for  against  such  the 
devil,  that  great  dragon  and  old  ser- 
pent (Rev.  12  :  7-9),  yea,  and  the 


330 


TRUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


[Book  II. 


whole  world,  are  fighting  continually. 
Hence  it  is  said,  '^The  dragon  was 
wn^oth  with  the  woman,  and  went  to 
make  war  with  the  remnant  of  her 
seed,  which  keep  the  commandments 
of  God,  and  have  the  testimony  of  Je- 
sus Christ."  Eev.  12:17.  To  this  also 
may  be  referred  the  following:  "If 
any  man  will  come  after  me,  let  him 
deny  himself,  and  take  up  his  cross, 
and  follow  me.  For  whosoever  will 
save  his  life,  shall  lose  it;  and  whoso- 
ever will  lose  his  life  for  my  sake,  shall 
find  it"  (Matt.  16:24,  25):  that  is, 
Whosoever  shall  refuse  to  bear  the 
cross  for  Christ's  sake,  and  shall  flee 
from  it,  shall  lose  his  soul. 

5.  "  Ye  shall  be  hated  of  all  men,  for 
my  name's  sake."  Mark  13  : 13.  This 
is  indeed  a  heavy  cross,  to  be  hated  of 
all  men  ;  but  as  it  is  for  Christ's  sake, 
this  affords  great  consolation. 

6.  Concerning  religious  persecutions, 
our  blessed  Saviour  prophesies,  "  They 
shall  lay  their  hands  on  you,  and  per- 
secute you,  delivering  you  up  to  the 
synagogues,  and  into  prisons,  being 
brought  before  kings  and  rulers  for  my 
name's  sake. — In  3'our  patience  pos- 
sess ye  3'our  souls."  Luke  21 :  12,  19. 

7.  If  the  world  hate  you,  ye  know 
that  it  hated  me  before  it  hated  3'ou. 
If  ye  were  of  the  world,  the  world 
would  love  his  own;  but  because  ye 
are  not  of  the  world,  but  I  have  chosen 
you  out  of  the  world,  therefore  the 
world  hateth  you."  John  15  :  18, 19,  20. 

8.  "  They  shall  put  you  out  of  the 
synagogues;  yea,  the  time  cometh  that 
whosoever  killetli  3'ou,  will  think  that 
he  doeth  God  service."  John  16:2. 

9.  When  St.  Paul  had  been  stoned 
at  Lystra,  but  encouraged  by  the  dis- 
courses of  the  disciples,  "  he  confirmed 
the  souls  of  the  disciples, — exhorting 
them  to  continue  in  the  faith  :  and  that 
We  must,  through  much  tribulation, 


enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God."  Acts 
14  :  22. 

10.  "  We  are  troubled  on  ever}^  side, 
yet  not  distressed  ;  we  are  perplexed, 
but  not  in  despair;  persecuted,  but 
not  forsaken  ;  cast  down,  but  not  de- 
stroyed;  always  bearing  about  in  the 
body  the  dying  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  that 
the  life  also  of  Jesus  might  be  made 
manifest  in  our  body."  2  Cor.  4  :8. 

11.  "Thou  therefore  endure  hard- 
ness, as  a  good  soldier  of  Jesus  Christ. 
If  a  man  strive  for  masteries,  yet  is  ho 
not  crowned,  except  he  strive  lawfully. 
If  we  suffer,  we  shall  also  reign  with 
him."  2Tim.  2:3,  5, 12.  "All  that  will 
live  godl}^  in  Christ  Jesus,  shall  suffer 
persecution."  2  Tim.  3  :  12. 

12.  "  Ye  have  need  of  patience,  that 
after  ye  have  done  the  will  of  God,  ye 
might  receive  the  j)romise."  Ileb.  10: 
36. 

13.  "Let  us  run  with  patience  the 
race  that  is  set  before  us,  looking  unto 
Jesus  the  author  and  finisher  of  our 
faith  ;  who  for  the  joy  that  was  set 
before  him  endured  the  cross,  despisintij 
the  shame,  and  is  set  down  at  tho 
right  hand  of  the  throne  of  God.  For, 
consider  him  that  endured  such  con. 
tradiction  of  sinners  against  himself, 
lest  ye  be  w^earied  and  faint  in  ^^our 
minds."  Ileb.  12  :  1-3. 

14.  "Now  for  a  season,  if  need  be, 
ye  are  in  heaviness  through  manifold 
temptations;  that  the  trial  of  your 
faith  n^ight  be  found  much  more  pre- 
cious than  of  gold  that  perisheth."  1 
Peter  1 :  6,  7. 

15.  "  Because  thou  hast  kept  the 
word  of  my  patience,  I  also  will  keep 
thee  from  the  hour  of  terapcation, 
which  shall  come  upon  all  the  world, 
to  try  them  that  dwell  upon  the  earth." 
Eev.  3:10.  "Be  thou  faithful  unto 
death,  and  I  will  give  thee  a  crown  of 
life."  Eev.  2  : 10. 


Chap.  XLVIL] 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


331 


II.  EXAMPLES  OF  PATIENCE. 

16.  Abraham  suffered  many  things 
from  the  Chaldeans,  Canaanites,  and 
Egyptians.  "  Then  came  he  out  of  the 
land  of  the  Chaldeans,  and  dwelt  in 
Charran.  And  he  gave  him  none  in- 
heritance in  it,  no,  not  so  much  as  to 
set  his  foot  on.  And  God  spake  on 
this  wise,  That  his  seed  should  sojourn 
in  a  strange  land ;  and  that  they  should 
bring  them  into  bondage,  and  entreat 
them  evil  four  hundred  3'ears."  Acts 
7  :  4-G.  '"By  faith  Abraham,  when  he 
was  called  to  go  out  into  a  place  which 
he  should  after  receive  for  an  inheri- 
tance, obej'cd ;  and  he  w^ent  out,  not 
knowing  whither  he  went.  By  faith 
he  sojourned  in  the  land  of  promise,  as 
in  a  strange  country,  dwelling  in  tab- 
ernacles. For  he  looked  for  a  city 
which  hath  foundations,  whose  builder 
and  maker  is  God."  Ileb.  11  : 8,  9. 
"He  delivered  just  Lot,  vexed  with 
the  filthy  conversation  of  the  wicked. 
The  Lord  knoweth  liow  to  deliver  the 
godly  out  of  temptation,  and  to  re- 
serve the  unjust  unto  the  day  of  judg- 
ment to  be  punished."  2  Peter  2  :  7,  9. 
Isaac  refused  not  to  be  offered  up  for 
a  burnt  sacrifice.  Gen.  22:9.  Jacob 
also  had  a  great  share  of  suffering.  He 
fled  from  his  brother  Esau,  passing 
over  Jordan  with  his  staff.  Gen.  32  : 
10.  "  By  his  strength  he  had  power 
with  God  ;  yea,  he  had  power  over  the 
angel,  and  prevailed ;  he  wept  and 
made  supplication  unto  him."  Hosea 
12  : 3,  4.  lie  saith  unto  Pharaoh, 
"  The  days  of  the  years  of  ray  pilgrim- 
age are  a  hundred  and  thirty  j^ears; 
few  and  evil."  Gen.  47  :  9.  "  Ye  have 
heard  of  the  patience  of  Job,  and  have 
seen  the  end  of  the  Lord."  Jam.  5  :  11. 
Moses  was  meek,  and  afflicted  above 
all  the  men  that  were  upon  the  face  of 
the  earth.  Numb.  12:3.  He  "chose 
rather  to  sufi'er  affliction  with  the 


people  of  God,  than  to  enjoy  the  pleas- 
ures of  sin  for  a  season."  Heb.  11  :  25. 
How  many  afflictions  did  David  sutler, 
who  was  a  type  of  Christ!  "  O  Lord 
my  God,  in  thee  do  I  put  my  trust; 
save  me  from  all  them  that  persecute 
me,  and  deliver  me."  Ps.  7:1.  "  Lord, 
thou  hast  heard  the  desire  of  the  hum- 
ble." Ps.  10  : 17.  Solomon's  n)otto  was, 
"The  fear  of  the  Lord  is  the  instruc- 
tion of  wisdom  ;  and  before  (the) 
honor  (that  is,  of  the  next  world)  is 
humility."  Prov.  15  :  33.  What  pa- 
tience had  not  the  thi'ce  men  in  the 
fiery  furnace  (Dan.  3 : 21),  and  the 
holy  Apostles  and  Martyrs!  The  pa- 
tience of  Christ  exceeds  all  these  ex- 
amples. 1.  Because  he  was  most  obe- 
dient upon  the  cross.  2.  Because  he 
murmured  not  against  God.  3.  Because 
he  held  fast  his  confidence  in  God,  and 
called  him  his  God,  though  forsaken 
by  him.  Matt.  27:46.  4.  Because  he 
heartily  prayed  for  his  enemies;  and 
revenged  not  himself  when  it  was  in 
his  power. 


III.  CONSOLATIONS. 

17.  ^'Blessed  are  they  that  mourn; 
for  they  shall  be  comforted."  Matt.  5  : 
4.  ''Come  unto  me,  all  ye  that  labor 
and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give 
you  rest.  Take  my  yoke  upon  you, 
and  learn  of  me;  for  I  am  meek  and 
lowly  in  heart:  and  ye  shall  find  rest 
unto  your  souls.  For  my  3'oke  is  easy, 
and  my  burden  is  light."  Matt.  11  : 
28-80.  In  these  words  there  is  a  five- 
fold consolation.  1.  That  the  afflicted 
may  come  to  Christ.  2.  May  be  re- 
freshed. 3.  May  take  up  his  yoke. 
4.  May  find  rest  unto  their  souls.  5. 
That  his  yoke  is  easy.  For  when  it 
is  borne  for  Christ's  sake,  it  is  not 
burdensome,  but  refreshing.  Hence 
St.  Paul  saith,  "  We  glory  in  tribula- 
tions; knowing  that  tribulation  work- 


332 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  II. 


eth  patience,  and  patience,  experience, 
and  experience,  hope,  and  hope  maketh 
not  ashamed:  because  the  love  of  God 
is  slied  abroad  in  our  hearts  by  the 
Holy  Ghost."  Rom.  5  :  3,  4,  5.  "Bless- 
ed is  the  man  that  endureth  tempta- 
tion ;  for  when  he  is  tried,  he  shall  re- 
ceive the  crown  of  life,  which  the  Lord 
hath  promised  to  them  that  love  him." 


James  1  : 12.  "Who  shall  separate  us 
from  the  love  of  Christ  ?"— "  All  things 
work  together  for  good  to  them  that 
love  God."  Rom.  8  :  85,  28.  "In  the 
world  ye  shall  have  tribulation;  but 
be  of  good  cheer;  I  have  overcome 
the  world."  John  16  :  23.  "  I  have 
fought  a  good  fight."  2  Tim.  4  :  7. 


CHAPTER  XLYIII. 

THERE  IS  NO  AFFLICTION  FOR  WHICH  GOD  HAS  NOT  PROVIDED  APPROPRIATE  CON- 
SOLATION. THE  CONSOLATION  WHICH  HE  AFFORDS  IS  ALWAYS  GREATER  THAN 
OUR  MISERY;  THIS  CONSIDERATION  SHOULD  SUSTAIN  AND  CONFIRM  OUR  PA- 
HENCE. 


TliE  holy  Apostle  St.  Paul,  when 
meditating  upon  the  tender  mer- 
cies and  compassions  of  our  Heavenly 
Father  to  all  afflicted  and  contrite  sin- 
ners, breaks  out  into  these  words,  full 
of  the  praise  of  God:  "  Blessed  he  God, 
even  the  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
the  Father  of  mercies,  and  the  God  of  all 
comfort;  who  comfort  eth  us  in  all  our 
tribulation,  that  we  may  be  able  to  com- 
fort them  which  are  in  any  trouble,  by 
the  comfort  wherewith  we  ourselves  are 
comforted  of  God.  For  as  the  sufferings 
of  Christ  abound  in  us,  so  our  consola- 
tioji  also  aboundeth  by  Christ — knowing 
that  as  ye  are  'partakers  of  the  sufferings, 
so  shall  ye  be  also  of  the  consolation.^' 
2  Cor.  1 :  3-7. 

2.  In  these  words,  so  full  of  grace, 
the  holy  Apostle  gives  thanks  to  God 
for  heavenly  consolation;  which  is  in- 
deed the  only  remedy  against  all  the 
troubles  and  adversities  that  oppress 
us  in  this  life;  teaching,  at  the  same 
time,  that  no  adversity  befalls  us,  how 
great  soever,  but  God  supports  us  un- 


der it  by  his  divine  comfort,  which  is 
more  abundant  than  our  suiferings.  { 
This  he  confirms  by  seven  weighty  ar-  1' 
guments,  which  he  repeats  in  regular 
order.  ^ 
3.  The  first  is,  because  God  is  the  i 
Father  of  mercies,  which  is  the  most 
cheering  appellation  that  can  be  con- 
ceived: for  he  shows  himself  a  Father, 
not  only  in  name,  but  in  sincerity  and  \ 
truth  to  all  afl[licted  souls.    Consider  ' 
what  are  the  properties  of  a  father;  for 
they  all  belong  to  God  our  Heavenly  ■; 
Father.    It  is  the  part  of  a  father,  j 
1.  To  love  his  children.    2.  To  take 
care  of  them.    3.  To  feed  them.   4.  ! 
To  defend  them.    5.  To  correct  and 
instruct  them.  6.  To  pity  their  infirm- 
ities.  7.  To  be  tender  of  them.   8.  To 
give  them  an  inheritance.    If  a  man  \ 
will  but  thoroughly  consider  those 
particulars,  he  must  acknowledge  that 
the  very  name  of  a  father  carries  in  it  | 
such  a  treasure  of  comfort,  as  abun-  1 
dantly  outweighs  all  the  miseries  of 
human  life.    And  to  illustrate  this  | 


(;hap.  xlviil] 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


333 


yet  more  perfeclly,  St.  Pan],  by  a 
most  Bignifieaiit  epithet,  calls  him,  the 
I  Father  of  mercies;  that  is,  the  eternal 
fountain  of  all  that  tenderness  and  af- 
^  faction  that  is  diffused  through  the 
;  hearts  of  so  many  thousands  of  fa- 
I  thers.   Hence  it  follows,  that  no  cross 
can  befall  the  children  of  God  so  great, 
as  is  the  comfort  that  arises  from  the 
j  Father  of  mercies. 

j     4.  The  second  argument  is  contained 
j  in  this  expression,  f/ie  God  of  all  cov) fort ; 
j  that  is,  he  overflows  with  eternal  and 
infinite  comforts.    For  as  God  is  the 
eternal,  infinite,  and  chief  Good;  and 
on  the  other  hand,  our  crosses  are 
finite  and  temporal;  what  can  proceed 
from  that  eternal  and  chief  Good,  but 
perpetual  comfort,  not  only  equal,  but 
superior  to   our  greatest  affliction  ? 
For  as  our  miseries  are  finite,  and  the 
j  consolations  of  God  are  infinite,  it 
clearly  follows  that  the  latter  must  be 
superior  to  the  former. 

5.  The  third  argument  is,  the  ex- 
ample of  St.  Paul,  and  all  the  saints. 
"  God,"  saith  he,  "comforteth  us  in  all 
our  tribulation."    If  we  but  read  the 
histories  of  holy  men  of  former  times, 
and  compare  their  trials  and  afflictions 
with  the  divine  consolations  where- 
with they  were  supported  under  them, 
we  shall  easily  perceive  that  our  afflic- 
tions are  but  light  in  comparison  with 
their  torments;  and  that  no  cross  can 
I  befall  us  so  great,  as  to  exceed  those 
divine  comforts  and  suj^ports  which 
the  holy  martyrs  enjoyed.    Who  will 
}  presume  to  compare  his  crosses  with 
'  those  of  Job?    Who  can  say  he  has 
been  afilicted  like  Jeremiah  (Jer.  20  : 
7,  etc.)?  or  tried  like  David?  Ps.  88. 
And  what  is  our  cross  compared  with 
j  that  of  Christ?  or  are  our  sufferings, 
j  compared  with  the  torments  of  the 
I  holy  martyrs?     Their  examples,  as 
they  were  the  children  of  God,  our 


Heavenly  Father  has  set  before  our 
eyes,  to  teach  us,  1.  That  the  cross  is 
the  sanctuary  of  the  true  Christian. 

2.  His  heavenly  and  spiritual  glory. 

3.  His  victory  over  the  world  and 
the  devil.  4.  His  preparation  for  the 
kingdom  of  heaven.  5.  That  without 
the  cross  no  man  can  enter  into  the 
kingdom  of  God.  6.  That  the  cross 
is  the  image  of  Christ.  7.  That  it  is 
an  exalted  and  sublime  mj'stery,  in 
which  lies  hid  the  highest  wisdom  of 
God.  But  flesh  and  blood  cannot 
comprehend  this,  neither  taste  the 
heavenly  manna  hidden  in  the  w^ord 
of  God,  except  by  the  cross.  Hence, 
the  divine  comforts  are  greater  than 
any  human  sufferings. 

6.  The  fourth  is  expressed  in  these 
words, That  we  may  be  able  to  com- 
fort them  which  are  in  any  trouble, 
by  the  comfort  wherewith  w^e  our- 
selves are  comforted  of  God."  Now, 
how  did  God  comfort  the  apostles  ? 
And  how  do  they  comfort  us  again  ? 
Certainly,  by  the  gracious  promises 
in  his  holy  Word.  Hence  it  is  said, 
"  Whatsoever  things  were  written 
aforetime,  w^ere  written  for  our  learn- 
ing, that  we,  through  patience  and 
comfort  of  the  Scriptures,  might  have 
hope."  Eom.  15:4.  Now,  whosoever 
reads  the  Word  of  God  as  he  ought, 
must  needs  observe  how  kindly  God 
vouchsafes  to  treat  with  us,  what 
abundance  of  grace,  what  spiritual 
and  eternal  blessings  he  promises  to 
bestow  upon  us;  so  that  we  must 
needs  confess  that  such  comfort  out- 
weighs all  the  sufferings  of  human 
life.  For  though  it  is  said  of  this 
troublesome  world,  "  that  all  the  sons 
of  Adam,  from  the  da}'  of  their  birth, 
find  it  full  of  trouble  and  unquietness, 
fear,  anger,  and  strife;"  yet,  if  to  this 
state  of  trouble  and  misery  we  op- 
pose the  glories  of  the  eternal  king- 


334 


TKUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


[Book  II. 


dom  (2  Cor.  4  : 17),  it  will  appear  that 
the  joys  of  the  next  life,  promised  in 
the  Word  of  God,  are  vastl}^  superior 
to  the  miseries  of  this.  It  is,  indeed, 
true,  that  sin  is  a  very  great  and 
dreadful  evil,  daily  encompassing  us 
about,  and  involving  us  in  innumera- 
ble miseries.  Yet,  if  we  but  call  to 
mind  that  Christ  is  our  righteousness, 
it  will  thence  follow  that  the  burden 
of  sin  which  lies  upon  us  is  much  less 
than  our  s])iritual  consolation  w'hich 
is  in  Christ  Jesus.  For  greater  is  the 
righteousness  which  is  in  Christ  than 
the  sin  which  is  in  us.  In  short,  the 
Word  of  God  so  abounds  and  over- 
flows with  heavenly  consolations,  that 
the  heart  of  man  is  too  narrow  to  re- 
ceive them.  It  is  like  the  poor  wid- 
ow's pot  of  oil  (2  Kings  4  :  6),  which, 
b}'  the  blessing  of  Elisha,  produced 
more  oil  than  there  w^ere  vessels  to 
receive.  Yea,  it  often  happens  that  a 
word  of  Holy  Scripture  can  comfort  a 
man  more  than  the  whole  w^orld,  ^'ca, 
than  the  devil  himself  can  distress 
him.  "The  river  of  God  is  full  of 
water,"  eaith  David  (Ps.  G5 :  9),  so 
full  that  no  man  can  emi)ty  it.  There- 
fore, God  calls  himself  "The  fountain 
of  living  waters."  Jer.  2:  18.  And  so 
in  Ps.  3G  :  9,  "  With  thee  is  the  foun- 
tain of  life;  in  thy  light  shall  we  see 
light."  Who,  then,  can  think  that 
the  fountain  of  sin  and  death  more 
abounds  with  affliction  than  the  foun- 
tain of  life  with  comforts? 

7.  The  fifth  ground  of  comfort  is 
that  the  apostle  calls  the  cross  of  the 
faithful,  "the  sufferings  of  Christ." 
And  that  1.  Because  all  the  faithful 
are  the  spiritual  members  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Now,  as  the  head 
feels  all  the  pains  of  every  member 
of  tne  body,  by  a  certain  sympathy 
arising  from  its  union  with  them;  so 
Christ,  who  is  our  Head,  feels  all  the 


crosses  and  sufferings  of  every  mem- 
ber. 2.  Because  Christ  dwells  in  his 
faithful  servants,  and  is  vitally  united 
to  them  ;  therefore,  also,  he  suffers  in 
his  members,  sharing  in  all  their  suf- 
ferings, banishments,  and  persecu- 
tions, as  he  witnes«!ed  by  a  voice  from 
heaven,  "  Saul,  Saul,  why  persecutest  i 
thou  me  ?"  Acts  9:4.  3.  Because 
we  are  born  anew  of  Christ,  and  he  ig 
our  "everlasting  Father."  Isa.  9:6. 
Now^  we  know,  that  the  heart  of  a 
father  has  a  very  tender  sense  of  the 
sufferings  of  his  child.  Therefore,  the 
sufferings  of  all  believers  are  the  suf-  I 
ferings  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  And 
if  it  be  so,  canst  thou  think  any  afflic- 
tion so  great  that  it  cannot  be  made  j 
easy  and  tolerable  by  this  considera- 
tion, that  Christ  is  thy  Head,  and  thou  i 
art  his  member;  that  he  is  united  to  I 
thee,  dwells  in  thee,  and  suffers  in  thee, 
regarding  all  thy  sufferings  as  his  own ; 
that  he  is  thy  Father,  and  feels  in  him- 
self all  the  crosses,  pains,  and  afflic- 
tions that  are  laid  upon  thee? 

8.  The  sixth  ground  of  consolation, 
the  Apostle  deduces  from  Jesus  Christ,  l 
the  spring  and  foundation  of  all  com- 
fort, in  these  words  :  "  Our  consolation  | 
aboundeth  by  Christ."    As  sin  is  the  | 
fountain  of  all  misery;  so  is  Jesus  ! 
Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  the  spring  and 
fountain  of  all  joy  and  comfort.  !Now 
as  the  power  of  Christ  is  greater  thun 
the  power  of  sin ;  so  is  the  comfort  that  j 
proceedeth  from  him  greater  and  more  ' 
powerful  than  any  misery  that  can 
arise  from  sin;  according  to  the  words 
of  St.  Paul,  "  Where  sin  abounded 
grace  did  much  more  abound."  Eom. 
5  :  20.     "  For  it  pleased  the  Father, 
that  in  Christ  should  all  fulness  dwell." 
Col.  1 : 19.  Him,  therefore,  the  prophet 
Isaiah  (Isa.  61:1)  describes  as  sent 
from  God  to  comfort  all  that  mourn. 
Whence  it  follows,  that  the  comforts 


Chap.  XL VIII.] 


TEUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


flowing  from  Christ,  are  greater  than 
any  crosses  and  sorrows  which  w^o 
endure. 

9.  The  seventh  comfort  which  the 
Apostle  mentions,  is  the  glory  of 
Christ:  hence  he  says,  "As  ye  are 
partakers  oi'  his  sufferings,  so  shall  ye 
bo  also  of  the  consolation."  This  glory 
we  know  to  be  so  great,  that  he  is 
glorious,  not  anly  with  respect  to  his 
own  Person,  in  a  manner  incommuni- 
cable to  his  body,  which  is  the  Church  ; 
but  also  that  he,  as  the  Head  of  the 
Church,  was  exalted  to  glory  for  that 
ver}^  end,  that  all  the  members  of  his 
body  might  be  partakers  with  him. 
Hence  St.  Paul  calls  him,  "The  head 
of  the  church  which  is  his  body,  the 
fulness  of  him  that  fiUeth  all  in  all." 
Ephes.  1  :  22,  23.  And  now,  what  ca- 
lamity, what  cross,  what  affliction  can 
be  so  bitter,  as  not  to  be  sweetened  by 
the  consolation  arising  from  such  fu- 
ture glory?  Wherefore  St.  Paul  does 
not  "  reckon  the  sufferings  of  this  pres- 
ent time  to  be  worthy  to  be  com- 
pared with  the  glory  that  shall  be  re- 
vealed in  us."  Eom.  8:18. 

10.  It  now  remains  that  we  speak 
of  the  five  means,  by  which  we  may 
be  partakers  of  these  comforts. 

11.  The  first  is,  true  repentance  and 
knovjledge  of  sin.  Without  this,  the  soul 
is  not  capable  of  comfort;  according 
to  that  saying  of  Christ,  "Thc}^  that 
be  whole  need  not  a  phj'sician,  but 
they  that  are  sick."  Matt.  9  :  12.  On 
the  other  hand,  a  soul  that  has  a  true 
sense  of  sin,  understands  that  sin  has 
cast  it  into  so  many  miseries  and  ca- 
lamities, and  therefore  murmurs  not 
against  God,  but  abhors  itself  and  its 
own  iniquities  (Lam.  3  :  39)  ;  and  con- 
fesses that  God  is  just  in  all  that  he 
has  brought  upon  it.  For  as  sin,  like 
a  general  contagion,  has  infected  the 
whole  mass  of  mankind;  so  also  the 


sentence  of  misery  and  affliction  in 
this  moral  state,  has  passed  upon  all, 
for  that  all  have  sinned.  And  whoever, 
like  the  prophet  Daniel  (Dan.  9  :  7, 16), 
confesses  his  sin,  shall  find  consola- 
tion descending  npon  him  from  heaven 
like  an  angel,  as  in  the  case  of  Daniel, 
ch.  9:21. 

12.  The  second  means,  is  faith^  which 
hangs  upon  Jesus  Christ,  as  the  infant 
upon  the  mother's  bosom.  It  rests 
entirely  in  the  paternal  affection  of 
the  God  of  all  consolation.  It  holds 
fast  by  Jesus  Christ,  as  Jacob  did  by 
the  angel,  saying,  "  I  will  not  let  thee 
go,  except  thou  bless  me."  Gen.  32  :  26. 
It  is  faith  which  in  Christ  Jesus  over- 
Cometh  sin,  death,  the  world,  the  devil^ 
and  all  misery.  For  "  all  things  are 
possible  to  him  that  believeth."  Mark 
9  :  23.  And  he  that  believeth  shall  see 
the  glory  of  God.  John  11 :  40. 

13.  The  third  means,  ispr^??/er,  which 
is  a  conversation  with  God.  As  it  is 
a  relief  and  a  refreshment  to  an  afflict  - 
ed soul,  to  communicate  its  sorrows 
and  troubles  to  a  faithful  fj-iend  :  so 
are  our  hearts  refreshed  and  comfort- 
ed, by  conversing  with  God  in  prayer. 
"  When  I  cried,  thou  answeredst  me, 
and  strengthenedst  me  with  strength 
in  my  soul."  Psalm  138:  3.  Prayer 
offered  up  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ, 
is  like  Jacob's  ladder  (Gen.  28  :  12), 
on  which  the  soul  ascends  from  earth 
to  heaven  ;  as  soon  as  the  prayer  as- 
cends, an  angel,  that  is,  divine  con- 
solation, descends  upon  it.  Thus  it 
was  in  the  agony  of  our  blessed  Lord ; 
for  when  he  pra^'ed  more  earnestly, 
lo !  an  angel  descended  from  heaven 
to  strengthen  him.  Luke  22:  43.  And 
we  may  assure  ourselves,  that  when- 
soever we  pray  according  to  His  will, 
we  shall  be  strengthened  accoi'ding  to 
His  promise. 

14.  The  fourth  means  of  obtaining 


336 


TEUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


[Book  II. 


divine  consolation  is,  'praising  God, 
which  is  always  attended  with  com- 
fort and  spiritual  joy.  He  that  is  daily 
employed  in  the  praises  of  God,  lives 
the  life  of  an  angel;  for  they,  we 
know,  continually  "  behold  the  face  of 
the  Father  which  is  in  heaven"  (Matt. 
18:  10),  and  sing  his  praises.  This  is 
their  highest  joy,  this  is  the  bread  of 
angels.  Whence  it  appears,  that  prais- 
ing and  glorifying  God  must  afford  the 
most  exalted  joy  and  comfort  to  a  de- 
vout soul.  Hence  David  says,  "I  will 
bless  the  Lord  at  all  times:  his  praise 
shall  continually  be  in  my  mouth.  My 
soul  shall  make  her  boast  in  the  Lord  ; 
the  humble  shall  hear  thereof,  and  be 
glad."  Psalm  84:1,  2.  In  this  place 
David  joins  the  praise  of  God  and  spir- 
itual joy  together;  teaching  us  there- 
by, that  the  one  is  the  fruit  of  the 


other,  because  they  are  most  intimately 
connected. 

15.  The  last  sure  and  certain  means 
of  receiving  divine  consolation,  is  a 
diligent  reading,  hearing,  and  meditat- 
ing on  the  Woi"d  of  God.  "  For  what- 
soever things  were  written,  were  writ- 
ten for  our  learning,  that  we  through 
patience  and  comfort  of  the  Scriptures 
might  have  hope."  Eorfi.  15  :  4. 

16.  From  the  Word  of  God  as  the 
true  fountain  of  consolation,  are  to  be 
drawn  all  the  above-mentioned  argu- 
ments and  grounds  of  comfort;  namely, 
joy  and  quiet  of  mind  under  all  kinds 
of  crosses  and  afflictions.  Hence  also 
we  must  learn  how  these  comforts  are 
to  be  obtained,  namely,  by  true  re- 
pentance, a  living  faith,  ardent  prayer, 
and  continually  praising  God. 


CHAPTER  XLIX. 

THE  TRUTH  OF  GOD   AND  THE  CERTAINTY  OF    HIS   PROMISES,  OUGHT  TO  DISPOSE 

US   TO  PATIENCE. 

/  will  look  unto  the  Lord;  I  will  waitjor  the  God  of  my  salvation  ;  my  God  will  hear  me.  Rejoice 
not  against  me,  0  mine  enemy,  when  I  fall,  I  shall  arise;  when  I  sit  hi  darkness,  the  Lord 
shall  be  a  light  unto  me.  I  will  bear  the  indignation  of  the  Lord,  because  I  have  sinned  against 
him,  until  he  plead  my  cause,  and  execute  judgment  for  me :  he  will  bring  me  forth  to  the  light, 
and  I  shall  behold  his  righteousness.  Then  she  that  is  mine  enemy  shall  see  it,  and  sham  - 
shall  cover  her  which  said  unto  me,  Where  is  the  Lord  thy  God  ? — MiCAH  7  :  7-10. 


WE  read  in  the  prophet  Jere- 
miah (chap.  9  :  4,  etc.),  that 
before  the  Babylonish  captivity  and 
the  destruction  of  the  temple,  besides 
the  idolatry  that  brought  that  desola- 
tion upon  them,  treachery, lying,  false- 
hood, hatred,  and  envy  prevailed  to  a 
high  degree;  and  that  charity  was 
quite  cold  and  dead  amongst  them. 
For  wheresoever  these  abominations 
prevail,  there,  it  is  plain,  God  is  not ; 


and  that  he  has  forsaken  not  only  the 
city  or  the  kingdom,  but  also  the 
hearts  of  those  that  dwell  there ;  and 
when  God  forsakes  us,  destruction 
quickly  finds  us.  So  says  the  prophet 
(Jer.  9:4-8):  "Take  ye  heed  every 
one  of  his  neighbor,  and  trust  ye  not 
in  any  brother:  for  every  brother  will 
utterly  supplant,  and  every  neighbor 
will  walk  with  slanders.  They  weary 
themselves  to  commit  iniquity.  Their 


Chap.  XLIX.] 


TEUE  CIIEISTIANITY. 


337 


tongne  is  as  an  arrow  shot  out,  it 
Bpeakcth  deceit;  one  speaketh  peace- 
ably to  his  Dciglibor  with  his  month, 
but  in  heart  he  hiyeth  his  wait/' 

2.  Here  we  may  see  the  wretched 
state  of  Jerusalem,  and  what  flagrant 
iniquities  they  were  which  hastened 
its  ruin.  Treachery  and  iniquity  did 
so  abound,  that  there  was  neither 
truth  nor  honesty  left  among  the  peo- 
ple. Their  only  aim  was  to  cheat  and 
defraud  one  another;  and  their  hearts 
being  thus  set  upon  iniquity,  they 
brought  on  themselves  ruin  and  de- 
struction. 

3.  Something  similar  to  this,  is  the 
complaint  of  the  prophet  Micah : 
"Woe  is  me!  for  I  am  as  when  they 
have  gathered  the  summer  fruits,  as 
the  grape  gleanings  of  the  vintage  ; 
there  is  no  cluster  to  eat ;  my  soul  de- 
sired the  first  ripe  fruit.  The  good 
man  is  perished  out  of  the  earth;  and 
there  is  none  upright  among  men: 
they  all  lie  in  wait  for  blood.  They 
do  evil  with  both  hands  earnestly. 
Trust  ye  not  in  a  friend."  Micah  7  : 
1,  2,  3,  5.  When  a  people  or  nation 
are  come  to  this  pass,  they  are  indus- 
triously digging  a  pit,  into  which  they 
design  to  rush  boldly,  and  with  their 
eyes  open.  Would  to  God  this  were 
not  the  case  in  our  own  times  !  We, 
too,  deeply  share  in  their  guilt,  and 
we  must  expect  to  share  in  their  pun- 
ishments. For  our  destruction  is  of 
ourselves.  O  that  we  could  at  last 
awake,  renounce  our  past  errors,  put 
off  our  carnal  minds  that  are  at  enmity 
against  God,  and  love  the  truth  and 
peace.  If  we  do  not  so,  we  are  con- 
demned already,  and  cannot  receive 

'  help. 

j  4.  But  in  order  that  upright  and 
\  good  men  may  not  be  too  much  dis- 
j  couraged  in  this  sad  and  dangerous 
1  state  of  things,  we  must  consider  by 


what  means  the  holy  men  of  old  sup- 
poi'ted  themselves  in  such  a  state  of 
universal  corruption.  The  prophet 
Micah  (Micah  7  :  7,  etc.),  pointing  out, 
as  it  were,  with  his  finger  the  foun- 
tain of  true  consolation,  says,  "  There- 
fore I  will  look  unto  the  Lord:  I  will 
wait  for  the  God  of  my  salvation  !" 
That  is  his  first  comfort.  The  second 
is,  "My  God  will  hear  me."  The 
thii'd  is,  "Eejoice  not  against  me,  O 
mine  enemy.  When  I  fall,  I  shall 
arise."  The  fourth  is,  "  When  I  sit 
in  darkness,  the  Lord  shall  be  a  light 
unto  me."  The  fifth  is,  "  I  will  bear 
the  indignation  of  the  Lord,  because 
I  have  sinned  against  him,  until  he 
plead  my  cause,  and  execute  judg- 
ment for  me."  The  sixth  is,  "  lie  will 
bring  me  forth  to  the  light,  and  I  shall 
behold  his  righteousness."  The  sev- 
enth is,  "  Then  she  that  is  mine  enemy 
shall  see  it,  and  shame  shall  cover 
her." 

5.  First,  he  says,  "I  will  look  unto 
the  Lord :  I  will  wait  for  the  God  of 
my  salvation."  In  these  words  is  con- 
tained the  doctrine  of  faith  and  hope, 
which  are,  as  it  were,  the  two  watch- 
ful, never-sleeping  ej^es  of  the  soul,  by 
which  it  constantly  looks  towards  God 
in  the  greatest  dangers  and  necessi- 
ties; the  greater  the  calamity,  the 
stronger  ought  to  be  our  faith,  the 
more  vigorous  our  hope.  Then  it  is 
that  we  should  call  to  mind  the  words 
which  we  repeat  at  the  beginning  of 
the  Apostles'  Creed  :  "  I  believe  in  God 
the  Father  Almighty,  Maker  of  heaven 
and  earth;"  that  is,  I  believe  that 
there  is  no  misery  or  calamity  so  great, 
but  God  can  and  will  deliver  me  out 
of  it.  Let  us  learn,  therefore,  to  turn 
away  our  eyes  from  temporal  suffer- 
ing, not  regarding  it,  but  God  "who 
worketh  salvation  in  the  midst  of  the 
earth"  (Ps.  74:  12),  and  who  alone 


338 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  XL 


can  and  will  deli\;^er  us  according  to 
Psalm  123:  "Unto  thee  lift  I  up 
mine  eyes,  O  thou  that  dwellest  in  the 
heavens.  Behold,  as  the  eyes  of  ser- 
vants look  unto  the  hand  of  their 
masters,  and  as  the  eyes  of  a  maiden 
unto  the  hand  of  her  mistress;  so  our 
eyes  wait  upon  the  Lord  our  God, 
until  that  he  have  mercy  upon  ns. 
Have  mercy  upon  us,  O  Lord,  have 
mei'cy  upon  us;  for  we  are  exceed- 
ingly filled  with  contempt.  Our  soul 
is  exceedingly  tilled  with  the  scorning 
of  those  that  arc  at  ease,  and  with  the 
contempt  of  the  proud." 

6.  Moreover,  as  it  is  the  way  of  God 
to  help  us,  not  at  the  time  appointed 
by  us,  but  in  his  own  dne  time;  so  it 
is  not  enough  for  us  to  say,  "I  will 
look  unto  the  Lord  but  we  must  add, 
"and  wait  for  the  God  of  my  salva- 
tion." For  faith,  hope,  an(l  patience, 
have  an  entire  relation  to,  and  mutual 
dependence  upon  each  other;  as  we 
may  see  in  Psalm  27  ;  in  the  beginning 
of  Avhich,  David,  looking  up  to  God, 
says,  "The  Lord  is  my  light  and  my 
salvation;  whom  shall  1  fear?  The 
Lord  is  the  strength  of  my  life,  of 
whom  shall  I  be  afraid  ?"  He  con- 
eludes  his  prayer  with  these  words: 
"I  believed  to  see  the  goodness  of  the 
Lord  in  the  land  of  the  living.  Wait 
on  the  Lord,  be  of  good  courage, ^and 
he  shall  strengthen  thine  heart:  wait, 
I  say,  on  the  Lord."  Ps.  27:  1,  14. 
So  Psalm  180:  5,  6 :  "I  wait  for  the 
Lord,  my  soul  doth  wait ;  and  in  his 
word  do  I  hope.  My  soul  waiteth  for 
the  Lord  more  than  they  that  watch 
for  the  morning."  "  For  the  vision  is 
yet  for  an  appointed  time,  but  at  the 
end  it  shall  speak,  and  not  lie:  though 
it  tarry,  wait  for  it;  because  it  will 
surely  come,  it  will  not  tarry."  Habak. 
2 :  8.  But  if  the  sorrowing  soul  shall 
Bay:  "Alas,  I  have  waited  a  great 


while!"  let  her  know  that  it  is  neces- 
sary it  should  be  so,  in  order  that  her 
faith,  hope,  and  patience,  may  be  tried 
and  approved  in  the  sight  of  God.  Wo 
never  please  God  more,  than  when 
with  patience  and  humility  w^e  wait 
for  the  accomplishment  of  his  prom- 
ises, and  receive  with  submission  all 
his  determinations  concerning  us. 
Everything  has  a  certain  beginning 
so  has  everything  an  appointed  end 
and  whosoever  does  not  wait  for  that 
labors  in  vain.    As  the  grain  is  ex 
posed  to  all  the  vicissitudes  of  win 
and  weather,  before  it  comes  to  matu 
rity,  and,  whenever  it  becomes  ripe,  i 
the  sweeter  and  better  upon  that  a 
count:  so  is  it  with  the  cross.  H 
that  bears  it  with  patience,  and  wai 
lor  the  end  of  it,  shall  reap  "th 
j^eaceable  fruit  of  righteousness."  Heb 
12:  11.    For  St.  Paul  affirnis,  "  tha 
hope  maketh  not  ashamed"  (Rom.  5 
5);  for  when  it  is  founded  upon  divin 
grace,  as  upon  a  firm  rock,  it  continue 
immovable  in  adversity.    Hence  it  i 
said,  "Let  none  that  wait  on  thee  b 
ashamed."  Psalm  25  :  8.  "  They  look 
ed  unto  him  and  were  lightened;  and 
their  faces  were  not  ashamed."  Ps.  3-1 : 
5.    "  In  thee,  O  Lord,  do  I  put  my 
trust;  let  me  never  be  ashamed."  Ps. 
31 :  1.    "  The  expectation  of  the  poor 
shall  not  perish  forever."  Ps.  9:  18. 

7.  The  second  consolation  is,  that  God 
will  certainly  hear  our  prayers:  "The 
Lord  hath  heard  the  voice  of  my  weep- 
ing. The  Lord  hath  heard  my  sup- 
plication; the  Lord  will  receive  my 
prayer."  Ps.  6  :  8,  9.  "In  my  distress 
I  called  upon  the  Lord,  and  cried  unto 
my  God :  he  heard  my  voice  out  of  his 
temple,  and  my  cry  came  before  him, 
even  into  his  ears."  Ps.  18  :  6.  "  This 
poor  man  cried,  and  the  Lord  heard 
him,  and  saved  him  out  of  all  his 
troubles.    The  eyes  of  the  Lord  are 


c^iiAP.  XLIX.] 


TRUE  CIIEISTIANITY. 


339 


upon  the  righteous,  and  l)is  ears  arc 
open  unto  their  cry."  Ps.  34  :  6,  15. 
"•Because  he  hath  set  his  love  upon 
me,  therefore  will  I  deliver  him :  I  will 
set  him  on  high,  because  he  hath  known 
my  name.  He  shall  call  upon  me,  and 
I  will  answer  him  ;  i  will  be  with  him 
in  trouble;  I  will  ^{eJiver  him,  and 
honor  him."  Ps.  91  :  14,  1^.  "O  thou 
that  hearG^t  prayer,  unto  thee  shall 
all  flesh  come.  By  terrible  things  in 
righteousness  wilt  thou  answer  us,  O 
God  of  our  salvation;  who  art  the 
conlidence  of  all  the  ends  of  the  earth, 
and  of  them  that  are  afar  off  upon  the 
sea."  Ps.  65  :  2,  5.  But  if  thou  shalt 
say  in  thine  heart,  "  All  these  were 
men  eminent  for  holiness,  faith,  and 
dependence  upon  God;  but  as  for  me, 
I  am  not  worthy  to  be  compared  with 
them,"  I  answer,  out  of  Rom.  3  :  23 — 
"All  have  sinned,  and  come  short  of 
the  glor}^  of  God;"  but  are  heard  and 
accepted  through  grace,  by  repent- 
ance and  faith.  "The  Lord  is  nigh 
unto  all  them  that  call  upon  him,  to 
all  that  call  upon  him  in  truth.  He 
will  fulfil  the  desire  of  them  that  fear 
him;  he  also  will  hear  their  cry,  and 
will  save  them."  Ps.  145  :  18,  19.  "He 
will  regard  the  prayer  of  the  destitute, 
and  not  despise  their  prayer.  This 
shall  be  written  for  the  generations 
to  come."  Ps.  102  :  17,  18. 

8.  The  third  consolation  is  contained 
in  these  words:  "Rejoice  not  against 
me,  O  mine  enemy!  when  I  lall,  I 
shall  arise."  Though  the  world,  ac- 
cording to  the  perverse  spirit  that 
gov^erns  it,  rejoice  at  the  sufferings  of 
good  men  (John  16  :  20),  yet  shall 
they  at  last  be  confounded,  and  the 
righteous  be  comforted.  Hence  we 
are  told,  "The  Lord  will  not  cast  off 
forever:  but  though  he  cause  grief,  yet 
will  he  have  compassion,  according  to 
the  multitude  of  his  mercies.    For  he 


doth  not  afflict  willingly,  nor  grieve 
the  children  of  men."  Lam.  3  :  31,  32, 
33.  "God  is  faithful,  who  will  not  suf- 
fer you  to  be  tempted  above  that  ye 
are  able  ;  but  will  with  the  temptation 
also  make  a  way  to  escape,  that  ye 
may  be  able  to  bear  it."  1  Cor.  10  :  13. 
The  same  God  that  laid  the  burden 
on  3^ou,  will  in  due  time  take  it  off", 
comfort  you,  and  deliver  you  from 
death.  "Thou  hast  turned  for  me 
my  mourning  into  dancing;  thou  hast 
put  off  my  sackcloth,  and  girded  me 
with  gladness."  Ps.  30:  11.  "The  Lord 
upholdeth  all  that  fall;  and  raiseth  up 
all  those  that  be  bowed  down."  Psalm 
145  :  14.  "In  a  little  wrath,  I  hid  ray 
face  from  thee  for  a  moment;  but  with 
everlasting  kindness  willT  have  mercy 
on  thee,  saith  the  Lord  thy  Redeem- 
er." Isa.  54  :  8.  "It  is  of  the  Lord's 
mercies  that  we  are  not  consumed,  be- 
cause bis  compassions  fail  not.  They 
are  new  every  morning."  Lam.  3  :  22, 
23. 

9.  The  fourth  consolation  is  con- 
tained in  these  words  :  "  When  I  sit  in 
darkness,  the  Lord  shall  be  a  light 
unto  me."  By  darkness^  he  means  a 
state  of  affliction ;  which  is  darkness, 
indeed,  wherein  a  man  can  neither  see 
nor  be  seen  by  his  friends  with  the 
least  glimpse  of  worldly  comfort.  The 
sufferer  sits  in  the  very  region  of  shame 
and  sorrow,  the  valley  of  the  shadow 
of  death,  exposed  to  the  violence  and 
assaults  of  evil  spirits  and  wicked  men. 
But  dark  and  dismal  as  it  is,  the  Lord 
himself  will  enlighten  it;  the  light  of 
whose  countenance  shines  most  of  all 
in  the  dismal  darkness  of  worldly  af- 
fliction. There  he  appears  to  comfort 
the  disconsolate,  and  cheer,  with  the 
brightness  of  his  presence,  the  deso- 
late and  desponding  soul.  Thus  it  is 
said,  "Light  is  sown  for  the  righteous, 
and  gladness  for  the  upright  in  heart." 


340 


TRUE  CHEISTIAKITY. 


[Book  IT. 


Ps.  07  :  11.  "  Unto  the  upright  there 
ariseth  light  in  tlie  darkness;  he  is 
gracious,  and  full  of  compassion,  and 
righteous."  Ps.  112:4. 

10.  The  fifth  consolation  is  this:  "I 
will  bear  the  indignation  of  the  Lord, 
because  I  have  sinned  against  him, 
until  he  plead  my  cause,  and  execute 
judgment  for  me."  Let  the  afflicted 
person  think  on  this,  and  remember 
that  though  from  those  that  afflict 
him  he  may  have  deserved  better 
usage;  yet  from  the  hand  of  God,  he 
has  deserved  a  great  deal  worse.  What- 
ever befalls  us,  is  by  the  permission  of 
God.  Upon  this  account,  the  evils  that 
we  suffer  from  wicked  men,  are  called 
in  this  verse,  "the  indignation  of  the 
Lord."  Ble^ed  is  he  that  beareth 
this  affliction  with  patience,  and  re- 
ceiveth  it  no  otherwise  than  as  com- 
ing from  God  himself.  "  Blessed  is  the 
man  whom  thou  chastenest,  O  Lord, 
and  teachest  him  out  of  thy  law;  that 
thou  mayest  give  him  rest  from  the 
days  of  adversity,  until  the  pit  be 
digged  for  the  wicked.^'  Ps.  94  : 12, 13. 
"It  is  good  for  a  man  that  he  sit  alone 
and  keep  silence,  because  he  hath 
borne  the  yoke  upon  him.  He  put- 
teth  his  mouth  in  the  dust,  if  so  be 
there  may  be  hope.  He  giveth  his 
cheek  to  him  that  smiteth  him;  he  is 
filled  full  with  reproach."  Lam.  3  :  27- 
30.  This  was  truly  the  case  of  David, 
who  might  properly  say,  "I  will  bear 
the  anger  of  the  Lord,  because  I  have 
sinned  against  him."  For  thus  he 
speaks,  when  he  commanded  Zadok 
to  carry  back  the  ark  of  God.  "If  I 
shall  find  favor  in  the  eyes  of  the 
Lord,  he  will  bring  me  again,  and 
show  me  both  it  and  his  habitation. 
But  if  he  thus  say,  I  have  no  delight 
in  thee;  behold  here  am  I,  let  him  do 
to  me  as  seemeth  good  unto  him." 
2  Sam.  15  :  25,  26.'   And  when  Shimei 


cursed  him,  he  humbly  acknowledges 
the  appointment  and  permission  of 
God,  saying,  "Let  him  alone,  and  let 
him  curse;  for  the  Lord  hath  bidden 
him."  2  Sam.  16  :  11.  "Fret  not 
(therefore)  thyself  because  of  evil- 
doers. Put  thy  trust  in  God."  Psalm 
37  :  1,  5. 

11.  The  sixth  consolation  is,  "He 
will  bring  me  forth  to  the  light,  and  1 
shall  behold  his  righteousness."  This 
is  a  figure  of  speech  taken  from  the 
condition  of  a  man  that  has  long  lain 
in  darkness,  and  been  as  a  dead  man 
out  of  mind;  or  of  one  taken  out  of  a 
dark  and  deep  prison  into  the  light 
and  open  air.  For  as  these,  having 
been  long  confined  to  darkness  and 
misery,  are  exceedingly,  refreshed 
with  the  cheerful  light  of  the  sun  and 
the  splendor  of  the  heavens;  so  after 
the  patient  bearing  of  the  cross,  the 
light  of  God's  countenance  breaks 
forth,  and  the  beams  of  divine  conso- 
lation strike  powerfully  upon  the  soul, 
filling  it  with  glory  and  joy  unspeak- 
able. Ps.  50  :  2.  Did  not  Joseph  thus 
break  through  the  shades  of  darkness 
and  misery,  like  the  bright  sun  out  of 
a  cloud?  Gen.  41  :  38.  And  did  not 
God  bring  king  David  out  of  the  re- 
gion of  misery  into  a  state  of  joy  and 
happiness?  So  also  at  the  resurrec- 
tion of  the  dead  shall  our  bodies  be 
brought  out  of  their  dark  prisons,  and 
we  shall  rejoice  in  the  everlasting 
light  and  glory  of  God. 

12.  The  seventh  consolation  is, 
"Then  she  that  is  mine  enemy  shall 
see  it,  and  shame  shall  cover  her." 
This  is  the  proper  punishment  of 
wicked  men  who  rejoice  at  the  afflic- 
tion of  others,  that  they  shall  be  cov- 
ered with  confusion.  The  time  will 
certainly  come,  when  the  mockers 
shall  be  struck  with  unavoidable 
shame,  and  shall  be  convinced  by 


Chap.  L.] 


TRUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


341 


their  own  consciences,  of  the  wrong 
which  they  have  done  to  others. 
This  was  Shimei's  case,  who  could  not 
but  blush  and  be  confounded  in  the 
presence  of  David  and  Solomon.  2 
Sam.  19  :  19  ;  1  Kings  2  :  44.  "  It  is  a 
righteous  thing  with  God  to  recom- 
pense tribulation  to  them  that  trouble 
you  :  and  to  you  who  are  troubled, 
rest."  2  Thess.  1:6,7.  "I  rejoiced 
not  at  the  destruction  of  him  that 
hated  me,  nor  lifted  up  myself  when 
evil  found  him.    Neither  have  I  suf- 


fered my  mouth  to  sin,  by  wishing  a 
curse  to  his  soul."  Job  31  :  29,  30. 
"  Love  your  enemies;  bless  them  that 
curse  you;  do  good  to  them  that  hate 
3'ou ;  and  pray  for  them  which  de- 
spitefully  use  yon  and  persecute  you: 
that  ye  may  bo  the  children  of  your 
Father  which  is  in  heaven :  for  he 
makcth  his  sun  to  rise  on  the  evil  and 
on  the  good,  and  sendeth  rain  upon 
the  just  and  the  unjust."  Matt.  5  : 
44,  45. 


CHAPTER  L. 

SHOWING  HOW  HOPE  IS  TESTED  IN  SEASONS  OF  ADVERSITY;   IT  MAKETH  NOT 

ASHAMED. 

Thou  shalt  know  that  I  am  the  Lord;  for  they  shall  not  he  ashamed  that  wait  for  me, — 

IsA.  49  :  23. 


AS  faith  is  nothing  else  but  a  fixed 
and  steady  assurance  by  which 
the  devout  Christian  depends  perfectly 
and  entirely  on  the  favor  and  mercy 
of  God  promised  in  Christ  Jesus  (Ileb. 
11 : 1),  so  hope  is  a  continued  and  pa- 
tient waiting  for  the  accomplishment 
of  that  promise  w^hich  is  the  object 
of  faith,  and  is  nothing  else  but  a  pa- 
tient, constant,  and  persevering  faith. 

2.  Of  this  hope  St.  Paul  says,  that 
it  ^'maketh  not  ashamed"  (Rom.  5  : 
5) :  being,  as  well  as  faith  itself, 
founded  upon  a  firm,  immovable,  and 
eternal  basis.  And  this  is  God  him- 
self, who  never  faileth  those  that  wait 
for  him  ;  and  for  the  same  reason,  the 
peace,  joy,  rest,  glory,  and  confidence 
imparted  b}^  hope  are  eternal.  On 
this  foundation,  he  who  hopes  stands 
fixed  and  secure  amidst  all  the  crosses 
and  calamities  of  life;  and  though  the 


rains  descend,  the  floods  come,  and 
the  boisterous  winds  blow  upon  him, 
he  is  fearless  and  unmoved,  knowing 
that  "  his  house  is  built  upon  a  rock." 
Matt.  7  :  25. 

3.  And  as  hope  is  built  upon  an  im- 
movable foundation,  and  the  things  of 
this  world  are  fleeting  and  uncertain ; 
therefore  its  rest,  its  joy,  its  entire  de- 
pendence, are  in  God  alone,  despising 
the  riches,  pleasures,  honors,  and  glo- 
ries of  the  world.  "  They  that  trust 
in  the  Lord,  shall  be  as  mount  Zion, 
which  cannot  be  removed,  butabideth 
forever.  As  the  mountains  are  round 
about  Jerusalem,  so  the  Lord  is  round 
about  his  people."  Ps.  125  :  1,  2. 

4.  On  the  other  hand,  they  whose 
hopes  are  founded  on  the  transitory 
riches,  honors,  and  pleasures  of  this 
w^orld,  are  perpetually  exposed  to  all 
the  fears,  cares,  and  calamities  of  life  3 


342 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  II. 


lie  at  the  mercy  of  every  blast  of  in- 
constant fortune,  by  which  they  are 
tossed  to  and  fro;  and  depend  upon 
the  uncertain  will  of  the  world  for 
every  quiet  moment  they  enjoy. 

5.  This  can  never  be  learned  but 
under  the  discipline  of  the  cross.  For 
such  is  the  nature  of  affliction,  that  it 
searches  and  discovers  the  inmost  re- 
cesses of  the  soul;  and  shows  us 
whether  the  hope  that  is  in  us  be  true 
or  false.  By  this  touchstone,  we  often 
find  that  our  hopes  have  not  been  so 
much  fixed  upon  God  himself,  as  upon 
the  favors  and  blessings  he  bestows; 
that  we  have  built  upon  the  sand,  and 
idolized  the  creature,  instead  of  wor- 
shipping the  Creator.  For  so  great  is 
the  blindness  of  our  nature,  that  we 
often  rest  in  the  creatures,  instead  of 
raising  our  minds  from  them  to  the 
Creator,  as  he  designed.  For  with 
this  intent  God  bestows  on  man  so 
many  and  great  blessings,  that  by  the 
gifts  he  may  be  drawn  to  the  Giver; 
and  learn  to  know,  love,  fear,  rever- 
ence, and  hope  in  God  alone.  But  so 
great  is  the  corruption  of  our  nature, 
that  we  are  not  disposed  to  serve  God 
for  nought;  and  we  worship  him  not 
for  his  own  sake,  but  for  the  sake  of 
what  he  bestows. 

6.  Upon  this  account,  it  is  necessary 
that  God  should  sometimes  visit  us 
with  crosses  and  afflictions,  and  de- 
prive us  of  his  good  things  which  we 
have  abused  ;  that  so  ^ve  may  learn  to 
praise,  and  glorify,  and  depend  on  him 
alone.  Nay,  we  sometimes  proceed  so 
far,  as  to  trust  in  ourselves,  and  en- 
tirely depend  on  our  own  power  and 
abilities;  then  it  is  that  God  in  mere 
mercy  interposes;  and,  that  we  may 
not  grow  too  proud,  breaks  us  in 
pieces,  humbles,  and  confounds  us,  and 
so  empties  us  of  ourselves,  that  we 
may  be  filled  with  all  the  fulness  of 


God.  This  we  cannot  be,  without  be- 
ing first  emptied  of  all  that  arrogance, 
pride,  and  self-conceit,  which  stand  in 
perfect  opposition  to  the  grace  of  God. 

7.  Hence  hope  is  a  militant  virtue, 
fighting  against  all  that  confidence  in 
ourselves,  all  that  self-exaltation  upon 
the  score  of  our  own  gifts,  merit,  right- 
eousness, prosperity,  honors,  and 
riches,  in  which  the  natural  man 
places  all  his  confidence.  The  business 
of  hope  is  to  oppose  and  conquer  all 
these  delusions  of  the  devii,  and  to 
seek  rest  and  peace  in  God  alone. 

8.  Ilence  it  follows,  that  hope,  like 
faith  anti  charity,  has  God  only  for  its 
object.  Whosoever  aims  at  any  other 
mark,  or  places  his  hope  on  any  other 
being,  is  destitute  of  any  well-founded 
hope.  As  all  created  beings  when  out 
of  God  are  nothing;  it  follows  that 
the  hope  reposed  in  them  is  also  noth- 
ing. So  then,  these  three  virtues, 
faith,  hope,  and  charity,  are  in  the 
highest  sense  spiritual,  admitting  of 
no  earthly  mixture,  but  are  fixed  en- 
tirely on  God,  who  is  their  eternal 
and  invisible  basis.  To  this  refers  that 
passage  of  St.  Paul,  "  Hope  that  is  seen, 
is  not  hope;  for  what  a  man  seeth, 
why  doth  he  yet  hope  for?"  Rom.  8: 
24.  Whosoever,  therefore,  places  his 
hope  upon  anything  that  is  visible, 
has  not  the  invisible  God  for  his  sup- 
port, but  rests  upon  a  shadow;  and 
when  the  visible  world,  which  is  his 
basis,  shall  sink  into  nothing,  by  con- 
sequence his  hope,  that  was  built  upon 
it,  must  sink  and  perish  with  it. 

9.  Consider  this,  O  man,  and  by 
carefully  comparing  time  with  eter- 
nity, persuade  thyself  to  entertain  a 
true  and  saving  hope,  and  to  be  led 
into  a  state  of  firm  and  lasting  peace. 
Eternity  is  unchangeable,  ever  con- 
stant, always  the  same;  but  time  is 
nothino:  but  chano-e  and  revolution. 


Chap.  L.] 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


343 


The  brightest  da}^  declines  and  ends 
in  darkness,  weeks  are  swallowed  up 
in  months,  and  months  in  years ;  the 
opening  spring  and  fruitful  summer 
sink,  by  degrees,  into  a  desolate  win- 
ter; and  not  only  so,  but  all  the  ele- 
mentary bodies  are  in  a  state  of  change, 
always  shifting  from  one  appearance 
to  another;  not  to  mention  the  con- 
tinual motions  of  the  heavens.  So 
that  this  world  cannot  be  the  region 
of  rest.  For  whatsoever  is  subject  to 
time,  is  continually  passing,  and  van- 
ishing; in  a  word,  All  is  vanity" 
(Ecclcs.  1  :  2),  and  we  shall  never  rest 
but  in  eternity.  And  though  all  men, 
both  good  and  bad,  long  for  peace  and 
tranquillit}' ;  yet  they,  and  they  only, 
shall  find  it,  wMio  have  learned  to  lose 
and  resign  themselves  in  Christ,  the 
eternal  rest  of  the  soul.  And  this  is 
not  so  much  the  work  of  labor  and 
study,  as  of  quietness  and  hope.  Isa. 
30:  15. 

10.  Moreover,  the  Christian's  hope 
must  be  tried,  not  only  by  the  loss  of 
temporal  things,  but  also  by  the  with- 
holding of  the  communications  of  di- 
vine grace  an^l  favor  (as  commonly 
happens  in  great  temptations);  that 
seeing  ourselves  deprived  even  of  those 
most  excellent  and  spiritual  blessings, 
on  which  we  depend,  our  hope  may 
arrive  at  the  highest  pitch  of  purity 
and  sincerity,  and  rest  on  God  alone. 
In  such  a  case  '^we  must  hope,  even 
against  hope  "  (Rom.  4  :  18),  as  we  read 
that  Abraham  did.  Here  a  man  must, 
with  his  blessed  Redeemer,  be  deserted 
and  forsaken,  not  only  by  man,  but  by 
God  himself  And  this  is  properly  "  to 
be  conformed  to  the  image  of  the  Son 
of  God."  Rom.  8  :  29.  This  is  the 
truest  test  or  probation  of  the  Chris- 
tian's hope. 

11.  For,  w^hereaSjin  other  afflictions, 
our  patience,  humility,  devotion,  and 


chai-ity,  are  principally  exercised  ;  in 
these  K])iritu}il  trials  of  the  conscience, 
our  hope  is  eminently  proved  and  tried, 
whether  it  be  sincere  or  not.  In  this 
probation,  though  a  man  be  porfectl^^ 
despoiled  of  all  his  grace,  yet  shall  ho 
at  last  triumph  in  that  "hope  which 
maketh  not  ashamed."  And  though 
the  soul  that  is  thus  tried,  be  some- 
times ready  to  fall  into  impatience, 
murmuring,  blasphemy,  or  the  like; 
yet  there  remains,  as  it  were,  some 
gentle  breath  of  hope,  arisii]g  from 
the  ground  of  the  heart,  by  the  power 
of  the  divine  Spirit,  which  contradicts 
and  opposes  those  unholy  suggestions. 
When  this  combat  is  over,  all  his  trans- 
gressions are  forgiven,  and  his  sins 
are  covered  and  he  himself  is  like  ''a 
brand  plucked  out  of  the  fire"  (Zech. 
3:2);  "  or  like  a  piece  of  an  ear  taken 
out  of  the  mouth  of  the  lion."  Amos 
3  :  12.  l^ow  this  impatience  being  in- 
voluntary, and  being  opposed  with 
sighs  and  groans  unutterable,  is  by  no 
means  to  be  called  despair;  consider- 
ing withal,  that  this  is  the  sharpest 
conflict,  the  severest  trial  of  the  Chris- 
tian's hope;  and  these  are  the  "  unut- 
terable groanings"  which  St.  Paul 
mentions.  Rom.  8:  26. 

12.  They  that  undergo  these  trials, 
are  the  greatest  saints,  and  are  nearer 
to  God  than  those  w^ho  repose  all  their 
hope  and  confidence  in  themselves. 
The  pride  of  such  men,  in  vainly  arro- 
gating any  perfections  to  themselves, 
makes  them  in  the  highest  degree  blas- 
phemers against  God;  whereas  the 
disciples  of  the  cross  are  his  dearest 
children,  as  we  may  see  in  the  exam- 
ples of  Job  and  David :  for  b}'  being 
thus  stripped  of  themselves,  they  are 
purified  as  gold  in  the  refiner's  fire; 
and  being  thus  cleansed  from  all  their 
dross  of  pride  and  vainglory,  they 
shine  in  the  glory  of  the  divine  image, 


344 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  II. 


like  a  beautiful  jewel  set  in  the  purest 
gold;  so  tliat  nothin_£r  remains  of  which 
the  proud  man  can  boast. 

13.  By  such  trials  as  these,  a  man 
is  taught  to  put  his  trust  in  nothing 
but  in  God  alone.  For  when  affliction 
has  taken  everything  else  from  us, 
God  alone  cannot  be  taken  from  us. 
Yea,  affliction  is  so  far  from  separat- 
ing us  from  God,  that  it  rather  brings 
us  to  God,  restoring  us  to  God,  and 
God  to  us.  It  is  hope,  therefore,  that 
preserves  us  in  calamities,  so  that  we 
are  not  consumed,  and,  therefore,  it 
*'maketh  us  not  ashamed."  Rom  5:5. 
But  as  the  soul  came  out  from  God, 
80  must  she  return  thither  again,  void 
of  all  love  of  the  creatures;  and  when 
a  man  passes  out  of  himself  and  all 


the  creatures,  whither  can  he  go,  or 
where  can  he  rest,  but  in  the  hands 
of  his  God,  who  comprehendeth  and 
upholdeth  the  world,  and  all  that  is 
therein?  Isaiah  40  : 12.  Whosoever, 
therefore,  bids  farewell  to  the  world, 
and  is  divested  of  all  love  of  himself 
and  the  creatures,  having  his  heart 
fixed  on  no  earthly  thing,  but  being 
perfectly  free  and  at  liberty,  resigning 
himself  and  all  his  concerns  into  the 
hands  of  God,  and  being  content  under 
every  dispensation  of  providence — he 
may  be  truly  said  to  rest  in  God.  But 
those  who  are  entangled  in  the  love 
of  themselves  and  the  creatures,  being 
slaves  to  their  own  wills,  resting  ia 
them,  and  not  submitting  to  the  wil 
of  God,  must  perish  in  the  end. 


CHAPTER  LI. 

COMFORT  FOR  THOSE  THAT  ARE  WEAK  IN  FAITH. 
A  bruised  reed  shall  he  not  break,  and  the  smoking  flax  shall  he  not  quench. — Isaiah  42 :  3. 


IN  this  verse  the  holy  prophet  com- 
forts those  that  are  weak  in  faith 
by  tw^o  beautiful  similitudes,  excel- 
lently adapted  to  the  purpose.  For  as  a 
bruised  reed  (to  which  he  first  alludes) 
must  be  handled  very  gently,  lest  it  be 
entirely  broken  to  pieces;  and  as  the 
smoking  flax,  w^hen  once  it  has  taken 
fire,  must  be  continually  encouraged 
by  a  gentle  breath,  for  fear  of  blowing 
it  out;  so  our  blessed  Redeemer,  who 
knows  our  infirmities,  treats  us  with 
great  gentleness,  reviving  from  time 
to  time  the  spark  of  faith  within  us, 
with  the  soft  and  gentle  breath  of  his 
Spirit,  that  we  may  not  be  discour- 
aged by  our  manifold  infirmities,  but 
be  enlivened  and  strengthened  under 


them.  Isaiah  57  : 15.  And  because  this 
weakness  of  faith  is  a  very  grievous 
temptation,  to  which  all  Christians 
are  more  or  less  exposed;  therefore 
has  the  Holy  Spirit,  in  the  Word  of 
God,  furnished  us  with  very  strong 
consolations  acjainst  it,  which  ouo-ht 
to  be  deeplj^  rooted  in  our  mind,  that 
we  may  have  them  in  readiness,  and 
apply  them  with  success  in  the  sad 
hour  of  temptation. 

2.  (1)  We  must  carefully  remem- 
ber, that  faith  is  not  of  ourselves,  but 
is  the  gift  and  work  of  God;  "  This  is 
the  w^ork  of  God,  that  jq  believe  on 
him  whom  he  hath  sent."  "No  man 
can  come  to  me,  except  the  Father 
which  hath  sent  me,  draw  him."  John 


Chap.  LI.] 


6:29,  44.  "Who  believe,  according 
to  the  working  of  his  miglity  power." 
Eplics.  1:19.  "  By  grace  are  ye  saved 
through  faith  ;  and  that  not  of  3'our- 
selves;  it  is  tlie  gift  of  God:  not  of 
works,  lest  any  man  should  boast." 
Ephes.  2:8.  "Let  us  run  w^th  pa- 
tience the  race  that  is  set  before  us, 
looking  unto  Jesus,  the  author  and 
finisher  of  our  faith."  Heb.  12:  1,2. 
"The  love  of  God  is  shed  abroad  in 
our  hearts  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  which 
is  given  unto  us."  Eom.  5:  5.  "We 
have  the  first  fruits  of  the  Spirit, 
whicli  helpetli  our  infirmities."  Eom. 
8:  23,  26.  Now,  since  faith  is  the  work 
of  God,  and  not  our  own,  it  follows, 
that  it  is  not  in  our  power  to  have  it 
in  such  measures  and  proportions  as 
we  please.  And  whereas  he  has  prom- 
ised to  save  us  by  faith,  it  follows,  tiiat 
he  knows  how  strong  our  faith  ought 
to  be,  for  the  obtaining  that  great  end, 
and  will  strengthen  it  accordingly. 
Therefore  this  was  the  answer  of  God 
to  St.  Paul :  "  My  grace  is  sufficient 
for  thee."  2  Cor.  12:9.  ^'  A  man  can 
receive  nothing,  except  it  be  given  him 
from  heaven."  John  3:  27. 

3.  (2)  Whilst  we  are  in  this  life,  we 
must  not  expect  to  arrive  at  the  high- 
est pitch  of  perfection.   This  God  per- 
mits, with  a  design  to  cure  that  natu- 
ral pride  and  vanity  of  spirit  to  which 
the  best  of  us  are  subject,  by  the  daily 
sense  of  our  great  and  manifold  infir- 
mities.   To  this  w^e  may  refer  the 
words  addressed  by  St.  Paul  to  the 
Philippians,  "  Not  as  though  I  had  al- 
ready attained,  either  w^ere  already 
perfect;   but  I  follow  after,  if  that 
I  may  apprehend   that,  for  w^hich 
;  also  I  am   apprehended   of  Christ 
"  Jesus."  Phil.  3:  12.  As  if  he  had  said, 
1  "  Though  I  am  not  yet  so  strong  in 
I  faith,  as  to   be  able  to  apprehend 
i  him  as  I  c^ght,  yet  I  am  apprehended 
i 


345 


in  him  ;  that  is,  I  am  in  Christ  .Jesus 
by  faith."  Let  us,  considering  these 
things,  bear  patiently  the  infirmities 
of  our  nature,  till  we  can  attain  to 
perfection. 

4.  (3)  God  does  not  despise  or  reject 
our  weak  faith,  but  cherishes,  strength- 
ens, and  improves  it,  and  at  last  crowns 
it  with  a  blessed  conclusion.  In  this 
sense  we  are  to  understand  and  apply 
those  golden  passages  that  follow: 
"A  bruised  reed  shall  he  not  break, 
and  the  smoking  flax  shall  he  not 
quench.''  Isaiah  43  :  3.  "  Thou  hast 
been  a  strength  to  the  poor,  a  strength 
to  the  needy  in  his  distress,  a  refuge 
from  the  storm,  a  shadow  from  the 
heat."  Isaiah  25:  4.  "Strengthen  ye 
the  weak  hands,  and  confirm  the  fee- 
ble knees.  Say  to  them  that  are  of  a 
fearful  heart.  Be  strong,  fear  not; 
behold,  your  God  will  come  and  save 
you."  Isaiah  35 :  3,  4.  "  He  giveth 
power  to  the  faint;  and  to  them  that 
have  no  might,  he  increasetii  strength." 
Isaiah  40  :  29.  "  The  Lord  God  hath 
given  me  the  tongue  of  the  learned, 
that  I  should  know  how  to  speak  a 
word  in  season  to  him  that  is  weary.'' 
Isaiah  50:  4.  "I  revive  the  spirit  of 
the  humble,  and  the  heart  of  the  con- 
trite ones."  Isaiah  57:  15.  "  The  Lord 
hath  sent  me  to  preach  good  tidings 
unto  the  meek,  to  bind  up  the  broken- 
hearted," and  to  comfort  all  that 
mourn.  Isaiah  61:1.  In  this  sense 
we  may  understand  that  passage  in 
Exod.  34  :  26.  "  Thou  shalt  not  seethe 
a  kid  in  his  mother's  milk;"  that  is, 
thou  shalt  not  grieve  the  tender,  weak 
faith  of  a  babe  in  Christ.  A  strong 
and  vigorous  faith  can  bear  anything, 
can  pass  through  the  flames  of  fire, 
and  the  floods  of  water;  but  a  young, 
tender  faith,  must  be  softly  and  gently 
treated,  like  a  bruised  reed,  which  is 
in  continual  danger  of  being  broken  to 


TEUE  CIIEISTIANITY. 


346 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  II. 


pieces.  "  I  have  satiated  the  wear}' 
soul,  and  I  have  replenished  every  sor- 
rowful soul."  Jer.  31:  25.  They  that 
labor  under  the  weakness  of  faith,  are 
the  poor  in  spii  it,  to  whom  tlie  bless- 
ing is  promised,  "Blessed  are  the  poor 
in  spirit."  Matt.  5  :  3.  They  that  feel 
the  weakness  of  their  faith,  are  sick 
in  spirit:  arid  to  them  must  be  applied 
for  their  consolation,  that  passage  in 
St.  Matthew,  "They  that  be  whole 
need  not  a  physician,  but  they  that 
are  sick."  Matt.  9  :  12.  "Him  that  is 
weak  in  the  faith  receive  ye,  but  not 
to  doubtful  disputations."  Rom.  14:  1. 
"  To  the  weak  became  I  as  weak,  that 
I  might  gain  the  weak."  1  Cor.  9  :  22. 
"I  will  bind  up  that  which  was  bro- 
ken, and  will  strengthen  that  which 
was  sick."  Ezek.  34:  16.  "Him  that 
Cometh  to  me,  I  will  in  no  wise  cast 
out."  John. 6:  37.  On  these  promises, 
full  of  divine  consolation,  let  all  who 
are  w^eak  in  faith  entirely  depend,  and 
satisfy  themselves  that  God  is  faithful 
and  true  (Psalm  33:  4),  and  will  not 
fail  in  his  promises.  To  this  head  also 
we  refer  the  instances  of  those  that 
have  been  weak  in  faith.  Such  was 
the  man  (Mark  9 :  23,  24),  who,  when 
our  Lord  said,  "  If  thou  canst  believe, 
all  things  are  possible  to  him  that  be- 
lieveth;"  answered  with  tears,  "Lord, 
I  believe;  help  thou  mine  unbelief!" 
The  nobleman.  John  4  :  47.  The  dis- 
ciples in  the  ship.  Matt.  8  :  24.  St. 
Peter  sinking  in  the  sea,  when  our 
Lord  stretched  out  his  hand  and  sup- 
ported him.  Matt.  14:  31.  Therefore, 
says  St.  Paul,  "Comfort  the  feeble- 
minded, support  the  w^eak,  be  patient 
towards  all  men."  1  Thess.  5 :  14. 

5.  (4)  God  has,  indeed,  the  greatest 
concern  for  those  that  are  weak  in  faith. 
Our  Lord  himself  tells  us,  "  They  that 
be  (strong  and)  whole  need  not  a  phy- 
sician, but  they  that  are  sick  (and 


weak)."  Matt.  9:  12.  The  shepherd 
leaves  his  ninety  and  nine  sheep  in 
the  wilderness,  and  goes  seeking  that 
which  was  lost,  until  he  find  it  (Luke 
15:4);  and  as  tender  mothers  show 
the  most  attention  to  their  weak  and 
sickly  children;  so  does  our  Ileavenlv 
Father  to  those  that  are  weak  in  faith. 

6.  (5)  But  if  thou  say  in  thy  heart 
that  thou  perceivest  scarcely  a  grain 
of  faith  in  thyself,  then  I  w^ould  a.sk, 
Dost  thou  sincerely  desire  to  have 
faith?  If  thou  dost,  all  is  well;  fear 
not.  For  since  it  is  God  that  woi'keih 
in  us  "to  will,"  it  follows,  that  whoso- 
ever finds  in  himself  that  good  will 
and  desire,  finds  in  himself  the  work 
of  God.  Hence  let  him  be  encour- 
aged and  assured  that  he  who  has 
given  us  the  will,  will  also  give  us  the 
power  to  do.  Phil.  1:6;  2  :  13. 

7.  (6)  God  is  so  compassionate  to 
devout  praj^ers  and  desires,  that  he 
never  disappoints  the  hopes  of  those 
that  trust  in  him.    "Lord,  thou  hast 
heard  the  desire  of  the  humble  :  thou 
wilt  prepare  their  heart,  thou  wilt 
cause  thine  ear  to  hear."  Ps.  10  :  17; 
9  :  18.  Wherefore,  thy  faith  is  as  great  . 
as  thy  desire  of  obtaining  it.  "Fori 
God  trieth  the  hearts  and  reins."  Ps.  J 
7:9.    ''Because  he  hath  set  his  love  i 
upon  me,  therefore  will  I  deliver  him." 
Ps.  91  :  14. 

8.  (7)  It  is  therefore  better  to  glory 
in  the  weakness,  than  in  the  strength 
of  our  faith.  For  it  is  the  will  of  God 
concerning  us,  that  we  fall  not  into 
s])iritual  pride.  "  My  strength  is  made 
perfect  in  weakness.  Most  gladlj 
therefore  will  I  rather  glory  in  my  in- 
firmities, that  the  power  of  Christ 
may  rest  upon  me."  2  Cor.  12  : 9.  Let 
this  be  thy  comfort  when  thou  labor- 
est  under  weakness  of  faith. 

9.  (8)  Faith,  though  it  be  ever  so 
weak,  is  still  faith.    For  our  salva- 


I 


Chap.  LI.] 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


347 


tion  depends  not  upon  the  worthiness 
of  our  faith,  whether  it  bo  strong  or 
weak,  but  upon  Jesus  Christ,  on  whom 
it  h\ys  hold.    As,  therefore,  a  precious 
jewel  may  be  held  by  the  hands  of  a 
little  infant  as  well  as  of  a  strong 
man,  so  a  weak  faith  may  as  well  lay 
hold  on  the  merits  of  Christ  Jesus 
(the  true  Christian's  only  hope  and 
treasure),  as   that   which   is  much 
stronger,  and  by  consequence,  both  be 
capable  of  the   same  righteousness 
,  and  blessedness.    And  as  the  apple  of 
the  eye,  small  and  delicate  as  it  is,  can 
perceive  not  only  the  light  and  splen- 
dor of  the  meridian  sun,  but  even  the 
sun  itself,  though   so    many  times 
larger  than  the  earth,  so  does  the  eye 
;  of  faith,  though  weak  and  infirm,  per- 
;  ceive  and  feel  the  Sun  of  righteous- 
i  ness  (Mai.  4:2),  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
I  with  all  the  bright  rays  of  his  spirit- 
'  ual  gifts  and  graces. 

10.  (0)  Such  is  the  nature  of  faith, 
that  it  is   sometimes   stronger  and 
I  sometimes   weaker;   and  sometimes 
i  the  light  thereof  seems  to  be  dark- 
ness.   This  has  been  attested  by  the 
examples  of  almost  all  the  saints,  par- 
ticularly David,  and  Abraham,  who  is 
called  "the  father  of  the  faithful" 
(Rom.  4:11;  Gal.  3:7);  and  yet 
(Gen.  12  :  11)  he  was  afraid  that  the 
Eg3-ptians  would  put  him  to  death  on 
account  of  Sarah,  his  wife,  and  this, 
;  too,  after  he  had  received  the  promise. 
Moses  also,  at  the  water  of  Meribah, 
betrayed  a  want  of  faith.  Numb.  20  : 
10-13;  Exod.  17:7.     David's  faith 
was  sometimes  so  strong  as  to  raise 
him,  as  it  were,  up  to  heaven ;  and 
,  then  again  so  weak  as  to  leave  him  to 
I  sink,  as  it  were,  into  hell,  and  make 
him  complain  to  God  that  "  he  was 
I  cut  off  from  before  Ilis  eyes."  Ps.31  : 
I  23.    Whence  it  follows,  that  wc  must 
!  not  conclude  because  a  man's  faith  is 


weak,  that  therefore  he  has  none  at 
all ;  or  that  they  who  are  contending 
against  the  weakness  of  faith,  are 
therefore  forsaken  by  God.  AVe  know 
that  fire  is  often  hidden  under  ashes, 
though  neither  light  nor  heat  appear; 
we  know  that  the  trees  arc  alive, 
though  in  winter  they  are  stripped  of 
their  leaves:  so  we  may  in  like  man- 
ner conclude,  that  those  people  may 
have  faith  towards  God,  in  whom  we 
do  not  at  all  times  discern  signs  or 
tokens  of  it.  For  the  Spirit  of  the 
Lord  is  like  the  wind,  that  bloweth 
when  and  whither  it  pleases.  John 
3:8. 

11.  (10)  He  that  complains  of  the 
weakness  of  his  faith,  shows  plainly, 
that  faith  is  striving  and  struggling 
within  him,  and  a  striving  faith  is  a 
true  faith;  for  there  is  a  continual 
struggle  in  ever}^  man  between  faith 
and  unbelief  He  is  perpetually  as- 
saulted by  temptations  to  unbelief,  so 
that  his  life  is  one  continued  combat; 
and  he  is  obliged  to  be  as  watchful,  as 
though  he  were  in  the  midst  of  drawn 
swords,  and  expected  every  moment 
to  be  cut  in  pieces.  Here  is  the  trial 
of  the  Christian's  faith  ;  here  is  the 
exercise  of  his  patience,  to  unite  his 
earthly  heart  with  Christ ;  to  make  the 
barren  soil  of  his  soul  fit  to  receive 
the  heavenly  seed ;  to  make  the  dark- 
ness of  corrupt  nature  capable  of  the 
divine  light.  The  flesh  is  continually 
inclining  to  the  broad  way  of  the 
world,  and  endeavoring  to  tyrannize 
over  the  spirit;  the  darkness  ia  no 
sooner  scattered,  than  it  endeavors  to 
recover  its  ground,  and  spread  itself 
again  over  the  face  of  the  soul.  This 
is  what  all  the  saints  have  confessed 
and  lamented,  and  it  is  a  most  certain 
token  of  the  presence  of  true  faith. 
On  the  other  hand,  where  there  is  no 
faith  at  all,  there  is  no  cause  found  for 


348 


TEUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


[BooiL  11. 


strivino*.  Here  let  the  lanOTishinfj 
fioiil  call  to  mind  that  comfortable  as- 
surance given  us,  that  ''God  will  not 
suffer  us  to  be  tempted  above  that  we 
are  able  ;  but  will  with  the  temptation 
also  make  a  way  to  escape,  that  we 
may  be  able  to  bear  it."  1  Cor.  10  :  13. 
"God  giveth  power  to  the  faint,  and 
to  them  that  have  no  might  he  in- 
creaseth  strength."  Isa.  40  :  29. 

12.  (11)  Let  us  be  assured,  that 
whensoever,  in  our  greatest  infirmi- 
ties, we  can  but  think  upon  Jesus 
Christ,  he  will  be  with  us,  and  dwell 
in  us  by  faith.  Thus  it  is  said,  "  In 
all  places  where  I  record  my  name,  I 
will  come  unto  thee,  and  I  will  bless 
thee."  Exod.  20  :  24.  For  we  cannot 
so  much  as  think  upon  God,  without 
his  special  presence  and  assistance. 
Moreover,  being  engrafted  into  Christ, 
as  branches  into  the  living  vine  (John 
15  :  1,  etc.),  we  truly  live  in  him,  and 
draw  life  and  nourishment  from  him. 
"  Our  life,"  and  the  strength  of  our 
faith,  are  "hid  with  Christ  in  God" 
(Col.  3:3);  and  the  Holy  Spirit  wit- 
nesseth  the  same  in  our  hearts,  by  the 
joy,  peace,  and  comfort,  which  he  pro- 
duces there.  Eom.  8 :  16.  As  in  the 
Old  Testament,  there  was  no  Prophet 
who  heard  not  God  speaking  in  him  ; 
so  under  the  Gospel,  there  is  no  Chris- 
tian but  hears  Christ  speaking  in  him, 
and,  from  time  to  time  tastes  the  unc- 
tion of  the  Holy  Spirit.  And  so  strong 
is  this  union  of  our  faith  with  Christ, 
that  all  the  power  of  death  and  hell 
cannot  dissolve  it ;  because  Christ,  who 
is  the  life  and  root  of  our  faith,  is  im- 
mortal. Though  thou  hast  not  always 
so  lively  a  perception  of  this  in  thy 
heart,  yet  "greater  is  he  that  is  in 
thee,  than  he  that  is  in  the  world."  1 
John  4:  4. 

13.  (12)  When  we  are  weak  in  faith, 
lot  us  look  up  unto  Christ  Jesus  our 


Eedeemer,  and  merciful  High  Priest, 
who  offered  up  himself  for  us  on  the 
cross,  and  is  praying  that  our  faith 
may  be  strengthened ;  as  he  did  for 
St.  Peter,  "  I  have  prayed  for  thee  that 
thy  faith  fail  not"  (Luke  22  :  32);  to 
whom  also  he  stretched  out  his  al- 
mighty and  saving  hand,  when  he 
thought  himself  sinking  into  the  sea. 
Matt.  14:31.  And  he  saith,  "Holy 
Father,  keep  them  through  thine  own 
naiTie;  neither  pray  I  for  these  alone, 
(the  Apostles),  but  for  them  also  which 
shall  believe  on  me  through  their 
word."  John  17:11,20.  So  also  we 
are  told,  "  We  have  not  a  high  priest 
w^hich  cannot  bo  touched  with  the 
feeling  of  our  infirmities;  but  was  in 
all  points  tempted  like  as  we  are,  yet 
without  sin.  Who  is  at  the  right  hand 
of  God,  who  also  maketh  intercession 
for  us."  Heb.  2  :  17 ;  4  :  15 ;  Eom.  8 : 
34.  This  intercession  ought  to  be  our 
comfort  when  our  faith  is  weak  and 
languishing;  from  whence  we  should,] 
by  a  lively  and  steadfast  faith,  expect 
a  blessing. 

14.  (13)  Our  next  support  is,  the 
divine  mercy,  which  is  inexpressibly 
great,  as  infinite  as  God  himself.  Ofj 
this  let  no  man  despair.  This  mercy 
of  his  anticipates  us,  waits  for  us,  sup- 
ports us,  and  endures  forever.  And 
this  he  never  denies  to  any  one.  Come 
then,  3^e  that  complain  of  the  weak- 
ness of  your  faith,  cast  yourselves  into 
the  protecting  arms  of  divine  love, 
which  will  never  leave  you  nor  forsake 
you. 

15.  (14)  God,  who  has  wrought  the 
beginning  of  faith  in  us,  has  gra- 
ciously promised,  that  he  will  "per-j 
form  it  until  the  day  of  Jesus  Christ" 
(Phil.  1:6);  that  he  will  "  stablish, 
strengthen,  settle  us"  (1  Pet.  5:  10);. 
and  that  we  shall  be  "kept  by  the] 
power  of  God  through  faith  unto  sal- 


Chap.  LIT.] 


TEUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


349 


Ivation,  receiving  the  end  of  our  fiiith, 
even  the  salvation  of  our  souls."  1 
Pet.  1  :  5,  9.  This  is  the  end  that  God 
proposed  to  our  faith,  when  he  first 
gave  us  the  beginning  of  it.  Faith 
ibeing,  therefore,  the  operation  and 
jwork  of  God,  must  be  perfected  by  its 
divine  Author.  For  this  cause  the 
Epistle  to  the  Hebrews  (Heb.  12  :  2) 
calls  the  blessed  Jesus,  not  only  the 
Author,  but  also,  the  Finisher  of  our 
faith.  And  Christ  himself  tells  us: 
"  No  man  shall  pluck  my  sheep  out  of 
my  hand."  John  10  :  28. 

16.  (15)  To  this  end  he  has  given 
[us  various  means  w^hereby  our  faith 
may  be  strengthened  and  preserved, 
namely,  the  Word,  the  Sacraments, 
and  prayer.  ''Lord,  increase  our  faith" 
(Luke  17: 5),  said  the  disciples.  "  Jjord, 
help  thou  mine  unbelief."  Mark  9  :  24. 
Moreover,  God  has  promised  "  his  Holy 
Spirit  to  them  that  ask  him."  Luke 
ill :  13.  "  The  Spirit  also  helpeth  our 
linfirmities."  Eom.  5  :  5  ;  8  :  26.    In  a 


word,  this  is  the  end  and  design  of 
Christianity,  that  we  may  grow  and 
be  perfected  in  faith. 

17.  (10)  Lastl3\  Our  faith  is  found- 
ed on  God's  eternal  love  to  us,  "  Whom 
he  did  predestinate,  them  he  also  jus- 
tified." Eom.  8  :  30.  But  we  are  jus- 
tified by  faith  alone  in  Christ  Jesus. 
Eom.  3  :  28.  "  God  hath  chosen  us  to 
salvation,  through  sanctification  of  the 
Spirit,  and  belief  of  the  truth."  2  Thess. 
2  :  13.  Come  then,  comfort  thyself 
with  these  promises ;  sink  not  under 
the  weakness  of  thy  faith  !  When  thy 
faith  seems  to  be  at  its  lowest  ebb, 
then  is  thy  Saviour  nearer  to  thee  than 
thou  thinkest.  This  was  the  case  with 
tlie  disciples;  when  they  looked  upon 
themselves  as  lost  in  the  tempest,  then 
Christ  was  at  hand  to  save  them.  Matt. 
8  : 24-26.  Let  us  also  be  persuaded, 
that  our  Eedeemer  and  Saviour  is 
never  so  near  us,  as  when  w^e  think 
ourselves  in  most  danger. 


CHAPTER   LI  I. 


COMFORTING  INSTRUCTIONS  FOR  THOSE  THAT  ARE  LABORING  UNDER  GREAT 
TEMPTATIONS  IN  SPIRIT. 


T  have  chosen  thee  in  the  furnace  of  q, 


.— IsA.  48  :  10 


IT  is  an  undoubted  truth  that  all 
spiritual   sorrow   proceeds  from 
God.    For  ^'  the  Lord  killeth,  and 
maketh  alive  :  he  bringeth  down  to 
the  grave,  and  bringeth  up."  1  Sam. 
'  2 :  6,  7.    By  the  "  grave  "  in  this  place, 
j  is  meant  such  a  state  of  spiritual  af- 
:  flictions  as,  like  the  grave,  is  void  of 
all  light  and  comfort.    The  soul  that 
is  thrust  down  into  this  prison,  looks 


upon  itself  as  dying  and  pining  away; 
as  hated,  despised,  and  persecuted  b}^ 
every  creature  of  God.  In  this  dis- 
consolate state,  the*poor  man  cries  out 
with  holy  David,  "  My  soul  refused  to 
be  comforted."  Ps.  77  :  2.  And  well 
it  might,  when  both  the  Scripture  and 
God  himself  were  withholden  from 


him.    This  is  that 
God  brings  the  soul. 


grav( 


nto  which 


Here  it  finds  no 


350 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  II. 


comfort  but  in  silence  and  resigna- 
tion, in  those  unutterable  sighs  and 
groans  wliich  proceed  from  the  ground 
of  the  heart  J  for  so  great  is  its  dis- 
tress, tliat  it  cannot  so  much  as  think 
upon  God,  or  the  promises  contained 
in  his  holy  Word.  Faith  grows  weak, 
hope  languishes,  and  the  whole  man 
is  feeble,  withered  like  grass  (Ps.  38: 
8,  9;  lo2  :  3),  and  ready  to  perish, 
were  he  not  inwardly  supported  by 
the  secret  Word  and  power  of  God. 

2.  In  this  grave  or  shadow  of  death, 
we  find  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  when 
"  his  soul  was  exceeding  sorrowful 
even  unto  death  ;  and  in  his  agony 
his  sweat  was,  as  it  were,  great  drops 
of  blood."  Matt.  26  :  38;  Luke  22  :44. 
In  this  state  a  man  undergoes  greater 
afflictions  than  in  death  itself  Yea, 
here  a  man  wishes  for  death,  and 
longs  to  find  a  grave  where  he  may 
rest  from  his  unspeakable  labors  and 


suffer 


Job.  7 :  15.    Thus  we  find 


Job  repeatedly  wishing  for  death. 
And  our  blessed  Lord  himself,  under 
the  agonies  of  death,  cried  out,  "My 
God,  m}^  God,  why  hast  thou  forsaken 
me !''  Matt.  27:46.  He  complains 
that  he  was  forsaken  of  God,  though 
lie  was  continually  present  with  him, 
and  preserved  him  under  all  his 
trouble.  But  now,  what  can  be  more 
wonderful  than  that  Christ  himself 
should  complain  for  want  of  comfort, 
considering  his  intimate  union  with 
God?  For  he  was  both  God  and  man. 
Yet  God  had  so  withdrawn  his  conso- 
lations from  him,  that  his  human  na- 
ture was  left  desolate  iuid  comfortless. 
Now  if  the  blesseS  Jesus,  who  was 
united  to  the  eternal  Godhead  and 
anointed  with  the  heavenly  oil  of 
gladness,  endured  a  conflict  so  bitter, 
surely  sinful  man  has  no  reason  to 
wonder,  when  he  is  brought  under  the 
game  fiery  trial,  as  if  some  strange 


thing  had  happened  unto  him.  1  Pet. 
4:12. 

3.  We  suffer  nothing  but  what  oui 
blessed  Master  suffered  before  us ;  and 
certainly  nothing  is  more  reasonable 
than  that  the  members  should  suffer 
with  the  Head. 

4.  This,  therefore,  is  a  kind  of  trial 
whether  thou  art  truly  a  member  of 
Christ,  and  a  partaker  of  his  suffer- 
ings. Eev.  1  :  9.  Such  seems  to  have 
been  Hezekiah's  case  when  he  com- 
plained— "  Like  a  crane  or  a  swallow, 
so  did  I  chatter :  I  did  mourn  as  a 
dove."  Isa.  38:14.  And  Job's-— '  I 
cry  unto  thee,  and  thou  dost  not  hear 
me :  I  stand  up,  and  thou  regardest 
me  not."  Job  7  :  3;  30  :  20.  And  so 
again,  "If  I  had  called,  and  he  bad 
answered  me  ;  yet  would  I  not  believe 
that  he  had  hearkened  unto  my  voice." 
Job  9: 16.  Such  were  the  complaints 
of  holy  David  (Ps.  6;  13;  38;  88).  In 
these  scriptures  w^e  may  see  how  won- 
derfully all  the  saints  and  servants  of 
God  have  been  purified  in  this  furnace 
of  affliction.  This  was  the  ground  of 
that  warmth  of  feeling  whicli  we  meet 
with  in  the  words  of  Job  and  the  holy 
Psalmist.  Sometimes  they  are  so 
much  bereft  of  hope,  that  they  could  | 
not  think  it  j^ossible  that  God  should 
ever  show  mercy  to  them ;  at  other 
times,  they  are  full  of  hope  and  confi- 
dence, and  believe  that  '-their  Re- I' 
deemer  liveth  "  (Job  19:25),  as  Job 
expresses  it.  Yet  the  carnal  man  has 
no  understanding  of  such  sufferings, 
or  of  the  complaints  arising  from  them. 
This  we  find  by  the  example  of  Job's 
friends,  who,  not  understanding  what 
was  the  true  state  of  his  distressed 
and  afflicted  soul,  reproved  him  as  one 
that  had  lost  patience,  and  that 
charged  God  foolishly.  When  a  man 
is  come  into  this  state,  he  falls  into 
such  a  dciirree  of  unbelief  that  he  is 


I 


Chap.  LTI.] 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


351 


not  conscious  of  the  least  trace  of 
I  faith  remaining  in  his  soul.    All  the 
'  powers  of  faith  being,  as  it  were,  col- 
,  lected  in  the  centre  of  the  soul,  seem 
I  to  the  man  to  be  lost;  though  they 
I  still  operate  in  secret,  and  breathe  in 
,  sighs  and  groanings  unutterable.  This 
I  absence  of  faith  is  a  kind  of  torture 
to  the  soul.    Therefore  the  man  can- 
not believe  that  God  will  be  merciful 
to  him,  but  cries  out,  "  O  how  will- 
'  ingly  would  I  believe,  if  it  would  but 
please  God  to  give  me  the  power !" 
And  in  the  height  of  this  conflict,  the 
Scriptures  themselves  afford  him  no 
comfort.     This  is  that  crisis  of  the 
soul  when  God,  by  humbling  us,  shows 
us  how  unworthy  and  vile  we  are  in 
ourselves;  yea^  that  of  ourselves  we 
are  nothing,  but  that  all  our  suflficiency 
is  of  God ;  so  that  thence  we  may 
learn  not  to  trust  in  ourselves.  Nev- 
ertheless, the  poor  soul  occasionally 
perceives  some  distant  gleams  of  light 
breaking  through  the  thick  darkness, 
which  administer  comfort  and  sup- 
port, and  preserve  it  from  despera- 
tion. 

5.  Now,  though  it  may  happen  that 
a  man  in  the  bitterness  of  his  soul 
grows  impatient,  and  is  tempted  to 
fret  against  God,  yet  let  him  remem- 
ber that  God  is  merciful.  lie  knows 
whereof  we  are  made ;  he  sees  the 
struggle  of  our  souls  under  the  fiery 
trial,  when  he  sets  his  hand  to  cleanse 
us  from  our  impurities.  In  a  word, 
the  most  holy  and  best  beloved  chil- 
dren of  God,  are  they  that  have 
passed  through  this  furnace  of  afflic- 
tion; as  we  may  see  by  the  examples 
of  Job  (Job  42  :  2,  etc.),  of  David,  and 
Jeremiah.  Jer.  20  :  12,  etc.  These 
learned  faith  in  the  school,  and  under 
the  discipline  of  the  cross;  whilst  the 
delicate  Christian  who  flees  from  the 
cross,  and  expects  to  learn  it  amidst 


the  enjoyments  of  the  world,  will  find 
himself  miserably  deceived  in  the  end. 
But  further, 

6.  (2)  Let  us  call  to  mind  that  noble 
saj'ing  of  Jeremiah,  "  The  Lord  will 
not  cast  off  forever;  but  though  he 
cause  grief,  yet  will  he  have  compas- 
sion according  to  the  multitude  of  his 
mercies.  For  he  doth  not  afflict  will- 
ingly, nor  grieve  the  children  of  men." 
Lam.  3  :  30,  31,  33.  Whence  Ihou  may- 
est  learn,  that  though  the  Lord  suffer 
thee  to  be  afflicted  for  a  season,  ^-e^  he 
will  not  cast  thee  off  forever.  Per- 
haps, however,  thou  wilt  say,  that  the 
evil  thoughts  with  which  thou  art 
troubled,  are  not  from  God,  but  from 
Satan.  Now,  though  it  cannot  be  de- 
nied that  they  are  suggested  to  us  by 
Satan;  yet  it  is  also  true,  that  Satan 
can  do  nothing  but  by  God's  permis- 
sion. In  this  case,  look  unto  Jesus, 
whom  our  heavenly  Father  suffered 
to  be  tempted  by  the  same  adversary. 
The  fiery  darts  (Eph.  6  :  16)  which  the 
Evil  One  cast  at  our  blessed  Saviour, 
came  indeed  from  him,  and  not  from 
God;  but  it  w^as  God  that  gave  him 
permission  to  assault  as  he  did.  And 
though  our  blessed  Lord  bore  all  this, 
yet  he  still  continued  to  be  the  dearly 
beloved  Son  of  God,  nor  could  the 
tempter  with  all  his  art  and  power  do 
him  the  least  harm.  Matt.  4  :  1,  etc. 
Hear  this,  O  afflicted  soul,  and  believe 
that  thou  also  shalt  be  sale  and  un- 
hurt amid  all  the  fiery  darts  of  the 
wicked  one.  Remember  the  case  of 
Job,  when,  by  God's  permission,  the 
devil  so  afflicted  him  internally  and 
externally,  that  h6  cursed  the  day  of 
his  birth;  yet  was  God  still  with  him, 
and  we  find  him  thus  expressing  him- 
self to  God:  "  These  things  hast  thou 
hid  in  thine  heart :  I  know  that  this  is 
with  thee."  Job  10:  13. 

7.  Having  thus  discovered  the  origin 


352 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  II. 


of  this  spiritual  affliction,  let  us  next 
inquire  into  the  reasons  why  God  sends 
it  upon  us. 

8.  First,  then,  it  is  certain  that  the 
true  inward  taste  of  the  Word  of  God, 
is  accompanied  with  unspeakable  joy, 
peace,  and  comfort,  vastly  surpassing 
any  enjoyments  of  this  life.  This  is 
the  true  joy  of  our  souls,  a  foretaste 
of  eternal  life,  arising  from  the  true 
and  living  knowledge  of  Christ  Jesus; 
by  wbich  w^e  discover  the  heart  of  God 
full  of  the  most  tender  compassions, 
and  an  ardent  and  eternal  love  to- 
wards lost  mankind.  Now,  so  corrupt 
and  perverse  is  human  nature,  that  it 
is  too  apt  to  be  exalted  above  measure, 
by  the  abundance  of  these  divine  mani- 
festations, and  to  make  them  occasions 
of  spiritual  pride;  and  tbe  man  who  is 
thus  visited  and  comforted  from  above, 
will  be  apt  to  think  highly  of  himself, 
to  overvalue  his  sanctity,  and  to  think 
meanly  of  the  rest  of  the  world,  who 
are  strangers  to  these  consolations; 
and  thus,  forsaking  the  fountain  of 
living  waters,  wdience  all  the  streams 
of  blessing  flow,  and  to  which,  with  all 
humility,  they  ought  to  be  ascribed; 
the  man  grows  vain  and  arrogant, 
and  sets  himself  up  in  the  place  of 
God.  This  perverseness  of  soul,  as  it 
is  directly  contrary  to  true  penitence, 
and  to  the  appointed  w^ay  of  salvation, 
so  it  is  very  hateful  to  God.  This  causes 
him  to  withdraw^  his  consolations  from 
us,  and  to  hide  himself  in  thick  dark- 
ness; so  that  though  w^e  call  and 
cry,  and  search  ever  so  diligently,  we 
shall  not  be  able  to  find  Him.  This  is 
a  deplorable  state,  when  w^e  are  hang- 
ing, as  it  were,  betw^een  heaven  and 
hell,  oppressed  and  afflicted  on  every 
side,  not  knowing  whither  to  fly  for 
relief  or  comfort;  having  no  certain 
evidence  whether  we  believe  or  not, 
whether  we  hope  or  not,  whether  God 


be  angry  with  us  or  not,  whether  we 
are  in  a  state  of  life  or  of  death.  This 
is  that  darkness  and  desolation  which 
we  find  described  in  Psalm  88;  of 
which  the  Psalmist  speaks  also  in 
Ps.  31  :  22.  "  I  said  in  my  haste,  I  am 
cut  off"  from  before  thine  eyes.  Never- 
theless thou  heardest  the  voice  of  my 
supplications  when  I  cried  unto  thee." 

9.  Now^,  although  nothing  is  more 
bitter  to  us  than  to  be  so  long  de- 
prived of  the  comforts  of  the  divine 
presence;  yet  even  this  deprivation 
itself  is  more  profitable  to  the  soul, 
than  all  the  enjoyments  and  glories 
of  the  world.  By  this,  as  by  a  fiery 
trial,  we  are  taught  humility,  repent- 
ance, contempt  of  the  world,  and  the 
true  value  of  all  its  favors  and  enjoy- 
ments; that  these  are  dangerous,  trans- 
itory, and  perishing,  and  can  give  no 
solid  comfort  to  the  distressed  soul. 
And  though  the  soul  in  this  state  is 
encompassed  with  perplexities  and 
fears,  so  that  it  can  hardly  lift  up 
itself  to  God,  yet  there  is  left  a  kind 
of  deep  and  secret  sorrow,  venting 
itself  in  holy  sighs,  and  devout  aspira- 
tions towards  God,  and  a  longing  for 
his  favor.  Hence  we  may  learn  how 
great  a  good  God  is  to  the  soul,  and 
that  no  true,  solid,  or  constant  peace 
can  be  found  except  in  Him.  This 
cannot  be  learned  any  where  but  in 
this  school  of  temptation  ;  in  which 
alone  the  truest  knowledge  is  to  be 
acquired.  And  whosoever  is  unac- 
quainted with  this,  knows  not  God 
and  Christ  as  they  ought  to  be 
known. 

10.  And  would  to  God,  that  for  his 
glory,  and  our  ow'n  unspeakable  ad- 
vantage, we  would  readily  submit  to 
this  visitation,  which  is  designed  for 
the  trial  of  our  faith,  even  as  gold  in 
the  furnace  is  tried !  Then  w' e  should 
quickly  reap  the  amazing  benefits  of 


Chap.  LII.] 


TRUE  CHiaSTIANITY. 


353 


Bucb  a  cleansing.  For  the  faithful 
soul  that  can  hold  out,  and  not  faint 
under  it,  comes  forth  o-lorious  as  jrold 
out  of  the  fire,  cleansed  from  all  its 
dross;  so  that  neither  fire,  nor  water, 
nor  the  cross,  nor  death,  nor  vSatan, 
can  hurt  it.  Such  a  one  will  learn  how 
to  behave  himself  ever  afterwards  with 
patience  and  humility,  both  in  prosper- 
ity and  adversity;  not  to  sink  under 
the  cross;  not  to  be  presumptuous  in 
prosperity;  not  to  depend  upon  him- 
self, or  be  puffed  up  with  his  own 
fancied  perfections;  but  to  look  up 
steadfastly  to  God,  .the  everlasting 
fountain  and  giver  of  all  goodness; 
and  to  embrace  every  dispensation 
of  Providence,  whether  sweet  or  bit- 
ter, as  his  only  happiness;  and,  in 
every  state  or  condition  of  soul  or 
bod}",  to  rejoice  in  God  alone. 

11.  Secondly,  whensoever  it  shall 
please  God  to  cast  any  of  us,  his  crea- 
tures, into  this  trying  furnace,  it  will 
be  much  more  consistent  and  profita- 
ble for  us  to  pray  for  patience  under 
it,  than  for  deliverance  from  it.  For 
when  once  the  fire  of  temptation  has 
purged  away  the  dross  of  our  iniqui- 
ties, our  pride,  luxury,  covetousness, 
and  envy,  it  will  be  much  easier  for  us 
to  endure  afterwards  other  fiery  trials, 
by  having  our  own  will  swallowed  up 
in  the  will  and  good  pleasure  of  God. 
But  when  from  an  excessive  indul- 
gence of  the  infirmities  of  our  corrupt 
nature,  we  endeavor  to  avoid  this  fiery 
trial,  it  often  happens  that  before  we 
can  receive  any  benefit  from  it,  we  are 
contriving  to  make  our  escape.  So 
that  if  God  did  not  often  keep  us 
under  the  trial  against  our  will,  we 
should  fly  from  it,  without  consider- 
ing whether  we  were  sufficiently  puri- 
fied, according  to  the  will  of  God  and 
the  necessities  of  our  corrupt  nature  : 
like  children,  who,  if  their  parents  or 


physicians  did  not  prevent,  would 
throw  away  that  bitter  cup  which 
alone  can  cure  their  disoj-rlei-s.  But 
God  knows  our  case,  and  what  is 
proper  for  us,  better  than  we  our- 
selves; and  therefore  ho  has  appoint- 
ed certain  measures  of  affliction,  to 
which  he  confines  the  soul,  till  he  sees 
it  proper  to  release  her.  So  that  we 
ought  not  so  much  to  pray  for  deliver- 
ance from  temptations,  as  for  patience 
under  them. 

12.  Thirdly,  our  deliverance  is  so  cer- 
tain, that  we  have  not  the  least  reason 
to  doubt  of  it;  for  "  though  the  Lord 
cause  grief,  yet  will  he  have  compas- 
sion, according  to  the  multitude  of  his 
mercies."  Lam.  3  :  82.  This  is  the 
promise  of  God,  who  is  truth  itself, 
and  it  therefore  ought  diligently  to  be 
weighed  and  considered  by  us.  It  is 
much  better  to  know  and  digest  som^e 
few  comfortable  passages  of  Scripture, 
or  even  only  one  of  this  kind,,  than  to 
burden  our  memory  with  a  great 
many  without  true  spiritual  relish. 
For  when  a  man  has  by  a  lively  faith 
digested  one,  he  will  easily  understand 
and  digest  all  the  rest;  and  he  that 
can  derive  comfort  from  one  text,  will 
thereby  learn  to  do  the  same  by  all 
the  rest.  It  will  be  very  useful  to  re- 
peat frequently,  with  lively  affection, 
the  88th  Psalm,  where  thou  wilt  see 
the  state  of  thy  soul  described.  There 
thou  wilt  find  that  there  have  been 
others  in  the  world  before  thee,  who 
have  been  tried  and  afflicted  as  thou 
art,  and  yet  have  afterwards  been  de- 
livered and  comforted  of  God,  as  we 
find  in  Psalm  89,  where  the  holy  man, 
rejoicing  in  the  divine  comfort,  begins, 
as  in  a  rapture^  "  I  will  sing  of  the 
mercies  of  the  Lord  for  ever."  Be 
thou  confident,  therefore,  and  believe 
that  God  will  also  in  due  time  com- 
fort thee  with  the  same  consolation 


354 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  II. 


For  the  Evil  spirit,  who  always  dc-  | 
lights  to  afflict  the  souls  of  men,  has,  i 
from  the  beginning  of  the  world, 
made  it  his  business  to  gall  and  wound, 
them  with  his  fiery  darts.  As  in  a 
tempestuous  sea  one  wave  is  continu- 
ally rolling  upon  another,  so  do  the 
variour^  temptations  of  Satan  pursue 
the  afflicted  soul;  sometimes  oppress- 
ing it  with  fearful  and  melancholy 
thoughts;  at  others,  wMth  impatience, 
unl)clicf,  blasplicmous  and  wicked 
thoughts.  The  ten-ors  and  miseries 
of  such  a  soul  are  sometimes  so  great, 
that  no  ci-oatnre  can  give  it  comfort ; 
yea,  those  very  things  which  give  joy 
and  delight  to  others^  are  to  such  a 
man,  not  only  joyless,  but  burden- 
some. The  whole  world  is  to  him  but 
one  bitter  ci'oss;  yea,  even  God  him- 
self appears  di'cadful  to  him.  Thus 
Job  bitterly  complains  (chap.  7  :  13, 
etc.);  and  the  agony  is  increased  by 
the  sting  of  his  own  conscience,  w'hieh 
terrifies  him  with  this  dreadful  sen- 
tence, "There  is  no  help  for  thee  in 
thy  God."  Ps.  3:2. 

13.  Against  these  wiles  of  the  devil 
there  is  no  better  remedy  than  to  en- 
deavor to  strengthen  thyself  after  the 
examples  of  Job,  David,  and  other 
holy  men.  (1)  B}^  bearing  thy  afflic- 
tion as  long  as  it  shall  please  God; 
and  waiting  patiently  till  the  clouds 
of  darkness  be  driven  away.  Tsa.  54  : 
11.  "I  will  bear  the  indignation  of 
the  Lord,  because  I  have  sinned 
against  him,  until  he  bring  me  forth 
to  the  light,  and  I  shall  behold  his 
righteousness."  Micah  7  :  9.  Where 
God  afflicteth,  it  is  in  no  man's  power 
to  comfort.  The  Lord  killeth,  and 
maketh  alive ;  he  bringeth  down  to 
the  grave,  and  bringeth  up."  1  Sam. 
2  :  6^ 

14.  (2)  We  must,  in  this  case,  stop 
our  ears  against  the  opinions  of  the 


world,  and,  with  Job,  disregard  the 
accusations  of  our  friends,  the  terrors 
of  the  devil,  who  is  the  enemy  of  all 
peace  and  comfort,  the  reflections  of 
our  own  hearts,  the  stings  of  our  own 
consciences,  and  all  the  objections  of 
flesh  and  blood.  For,  "if  our  heart 
condemn  us,  God  is  greater  than  our 
heart"  (1  John  3  :  20),  yea,  than  all 
the  world,  or  the  devil  himself  Bath- 
er call  to  mind  what  God  himself  has 
promised  to  such  afflicted  souls.  "To 
this  man  will  I  look,  even  to  him  that 
is  poor  and  of  a  contrite  spii-it."  Isa 
66  :  2.  "I  have  chosen  thee  in  tht 
furnace  of  affliction."  Isa.  48  : 10. 

15.  (3)  Consider  also  the  examples 
of  holy  men.  Did  not  they  suffer  as 
thou  dost,  and  were  they  not  at  last 
delivered']!'  Does  not  David  complain, 
"  IIow  long  wilt  thou  forget  me,  0 
Lord  ?  for  ever?"  Ps.  13  :  1.  And  did 
God  forsake  him  in  his  troubles?  No: 
for  he  adds,  "  I  have  trusted  in  th} 
mercy;  my  heart  shall  rejoice  in  thy 
salvation !"  Yer.  5.  lie  complains, 
"  Hath  God  forgotten  to  be  gracious?" 
Ps.  77  :  9.  But  did  God  leave  him  in 
this  extremity?  No,  certainly,  for  af 
ter  his  delivera'nce  he  adds,  "I  will 
remember  the  years  of  the  right  hand 
of  the  Most  High."  Ver.  10.  Thus 
w^ien  God  discovered  himself  in  ter- 
rors to  Jeremiah,  he  prays,  "Be  not 
a  terror  unto  me!"  (Jer.  17  :  17),  but 
immediately  adds,  "  Thou  art  my  hope 
in  the  day  of  evil."  Did  not  Jesus 
Christ  himself  cry  out,  "My  God,  my 
God,  why  hast  thou  forsaken  me?" 
Ps.  22  : 1.  But  was  he  forsaken  of 
God?  No;  for  he  adds,  "I  will  de- 
clare thy  name  unto  my  brethreu" 
(Ps.  22  :  22)  :  and  "  I  shall  not  die,  but 
live,  and  declare  the  works  of  the 
Lord."  Ps.  118  :  17. 

16.  Thou  also,  after  this  example  of 
thy  Saviour,  must  be  content  to  drink 


Chap.  LIIL] 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


355 


the  wine  mingled  with  gall  and  myrrh 
(Matt.  27:  34),  that  thou  mayest  here- 
after alt  down  with  liini  at  his  royal 
supper  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  Isa. 
65  :  13.  Learn,  therefore,  to  bear  his 
reproach   (Ileb.  13:13);   and  thou 


shalt  be  a  partaker  of  his  glory. 
Learn  to  be  conformed  to  Christ  cru- 
cified, that  thou  may  est  be  conformed 
to  Christ  glorified.  Eom.  8:29;  Phil. 
3  :  21. 


CHAPTER  LIIL 


CONSOLATIONS  FOR  THOSE  WHO  LABOR  UNDER  GREAT  SPIRITUAL  TEMPTATIONS. 


When  the  2>oor  and  needy  seek  wafer ^  and  there  is  none,  and  their  tongue  faileth  for  thirst,  I  the 
Lord  will  hear  tltem;  I  the  God  of  Israel  will  not  forsake  them. — Isa.  41  :  17. 


IN  these  words,  the  Holy  Spirit  com- 
forts all  those  that  are  broken  in 
heart,  miserable,  tempted,  and  thirst- 
ing after  God ;  by  whom  they  look  upon 
themselves  as  forsaken  and  rejected,  so 
that  they  cry  out,  "  My  soul  is  full  of 
troubles  ;  and  my  life  draweth  nigh 
unto  the  grave."  Ps.  88  :  3.  For  the 
sake  of  such  as  these,  I  shall  touch  upon 
some  few  heads,  by  way  of  comfort 
and  advice  under  these  spiritual  temp- 
tations. 

2.  (1)  AVe  are  to  remember,  that  no 
kinds  of  spiritual  temptations,  melan- 
choly thoughts,  terrors  of  soul,  and 
stings  of  conscience,  can  happen  to  us 
without  the  particular  permission  and 
gracious  will  of  God  our  heavenly  Fa- 
ther, notwithstanding  all  the  malice 
and  fury  of  the  Evil  Spirit.  For  God 
has  expressly  told  us  in  his  Word,  that 
the  devil  has  not  the  least  power  over 
any  creature;  nor  can  he  hurt  even  a 
hair  of  our  heads.  Matt.  10:30.  All 
creatures  are  in  the  hand  of  God,  and 
not  in  the  power  of  the  devil.  Heb.  1 : 
3.  Much  less  has  he  any  power  over 
man,  unless  by  the  permission  of  God, 
for  a  certain  season,  as  in  the  case  of 


the  Gergesenes  (Matt.  8  :  32),  and  Job. 
Job  1  :  12. 

3.  Now,  if  he  has  no  power  of  him- 
self over  a  hair  of  our  heads,  or  the 
least  part  of  our  bodies ;  much  less  can 
he  of  himself  afflict,  disquiet,  or  tor- 
ment our  souls.  Hence  David  says, 
"  The  angel  of  the  Lord  encampeth 
round  about  them  that  fear  him,  and 
delivereth  them."  Ps.  34  :  7.  And  Ze- 
chariah,  "  I,  the  Lord,  will  be  unto  her 
a  wall  of  fire  round  about."  Zech.  2  :  5. 
So  David  prays,  "  Keep  me  as  the  ap- 
ple of  the  eye."  Ps.  17  :  8.  And  he 
acknowledges  God  to  be  the  author 
of  all  the  heavy  trials  of  his  spirit: 
"  Thou  hast  laid  me  in  the  lowest  pit, 
in  darkness,  in  the  deeps.  Thy  wrath 
lieth  hard  upon  me,  and  thou  hast  af- 
flicted me  with  all  thy  waves."  Ps.  88  : 
6,  7.  So  likewise,  "  Thou  which  hast 
shewed  me  great  and  sore  troubles, 
shalt  quicken  me  again,  and  shalt  bring 
me  up  again  from  the  depths  of  the 
earth."  Ps.  71:20.  Agreeable  to  which 
is  the  song  of  Hannah,  "The  Lord 
killeth,  and  maketh  alive;  he  bringeth 
down  to  the  grave,  and  bringeth  up." 
1  Sam.  2  :  6.    For  as  the  Son  of  God 


356 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  II. 


himself  descended  first  into  hell,  be- 
fore he  ascended  up  into  heaven ;  so 
likewise  must  the  true  members  of  his 
body  experience  the  same,  in  the  fol- 
lowing manner.  When  a  man's  con- 
science is  so  awakened  and  enlightened 
by  the  Lord,  as  to  feel  in  himself  the 
strength  of  sin,  the  sting  of  death,  the 
curse  of  the  law,  and  the  fiery  darts 
of  the  devil ;  then  is  his  wretched  soul 
so  oppressed  with  grief  and  horror, 
that  with  David  (Ps.  77  : 3),  it  refuses 
to  be  comforted,  and  looks  upon  itself 
as  rejected  and  persecuted  by  every 
creature  of  God.  The  man  w^ho  is  in 
this  state,  does  not  enjoy  the  least 
glimpse  of  comfort,  believing  that  he 
deserves  it  not ;  he  struggles  with  de- 
spair, he  contends  with  hell,  and  has 
already  a  taste  of  its  agony.  This  is 
the  sting  of  hell,  yea,  hell  itself,  full  of 
terror  and  amazement,  darkness  and 
despair.  He  that  suffers  this,  is  not 
indeed  corporeally,  but  spiritually,  and 
in  his  soul,  brought  down  into  hell ; 
so  that  with  his  blessed  Saviour  at  the 
mount  of  Olives,  he  is  in  an  agony,  is 
very  heavy  and  sorrowful,  even  unto 
death.  Luke  22  :  44. 

4.  But  you  will  say,  Is  it  not  strange, 
that  God  should  suffer  his  believing 
children,  who  have  been  baptized  into 
Christ,  who  through  him  obtained  re- 
mission of  their  sins,  being  justified 
through  faith,  and  redeemed  to  eternal 
life — to  be  thus  miserably  tempted  and 
afflicted  by  the  devil,  oppressed  with 
dreadful  thoughts,  and  to  undergo  this 
spiritual  martyrdom  ?  In  answer  to 
this,  we  must  consider,  that  it  is  not 
our  business  to  inquire  into  the  secret 
reasons  of  God's  ways,  but  to  rest 
satisfied  with  what  he  has  told  us, 
namely,  that  all  these  kinds  of  afflic- 
tion proceed  from  him.  Now  we  may 
rest  assured,  that  whatsoever  comes 
from  him,  promotes  our  spiritual  wel- 


fare, according  to  what  we  are  told, 
that  all  things  work  together  for 
good,  to  them  that  love  God."  Eom. 
8  :  28.  There  are,  however,  some  rea- 
sons revealed,  why  God  suffers  his  be- 
loved children  to  fall  into  temptations 
so  bitter. 

5.  The  first  may  be  to  bring  us  to  a 
true  sense  of  the  strength  of  sin,  which 
is  the  sting  of  death  (1  Cor.  15  :  56); 
of  the  curse  of  the  law;  of  the  wrath 
and  justice  of  God;  and  of  the  cruel 
tyranny  of  Satan.  These  hang  to- 
gether, as  it  w^ere,  in  a  chain,  as  Heze- 
kiah  complains  (Isaiah  38  :  14),  when 
he  chattered  as  a  crane  or  a  swallow, 
and  mourned  as  a  dove. 

6.  Secondly,  That  we  may  have 
worthy  concej^tions  of  the  value  and 
greatness  of  our  blessed  Saviour's  pas- 
sion, and  of  all  the  merits  of  our  re- 
demption; and  hence  learn  that  b 
the  agony  of  his  ow^n  soul,  he  has  de- 
livered us  from  the  punishments  of 
hell.  Ps.  22  :  2. 

7.  Thirdly,  That  we  may  be  con 
formed  to  the  image  of  Christ.  Eom, 
8:29. 

8.  Fourthly,  That  we  may  learn  to 
taste  the  efficacy  of  God's  Holy  Word, 
and  the  comforts  that  flow  from  it. 
Thus  we  are  told,  "by  vexation  (o 
temptation)  only  we  shall  understan 
the  report"  (or  word).  Isa.  28  :  19. 

9.  Fifthly,  That  we  may  learn  t 
exercise  faith,  hope,  charity,  humility, 
and  patience,  that  so  "the  trial  of  ou 
faith  may  be  found  much  more  pre 
cious  than  gold  that  perisheth,  though 
it  be  tried  with  fire."  1  Pet.  1  :  7. 

10.  Sixthly,  That  we  may  after- 
wards have  a  more  lively  perception 
of  the  divine  comforts,  even  as  St. 
Paul  says,  "As  the  sufferings  of  Christ 
abound  in  us,  so  our  consolation  also 
aboundeth  by  Christ."  2  Cor.  1  :  5. 

11.  Seventhly,  That  we  may  obtain 


Chap.  LIIT.] 


TRUE  CHETSTIANITY. 


357 


greater  degrees  of  glory  in  the  life  to 
come,  according  to  Eom.  8  :  17  :  "If 
60  be  that  we  suffer  with  him,  that  we 
may  be  also  glorified  together." 

12.  Though  we  even  did  not  know 
that  God  intended  these  particular 
advantages  by  our  sufferings;  yet  we 
ouirht  to  be  satisfied  with  this  one 
consideration,  that  our  sufferings  are 
ordered  by  the  will  of  God.  For  if 
"the  very  hairs  of  our  head  are  all 
numbered"  (Matt.  10  :  30),  how  much 
more  care,  may  w^e  suppose,  will  God 
take  of  our  souls,  that  the  devil  may 
not  precipitate  us  into  desjiair?  Hence 
we  may  further  learn,  not  to  expect 
deliverance  from  any  but  God  himself, 
through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who 
has  overcome  the  w^orld  and  the  devil. 
John  11:31;  16  :  11.  He,  therefore, 
that  labors  under  temptation,  must  fly 
unto  Jesus  Christ;  and  from  him  alone 
expect  that  help,  comfort,  and  peace, 
which  nothing  in  this  w^orld  can  give 
him. 

13.  (2)  These  trials  are  not  to  be 
looked  upon  as  tokens  of  God's  anger, 
but  rather  of  his  infinite  mercy,  since 
he  is  herebj^  fitting  us  to  be  partakers 
with  them  who  have  through  many 
temptations  entered  into  glory.  Such 
was  David,  who  complains,  "  The  sor- 
rows of  death  compassed  me."  Psalm 
18  :  4.  And  the  w^hole  88th  Psalm  is 
full  of  lamentations  of  the  pains  and 
agony  which  he  underwent  in  his  soul. 
This,  too,  was  the  prophet  Jeremiah's 
case,  w^hen  he  wished  that  his  moth- 
er's womb  had  been  his  grave  (Jer. 
20:17);  that  he  had  never  seen  the 
light,  that  so  he  might  have  avoided 
his  many  bitter  sufferings.  Thus  it 
was  with  Job,  wdien  he  cried  out: 
"  O  that  my  grief  were  thoroughly 
weighed,  and  m^^  calamity  laid  in  the 
balances  together.  For  now  it  would 
be  heavier  than  the  sand  of  the  sea." 


Job  6  :  2,  3.  And  My  soul  chooseth 
strangling,  and  death,  rather  than  my 
life."  Job  7  :  15.  Thus  St.  Paul  was 
buffeted  by  "the  messenger  of  Satan." 
2  Cor.  12  :  7.  Nor,  lastly,  did  the  Son 
of  God  himself,  escape  severe  trials, 
when  his  holy  body  trembled,  and  his 
soul  was  exceeding  sorrowful  (Matt. 
26  :  S8),  and  when  he  cried  out,  "My 
God,  my  God,  why  hast  thou  forsaken 
me'/"  Matt.  27  :  46. 

14.  Froni  these  examples  we  may 
learn  that  we  are  not  the  only  persons 
who  have  been  so  severely  tempted; 
but  that  saints  and  servants  of  God 
before  us  have  been  visited  in  the 
same  manner.  And  as  God  forsook 
not  them  in  their  exti-eme  agony,  so 
we  may  assure  ourselves  that  he  will 
in  his  own  time  deliver  us,  as  well  as 
them.  This  is  an  argument  full  of 
consolation.  As  bodily  diseases  and 
persecutions  are  marks  of  the  divine 
favor,  since  by  them  God  endeavors 
to  make  us  conformable  to  his  Son 
(and  on  that  account  we  ought  to 
bear  them  with  patience),  so  it  is  a 
much  greater  token  of  the  divine  fa- 
vor, and  of  the  glory  that  shall  follow 
it,  wiien  he  sends  affliction  on  our  souls, 
as  well  as  on  our  bodies,  and  by  a  va- 
riety of  crosses  brings  us  to  an  entire 
conformity,  both  in  body  and  soul,  to 
Christ  our  Head.  For  as  the  body  of 
the  blessed  Jesus,  at  the  time  of  his 
passion,  was  overwhelmed  with  all 
kinds  of  pains,  and  sufferings,  and  his 
soul  w-as  full  of  anguish,  distress,  and 
sorrow:  so  must  his  spiritual  body,  in 
all  its  true  and  living  membc.'s,  be 
made  partaker  of  the  same  suffertfigs, 
whether  internal  or  external,  so  that 
the  whole  spiritual  body,  as  well  as 
the  Head,  may  contribute,  each  mem- 
ber in  its  proportion,  to  fill  up  the 
measure  of  sufferings.  This  is  what 
St.  Paul  means,  "I  fill  up  that  which 


358 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  II. 


is  behind  of  the  aflaictions  of  Christ  in 
my  flesh"  (Col  1  :  24):  so  that  every 
living  member  of  Christ  must  expect 
to  bear  his  sliarc  of  Christ's  cross,  in 
order  to  perfect  that  which  is  yet 
lacking  in  such  sufferings.  It  ought, 
therefore,  to  make  us  rejoice  in  afflic- 
tion, when  we  consider  that  '*  the  suf- 
ferings of  this  present  time  are  not 
worth}^  to  be  compared  with  the  glory 
which  shall  be  revealed  in  us."  Eom. 
8:  18.  We  should,  when  these  spirit- 
ual storms  blow  hai'd  upon  us,  bear 
with  patience  the  i^iaternal  chastise- 
ment of  God  (Micah  7  :  9),  expect  his 
help,  not  faint  in  prayer,  but  think 
thus  with  ourselves:  This  is  a  season 
of  sufferings;  but  when  wrath  has 
passed  away,  it  will  end  in  joy  un- 
sj^eakable  and  full  of  glory.  Isa.  54  : 
7,  8. 

15.  (3)  We  must  support  ourselves 
under  this  internal  conflict,  with  the 
comforting  promises  of  Jesus  Christ, 
that  in  due  time  we  shall  conquer  if 
we  hold  out  and  faint  not.  Gal.  G  :  9. 
Thus  he  tells  us,  ''The  prince  of  this 
world  Cometh,  and  hath  nothing  in 
me."  John  14  :  30.  And,  "  Be  of  good 
cheer;  I  have  overcome  the  world." 
John  18:33.  For  as  all  the  host  of 
Israel  triumphed  in  the  persun  of  Da- 
vid, when  he  slew  Goliah,  and  routed 
the  Philistines  (1  Sam.  17  :  51)  ;  so  the 
victory  of  our  Lord  is  the  victory  of 
all  true  believers.  Hence  we  are  told, 
"  Now  is  come  salvation,  and  strength, 
and  the  kingdom  of  our  God,  and  the 
power  of  his  Christ:  for  the  accuser 
of  our  brethren  is  cast  down,  which 
accused  them  before  our  God  day  and 
night.  And  they  overcame  him  by  the 
blood  of  the  Lamb,  and  by  the  word 
of  their  testimony."  Eev.  12:10,  11. 
Whenever,  therefore,  thou  findest  thy- 
self assaulted  by  the  fiery  darts  of  the 
Evil  One,  and  thy  soul  is  afflicted  with 


such  suggestions  as  these  :  "  Thou  art 
damned;  —  thou  art  undone;  —  God 
hath  forsaken  thee; — thou  art  mine; 
— it  is  in  vain  for  thee  to  hope,  believe, 
or  pray  any  longei-,"  then  take  cour- 
age, and  answ^er  boldly  :  O  thou  en- 
emy of  mankind,  thou  hast  no  power 
to  condemn  me.  God  hath  not  ap- 
pointed thee  to  be  my  judge;  but  the 
faithful  shall  judge  the  world,  and 
thee,  at  the  last  great  day"  (1  Cor.  G : 
3),  yea,  prince  of  this  world,  thou  art 
judged  already  by  the  Son  of  God. 
John  IG:  U. 

16.  (4)  As  the  nature  of  this  spirit 
of  blasphemy  is  such,  that  a  Christian 
is  forced  to  undergo  it  sorely  against 
his  will,  and  does  all  that  in  him  lies 
to  resist  and  oppose  it;  hence  let  him 
comfort  himself,  when  he  is  tempted 
with  the  thought,  that  God  will  never 
lay  it  to  his  charge;  since  it  is  not  he 
that  acts,  but  the  devil;  for  the  soul 
is  passive,  and  may,  therefore,  be  as- 
sured that  such  thoughts  shall  never 
be  imputed  for  sin.  As  people  in  a 
besieged  town,  cannot  hinder  the  ene- 
my from  throwing  fire  into  the  town, 
though  they  may  do  what  they  can  to 
quench  it,  and  prevent  its  spreading; 
and  as  Ilezekiah  (Isa.  33:11)  could 
not  hinder  the  blasphemy  of  Eabsha- 
keh;  so  we  cannot  hinder  the  devil 
from  shooting  his  envenomed  arrows 
at  us.  All  that  we  have  to  do  is,  to 
bear  it  with  penitential  sorrow,  and  to 
take  all  the  care  we  can,  not  to  suffer 
our  thoughts  to  vent  themselves  in 
blasphemous  words;  but,  on  the  other 
hand,  having  set  a  guard  upon  our 
tongues,  we  should  endeavor  so  to  stifle 
these  murmurings,  that  they  break 
not  out  into  a  flame,  as  we  read  of 
Jeremiah.  (Lam.  3  :  28.)  Moreover, 
forasmuch  as  thou  art  assaulted  against 
thy  will,  it  is  plain,  that  thou  hast  yet 
a  living  and  struggling  faith. 


Chap.  LIII.] 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


359 


17.  (5)  Wo  ought  to  be  comforted, 
if  we  find  but  one  single  aspiration  of 
our  hearts  towards  God,  or  any  devout 
affection  springing  uj)  in  our  souls  by 
the  rc'iding  of  any  text  of  Holy  Scrip- 
ture. For  tliis  is  that  spark  of  faitli 
and  divine  grace,  which,  like  the 
smoking  of  flax,  God  will  not  quench, 
but  preserve  it  in  its  weakest  state, 
when  it  seems  to  be  almost  dead.  Isa. 
42:3.  One  devout  aspiration  such  as 
this,  is  a  certain  sign  that  the  Holy 
Spirit  is  still  present  with  us,  though 
in  a  manner  almost  undiscernible  in 
the  deepest  ground  and  centre  of  the 
soul.  For  as  the  body  is  not  looked 
upon  as  dead,  whilst  there  is  the  least 
breath  or  pulse  remaining ;  so  we  must 
believe  that  the  Spirit  of  God,  and 
faith,  are  not  yet  entirely  gone,  if  only 
a  feeble  prayer  and  a  word  of  God  re- 
main ;  for  then  the  soul  retains  a  spir- 
itual and  internal  life,  and  is  not  en- 
tirely dead.  And  the  soul  ought  to  be 
content  with  the  smallest  spark  of  this 
inward  light  and  life,  till  the  Spirit  of 
joy  and  liberty  return  to  him,  and 
comfort  him  with  all  the  consolations 
of  God.  Let  us  suppose  a  man  in  such 
a  case,  that  he  can  neither  pray,  nor 
even  think  a  good  thought;  and  that 
this  inability  is  matter  of  the  greatest 
grief  to  him;  the  anguish  of  such  a 
soul,  because  it  cannot  pray,  is  in  itself 
a  true  and  effectual  prayer.  These  are 
the  unutterable  sighs  and  groanings 
which  St.  Paul  mentions.  Rom.  8  :  26. 
And  to  this  belongs  what  the  prophet 
says,  "  When  the  poor  and  needy  seek 
water,  and  there  is  none,  and  their 
tongue  faileth  for  thirst,  I  the  "Lord 
will  hear  them,  I  the  God  of  Israel 
will  not  forsake  them."  Isa.  41  :  17. 

18.  (6)  Be  the  temptations  and  af- 
flictions of  the  heart  ever  so  great, 
yet  the  Scripture  assures  us  that  it  is 
the  habitation  of  God,  and  not  of  the 


devil.  That  Satan  has  no  possession 
of  it,  appears  from  the  furious  assaults 
he  makes  upon  the  afflicted  soul,  by 
which  he  endeavors  to  subdue  it;  hut 
"  greater  is  he  that  is  in  us,  than  ho 
that  is  in  the  world."  1  John  4:4. 
"Fear  thou  not,  for  I  am  with  thee." 
Isa.  41  :  10.  Therefore,  though  this 
trial  of  the  soul  is  the  greatest  afflic- 
tion that  can  possibly  befall  it  in  this 
life,  yet,  forasmuch  as  we  are  assured 
that  God  will  look  unto  those  that  arc 
of  contrite  hearts,  and  will  dwell  with 
them  (Isa.  57  :  15),  that  he  sent  the 
blessed  Jesus  from  heaven  to  comfort 
the  afllictod,  and  to  preach  glad  tidings 
to  the  distressed  (Isa.  Gl :  2) ;  and  that 
He  himself  invites  weary  souls  to 
come  unto  him  (Matt.  11:2S),  there- 
fore let  no  man  despair  when  ho  finds 
himself  plunged  into  this  furnace  of 
affliction.  These  are  they  whom  God 
commanded  his  prophet  to  comfort: 
"Strengthen  ye  the  weak  hands,  and 
confirm  the  feeble  knees.  Say  to  them 
that  are  of  a  fearful  heart.  Be  strong, 
fear  not."  Isa.  35  :  3,  4.  And  God 
tells  us  that  "his  6treni*:th  is  made 
perfect  in  weakness;"  which  induced 
St.  Paul  to  say,  "  When  I  am  weak, 
then  am  I  strong."  2  Cor.  12  :  10. 
Yea,  the  grace  of  God  is  so  far  from 
forsaking  a  man,  even  when  he  is  buf- 
feted (2  Cor.  12:7)  by  Satan:  that 
it  was  at  that  time  particularly,  that 
God  told  Paul,  "  My  grace  is  sufllcient 
for  thee."  2  Cor.  12  :  7-9. 

19.  (7)  There  is  not  so  much  as  one 
instance  to  be  produced,  of  any  man 
forsaken  of  God  under  this  spiritual 
conflict;  but,  on  the  contrary,  He  has 
always  restored  his  servants,  "  whom 
he  has  thus  chosen  in  the  furnace  of 
affliction  "  (Isa.  48  :  10),  to  the  same 
and  to  higher  degrees  of  grace,  than 
those  whence  they  thought  they  had 
fallen.    This  ought  to  be  matter  of 


360 


TEUE  CIIPJSTIANITY. 


[Book  I 


great  comfort  to  us,  and  persuade  us 
that  when  the  hour  of  trial  is  ended, 
the  season  of  joy  and  redemption  will 
quickly  follow.  "  Happy  is  the  man 
whom  God  correcteth  :  therefore  de- 
spise not  tliou  the  chastening  of  the 
Almighty.  For  he  maketh  sore,  and 
bindeth  up:  he  woundeth,  and  his 
hands  make  whole.  He  shall  deliver 
thee  in  six  troubles;  yea,  in  seven 
there  shall  no  evil  touch  thee."  Job 
5  :  17-19  ;  Micah  7  :  9.  Let  no  man, 
therefore,  faint  under  tribulation,  but 
bear  "  the  indignation  of  the  Lord" 
for  a  little  while  (Ps.  112:4;  97  :  11), 
till  the  Sun  of  righteousness  (Mai.  4: 
2)  arise  upon  him  again  with  healing 
and  consolation  in  his  wings,  for 
"light  is  sown  for  the  righteous,  and 
gladness  for  the  upright  in  heart!" 

20.  (8)  Tauler  reckons  these  spirit- 
ual afflictions  and  trials  among  the 
singular  gifts  and  favors  of  God, 
speaking  thus  of  them:  "In  these 
great  temptations,  God  deprives  a  man 
of  all  that  he  has  given  him,  forcing 
him  to  descend  into  himself  and  see 
Lis  own  poverty  and  weakness ;  and 
also  trying  him,  to  discover  how  he 
will  behave  himself  in  this  desolate 
state.  And  this  is  done  when  a  man 
is  forsaken  ;  so  that  lie  knows  nothing 
of  God,  his  grace,  his  comforts,  or  the 
gifts  w^hich  he  once  bestowed  upon 
him;  but  which  are  now  taken  awa3^, 
and  concealed  from  his  eyes,  so  that 
he  knows  not  whither  to  fly  or  which 
way  to  turn.  When  a  man  is  once 
brought  into  this  state,  there  is  noth- 
ing better  for  him  than  cheerfully  and 
willingly  to  submit  himself  to  the  or- 
der and  decree  of  God.  It  was,  in- 
deed, a  great  thing  in  the  holy  mar- 
tyrs to  lay  down  their  lives  for  God  ; 
but  they  were  so  abundantly  strength- 
ened .by  the  comforts  of  his  Holy 
Spirit,  that  the  most  exquisite  tor- 


ments were  to  them  but  trifling  an 
contemptible,  and  death  itself  had  loa 
its  terrors.    But  to  have  God  hide  hi 
face,  and  deprive  us  of  his  grace  an 
comfort,  is  a  martyrdom  much  greate 
than  theirs.    This  occurs  when  all  th 
sins,  all  the  infirmities  and  tempt" 
tions,  which  a  man  has  long  ago  con 
quered,  assault  him  afresh,  with  greate 
violence  than  when  he  was  the  servau 
of  sin.    In  this  case,  the  best  wa 
is  to  sufl'er  with  patience,  and  to  b 
entirely  resigned  to  the  all-wise  pro 
idence  of  God."    Such  sufferers 
these,   Tauler   calls  "spiritual  ma 
tyrs,"  from  the  bitter  trials  they  un 
dergo  whilst  deprived  of  the  light  o 
God's  countenance,  and  the  comfor 
able  influences  of  his  Spirit,  whic 
are  so  severe  that  they  know  no 
which  way  to  turn  for  relief;  an 
when  they  see  and  consider  the  giff 
and  graces   bestowed   upon  others 
they  fall  into  bitter  dejection  of  spirit 
reckoning  that  it  is  their  own  faul 
that  they  are  thus  barren  and  desti 
tute  of  spiritual  joy.     And  thoug' 
they  take  ever  so  much  pains,  the 
still  seem  to  labor  in  vain;  for  the 
find  their  dryness  and  hardness  o 
heart  still  increasing  upon  them;  s 
that  at  last,  being  quite  void  of  com 
fort,  and  having  lost  all  patience,  the 
fall  into  a  secret  distrust  of  God' 
mercy,  and  believe  that  he  is  off'ende 
with  everything  they  do.    At  lengt 
they  submit  in  patience,  until  Go 
may  make  a  change  ;  for  they  them 
selves  are  utterly  helpless.     This  i 
that  which  brings  them  to  a  conform 
ity,  not  only  with  the  saints,  but  wit' 
Christ,  whose  whole  life  was  nothin 
but  affliction.    These  spiritual  mar 
tyrs,  though  in  the  sight  of  the  worl 
they  are  of  all  men  most  miserable 
and  seem  to  be  forsaken  and  cast  o 
by  God;  yet  are,  in  truth,  the  riches 


CuAP.  LIY.] 


TEUE  CHEISTIAlSriTY. 


361 


towards  God.  In  their  own  opinion 
they  are,  indeed,  at  the  same  time, 
the  most  unfaithful  to  him  ;  thoii<!;h  in 
reality  they  have  the  firmest  faith, 
and  most  ardent  zeal  for  his  honor 
and  service,  and  upon  that  account 
undergo  these  hcav}^  sufferings.  From 
this  faith  and  love  towards  God  (of 
which  they  themselves  are  ignorant), 
it  arises,  that  they  are  tormented 
with  divers  temptations  to  which  they 
will  not  consent,  so  that  even  death 
itself  would  not  be  so  bitter  to  them, 
as  the  anguish  they  feel  upon  that  ac- 
count. They  labor  with  their  utmost 
strength  to  amend  their  lives,  and 
practise  every  Christian  virtue  ;  and 
when  they  find  their  labor  to  be  in 


vain,  they  relapse  into  the  old  sense 
of  their  infirmities,  attended  with  the 
most  exquisite  pain  of  mind.  All  this, 
they  suffer  from  a  principle  of  love 
towards  God;  esteeming  themselves 
the  worst  of  all  men,  though  the}'  arc 
most  precious  in  the  sight  of  God. 

21.  No  wiser  counsel  can  be  given 
to  these  than  that,  with  humble  pa- 
tience and  resignation  they  bear  the 
troubles  which  they  cannot  help,  and 
which  are  but  aggravated  by  impa- 
tience. After  this  dark  night  of  un- 
speakable affliction,  the  Sun  of  right- 
eousness shall  arise,  refreshing  and 
filling  their  hearts  with  inexpressible 
light  and  glory. 


CHAPTER  LIV. 

COMFORTS  UNDER   SECRET  AND  SPIRITUAL   TEMPTATIONS  OF  THE  DEVIL. 

Behold^  Satmi  hath  desired  to  have  yon,  that  he  may  sift  you  as  wheat :  hut  I  have  prayed  for  thee, 
that  thy  faith  fail  not;  and  when  thou  art  converted,  strengthen  thy  brethren. — Luke  22: 
31,  32. 


HOW  great  and  implacable  the  en- 
mity of  the  devil  is  to  all  man- 
kind, w^e  are  abundantly  informed,  not 
only  by  Scripture  (as  1  Pet.  5  :  8,  "Be 
sober,  be  vigilant ;  because  your  adver- 
sary the  devil ,  as  a  roari ng  lion,  wal  keth 
about,  seeking  whom  he  may  devour." 
Eph.  6 :  12,  and  Eev.  12  :  12,  "  Woe  to 
the  earth,  and  to  the  sea,  for  the  devil 
i*s  come  down  unto  3'ou,  having  great 
wrath,  because  he  knoweth  that  he 
hath  but  a  short  time;"  and  from  the 
history  of  Job),  but  also  more  partic- 
ularly by  daily  experience,  and  the 
many  grievous  and  dangerous  tempta- 
tions with  which  he  assaults  the  souls 
of  good  men  in  their  spiritual  warfare. 
At  one  time  he  assaults  our  faith,  at 


another  time  our  Christian  calling, 
and  then  interrupts  and  disturbs  us 
in  the  exercise  of  our  devotions;  all 
which  is  clearly  expressed  in  the  his- 
tor}^  of  our  Lord's  temptation.  Matt. 
4  :  3,  etc.  Hence  w^e  may  learn  that 
no  man  is  safe  from  his  temptations. 
For  if  he  spared  not  Christ  our  Head, 
how  can  sinful  men  expect  to  escape 
him?  For  which"  reason  our  Lord 
himself  advises  us,  "Watch  and  pray, 
that  ye  enter  not  into  temptation." 
Matt.  26  : 41. 

2.  Among  the  various  temptations 
with  which  the  devil  afflicts  the  soul, 
this  is  one,  namely,  the  tormenting  a 
man  with  blasphemous,  profane,  im- 
pure, and  troublesome  thoughts,  so  aa 


362 


TEUE  CIIRTSTIAOTTY. 


[Book  II. 


to  sink  him  deep  into  melancholy  and 
wretchedness.  And  these  abominahle 
suijjgcstions  are  so  crafty,  sudden,  and 
violent,  that  they  will  not  give  a  man 
a  moment's  rest.  Upon  this  account 
St.  Paul  calls  them,  "the  fiery  darts 
of  the  wicked  one."  Eph.  0:16.  As  a 
public  enemy  is  perpetually  casting 
fire  i?ito  a  besieged  town ;  so  the  devil 
is  continually  vexing  such  souls  with 
his  hellish  suggestions.  And  as  the 
wounds  of  an  envenomed  arrow  are 
most  exquisitely  painful ;  so  the  wounds 
caused  by  the  fiery  darts  of  Satan,  are 
far  more  sliai'p  and  intolerable  than 
the  severest  bodily  suff'erings.  Where- 
fore we  shall  here  present  some  select 
heads  of  comfort  against  these  secret 
and  internal  temptations,  all  drawn 
from  the  Word  of  God.  First,  as  to 
the  words  prefixed  to  this  chapter,  it 
is  plain  that  they  were  uttered  by  our 
blessed  Saviour,  with  the  utmost  ten- 
derness, and  most  ardent  compassion. 
Whence  we  may  gather,  that  the 
being  afilictcd  with  these  temptations, 
is  no  mark  of  God's  displeasure,  much 
less  that  he  designs  to  destroy  us 
thereb}^,  and  deliver  us  up  into  the 
hands  of  the  enemy.  On  the  contrary, 
such  a  temptation  is  nothing  but  a 
chastising  rod,  whereby  God  intends 
to  humble  a  man,  and  to  draw  him  to 
Himself  This  appears  from  the  ex- 
ample of  St.  Peter,  whose  confidence 
and  self-conceit  opened  a  door  to  the 
most  grievous  temptation,  and  to  the 
sin  which  followed.  And  St.  Paul 
tells  us  of  himself,  "Lest  I  should  be 
exalted  (saith  he)  above  measure 
through  the  abundance  of  the  revela- 
tions, there  was  given  to  me  a  thorn 
in  the  flesh,  the  messenger  of  Satan  to 
buffet  me.  For  this  thing  I  besought 
the  Lord  thrice,  that  it  might  depart 
from  me.  And  he  said  unto  me,  My 
grace  is  sufficient  for  thee."  2  Cor.  12  : 


7-9.  From  which  words  we  may  learn 
three  things:  1.  That  St.  Paul,  and  all 
others  that  are  exercised  with  these 
trials,  are  humbled  thereby,  2.  That 
all  those  sufferings  come  upon  us  by 
the  counsel  of  God.  3.  That  the  ut- 
most fury  of  the  devil  against  a  man 
who  is  so  tempted,  cannot  exclude 
him  from  God's  favor,  which  is  ex- 
pressed in  these  words,  "My  grace  is 
sufficient  for  thee." 

o.  The  second  ground  of  comfort  is 
contained   in   these  words:  "Satan 
hath  desired  you."  From  these  words 
Ave  may  learn,  that  though  the  devil 
is  always  desirous  and  ready  to  cast 
his  fiery  darts  at  us,  yet  has  he  no 
power  Avithout  the  particular  leave  ' 
and  permission  of  God;  who  never 
gives  him  more  thai^  a  limited  per-  , 
mission,  beyond  Avhich  he  cannot  go.  \ 
To  this  belongs  that  place  of  St.  Paul, 
"  God  is  faithful,  who  will  not  sufi'er  j 
you  to  be  tempted  above  that  ye  are 
able."  1  Cor.  10  :  13.    To  which  wo  | 
may  add  the  example  of  Job,  against 
whom  the  devil  dared  not  attempt 
anything,  till  he  had  first  obtained 
leave  of  God;  and  even  that  clogged  '< 
with  a  limitation.  See  chap.  1  :  12. 

4.  The  third  consolation  arises  from  ^ 
these  words  of  our  Lord :  "  I  have  ' 
prayed  for  thee,  that  thy  fiiith  fail 
not."  In  what  manner,  and  with  what 
affection  the  blessed  Jesus  prayed  for 
us  to  his  Ileavenly  Father,  we  are  told 
in  John  (chapter  17),  namely,  that  He 
would  be  pleased  to  keep  his  faithful 
servants  from  the  evil  of  the  world; 
that  he  would  dwell  in  them,  and  they 
in  him;  and  that  of  those  whom  he 
had  received  of  his  Father,  he  might 
lose  none.  This  prayer,  were  it  but 
heartily  applied  to  the  distressed  soul, 
would  support  it  with  a  divine  courage 
so  as  to  abide  in  Christ  by  faith,  not 
doubting  but  that  Christ  in  her,  by  the 


Chap.  LTY.] 


TRUE  CITRTSTIAXITY. 


3G3 


same  faith,  would  conquer  and  triumph 
over  all  her  enemies. 

5.  The  fourth  comfort  may  be  drawn 
from  John  17:21,  where  our  blessed 
Lord  prays  for  us,  and  begs  of  his 
heavenly  Father,  that  we  may  abide 
in  (Christ,  and  Christ  in  us.  And  St. 
John  tells  us,  that  "greater  is  he  that 
is  in  us,  than  he  that  is  in  the  world.'' 
1  John  4:4.  Cbrist  dwells  in  every 
believing  soul  by  faith  ;  and  all  the  as- 
saults of  the  devil  cannot  dispossess 
this  illustrious  guest.  And  as  Christ 
himself,  in  whom  God  himself,  that  is, 
all  "  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead  dwelt 
bodily"  and  personally  (Col.  2  :  9), 
was  tempted  by  Satan,  thou  must  not, 
therefore,  think  that  Christ  is  not  in 
thee,  because  thou  thyself  art  likewise 
tempted.  And  if  Christ  be  in  thee  of 
a  truth,  thou  needest  not  fear  what 
the  devil  can  do  unto  thee  :  for  Christ 
will  certainly  defend  the  place  of  his 
own  residence,  against  all  opposers. 
Moreover,  thou  hast  within  thee  the 
Hol}^  Spirit,  w^ho  "  helpeth  thine  in- 
firmities, and  maketh  intercession  for 
thee  with  groanings  that  cannot  be 
uttered."  Eom.  8  :  26.  Whensoever 
thou  findest  these  within  thee,  thou 
mayest  assure  thj^self,  that  the  Holy 
Spirit  dwelleth  in  thee,  and  he  will  not 
forsake  thee,  as  our  blessed  Lord  as- 
sures us:  "  The  Father  shall  give  you 
another  Comforter,  that  he  may  abide 
with  you  forever."  John  14  : 16.  Last- 
ly, God  has  promised,  that  he  will 
dwell  in  the  humble  and  contrite 
heart:  "I  dwell  with  him  that  is  of  a 
contrite  and  humble  spirit."  Isa.  57  : 
15;  66:  2.  And  such,  undoubtedly, 
are  all  those  who  are  tormented  with 
these  temptations  of  Satan. 

6.  The  fifth  ground  of  comfort,  is 
contained  in  our  Saviour's  promise : 
"  I  ha^^e  prayed  for  thee,  that  thy  faith 
fail  not."    0  divine  comfort  I  as  if  our 


Lord  had  said  :  Your  infirmities  shall 
never  be  so  great,  but  that  there  shall 
be  some  sparks  of  faith  left.  Yea, 
though  you  feel  in  ^'ourselves  no  com- 
fort, and,  on  that  account,  are  apt  to 
think  your  fliith  quite  extinct,  yet  will 
I  never  suffer  the  smoUing  flax  to  bo 
entirely  quenched."  Isa.  42:3.  But, 
now,  if  you  ask.  How  shall  I  know 
this?  I  answer,  1.  By  the  earnest 
longing  of  your  soul  after  faith.  For, 
to  desire  and  pray  for  faith  above  all 
other  things,  arises  from  a  living  spark 
of  remaining  faith.  2.  By  your  resist- 
ance of  temptation,  which  is  a  certain 
token  of  the  presence  of  faith;  and 
this  resistance  and  opposition  appear 
plainly  in  this,  that  all  these  wicked 
and  blasphemous  thoughts  arise  in 
your  soul  sorely  against  your  will,  and 
that  3'ou  bear  them  with  more  pain, 
than  3'ou  would  any  external  violence 
offered  to  your  body.  Now  whatso- 
ever a  man  suffers  of  this  kind  aijainst 
his  will,  is  resisted  by  faith,  and  shall 
never  be  imputed  to  him  as  sin;  for 
nothing  but  a  voluntary  violation  of 
the  divine  law,  makes  a  man  sinful  in 
the  sight  of  God.  If  Adam  had  not 
yielded  to  the  suggestions  of  Satan,  he 
had  not  had  sin;  but  as  soon  as  he 
submitted  his  will  to  that  of  the 
tempter,  he  fell  into  the  transgression. 
Whence  it  follows,  that  it  cannot  be 
sin,  which  is  not  attended  with  the 
consent  of  the  will.  A  besieged  city 
cannot  hinder  the  enemy  from  throw- 
ing fire  into  it,  but  the  inhabitants 
must  endeavor  to  prevent  it  from 
spreading,  and  burning  the  town  to 
ashes.  So  we  cannot  avoid  the  fiery 
darts  of  the  devil,  with  which  he  de- 
lights to  afflict  the  heart;  but  as  we 
do  not  consent  to  them,  but  rather  re- 
sist, they  must  at  last  be  quenched, 
and  can  do  us  no  harm.  By  such 
tokens  as  these  we  may  discover,  that 


364 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  11. 


our  faith,  however  weak,  \h  not  ex- 
tinct. 

7.  Being  once  assured  of  this,  we 
may  likewise  certaii)ly  depend  upon 
victory;  and  this  opens  to  uf^  Si  sixth 
fountain  of  comfort.  To  this,  there- 
fore, refers  that  comfortable  saying  of 
our  Saviour:  "The  prince  of  tin's 
world  Cometh,  and  hath  nothing  in 
me."  John  14:30.  "Be  of  good 
clieer;  I  have  overcome  the  world." 
John  16  :  33.  Whatsoever  Cl)rist  did, 
he  did  for  our  sakes;  that  he  himself, 
with  all  his  benefits  and  merits,  might 
be  entirely  oui's.  Since,  therefore,  he 
has  conquered  Satan,  it  follows  that 
he  has  conquered  him  not  only  for 
himself,  but  for  us  also:  his  conquest 
is  ours.  All  this  was  prefigured  in 
the  contest  between  David  and  Goli- 
ath. 1  Sam.  17  :  8,  9, 50-53.  The  con- 
ditions were,  that  if  Goliath  overcame 
David,  the  people  of  Israel  should  be 
the  servants  of  the  Philistines;  but  if 
David  overcame  Goliath,  the  Philis- 
tines should  serve  Israel.  Now,  even 
as  David's  victory  was  counted  as  the 
victory  of  all  Israel,  so  the  victory  of 
Christ  avails  as  the  victory  of  all  be- 
lievers. Hence  St.  Paul  says:  "Be 
strong  in  the  Lord,  and  in  the  power 
of  his   might."   Eph.   6  :  10.  And, 


''Thanks  be  to  God,  which  giveth  us 
the  victory  through  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ."  1  Cor.  15  :  57. 

8.  Seventhly,  we  ought  to  be  com- 
forted by  the  examples  of  the  saints, 
who  have  also  been  cruelly  tempted. 
Of  these  our  blessed  Saviour  speaks, 
sajnng,  "  When  thou  art  converted, 
strengthen  thy  brethren."  By  these 
words,  our  Saviour  plainly  sends  U9 
to  be  instructed  by  the  examples  of 
our  brethren,  who  have  been  tempted 
and  persecuted  by  the  devil  in  like 
manner  with  us.  Hence  St.  Peter 
says:  "  Knowing  that  the  same  afl3ic- 
tions  are  accomplished  in  your  breth- 
ren that  are  in  the  world."  1  Peter 
5  :  9. 

9.  Lastly,  we  ought  to  be  comforted 
by  the  example  of  Jesus  Christ  him- 
self. Matt.  4 : 1,  etc.   Over  him,  though 
he  was  the  beloved  Son  of  God,  the  \ 
devil  had  so  much  power,  as  to  hurry  ^ 
him  from  place  to  place,  and  use  him 
w^ith  so  much  insolence,  that  it  is 
wonderful  the  Son  of  God  should  suf- 
fer it  from  that  rebellious,  apostate  ! 
spirit.    But  this  was  the  condition  of  j 
the  humble  Jesus,  who  emptied  him- « 
self  of  all  his  glory  and  majesty,  that  \ 
he  might  be  tempted  as  man,  and  be  | 
made  like  unto  his  brethren. 


CiiAP.  LY.] 


TEUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


365 


CHAPTER  LY. 

THE  REASONS  FOR  WHICH  GOB  SOMETIMES  DELAYS  HIS  COMFORT  AND 

ASSISTANCE. 

Fo;  the  vision  is  yet  for  an  appointed  time,  but  at  the  end  it  shall  speak,  and  not  lie;  though  it 
tai'ry,  wait  Jor  it ;  because  it  loill  surely  come,  it  will  not  tarry.  Behold,  his  soul  which  is 
lifted  up,  is  not  upright  in  him  :  but  the  just  shall  live  by  his  faith. — Hab.  2  :  3,  4. 


11^"  these  words  the  Holy  vSpirit  com- 
forts ns,  under  the  delays  of  Di- 
vine assistance:  for  so  we  are  apt  to 
call  (1)  those  very  methods  by  which 
God  hastens  to  help  and  save  us.  He 
has,  in  his  unsearchable  wisdom,  ap- 
pointed to  every  man  his  cross  in 
weight  and  measure.  He  delivers  it 
out  to  him  in  meet  proportions,  send- 
ing one  aflSiction  after  another,  till 
the  measure  of  his  sufferings  be  ac- 
complished;  that  so,  by  a  gradual 
conquest,  he  may  at  last  obtain  a  com- 
plete victory.  This  dealing  of  God 
with  us,  we  are  apt  to  call  his  delaying 
to  help  us;  not  considering  that  this 
is  the  quickest  method  of  accomplish- 
ing the  measure  of  our  sufferings,  and 
completing  our  victory.  That  which 
to  us  seems  to  be  delay,  is  in  the  sight 
of  God,  making  haste  to  help  us. 

2.  Now  he  that  is  refractory  and 
impatient  under  the  cross,  has  no 
peace  in  his  soul.  For  as  patience 
renders  the  soul  easy  and  quiet,  so  im- 
patience makes  it  restless  and  uneasy. 
Thus  our  Lord  tells  us,  "Learn  of  me; 
for  I  am  meek  and  lowly  in  heart; 
and  ye  shall  find  rest  unto  your  souls." 
Matt.  11  :  29.  And,  whereas,  the  pro- 
phet adds,  that  "  the  just  shall  live 
by  his  faith  ;"  this  relates  to  the  prom- 
ises of  divine  grace  and  assistance, 
which  we  lay  hold  on  by  faith.  And 
from  this  consolation  the  soul  derives 
life  and  joy;  as  Hezekiah  says;  "O 


Lord,  by  these  things  men  live,  and 
in  all  these  things  is  the  life  of  my 
spirit."  Isa.  38  :  16.  On  the  other 
hand,  unbelief  produces  impatience; 
impatience, disquiet;  disquiet,  despair; 
and  despair,  everlasting  death.  So 
that  we  may  most  truly  say,  that 
^'  the  just  lives  by  faith  ;"  that  is,  by 
the  grace  of  God,  which  he  patiently 
expects  and  waits  for. 

3.  (2)  Solomon  tells  us  :  "To  every 
thing  there  is  a  season,  and  a  time  to 
every  purpose  under  heaven."  Eccles. 
3:1.  AVhence  we  may  learn,  that 
crosses  and  afflictions  come  not  by 
chance;  but  that  every  season  of  af- 
fliction is  appointed  to  us  by  God. 
Wherefore,  in  our  troubles  let  us  lift 
up  our  eyes  unto  Him,  in  whose  hand 
are  our  happiness  and  misery,  our 
riches  and  poverty,  our  life  and  death; 
yea,  and  every  moment  of  our  afflic- 
tions. This  is  illustrated  in  the  case 
of  Joseph,  whom,  for  thirteen  years 
together,  God  visited  with  remarkable 
afflictions  (Gen.  37  :  36 ;  41  :  1)  :  un- 
til the  time  that  his  word  came:  the 
word  of  the  Lord  tried  him,"  as  the 
Psalmist  tells  us.  Ps.  105 :  19.  By 
his  example  we  may  learn  how  useful 
and  necessary  it  is  for  us  that  God 
should  sometimes  delay  his  help.  For 
when  he  was  sold,  he  was  seventeen 
years  old;  and  when,  by  the  hand  of 
God  he  was  brought  out  of  prison,  he 
was  thirty;  and  the  bearing  of  his 


366 


TEUE  CPIRISTTA.NITY. 


[Book  II. 


cross  all  that  season,  was  the  very 
thing  that  qualified  him  for  the  glori- 
ous advancement  that  followed.  In 
that  honorable  post  he  continued 
eighty  years;  whence  we  may  ob- 
serve, that  his  thirteen  years  of  suffer- 
ing, were  recompensed  with  many 
years  of  glory  and  honor:  for  he  lived 
a  hundred  and  ten  years.  Therefore 
let  the  devout  Christian  that  suffers 
imprisonment  or  any  kind  of  persecu- 
tion for  the  testimony  of  a  good  con- 
science, or  shame,  or  sickness,  call  to 
mind  the  wonderful  providence  of  God 
to  Joseph,  and  satisfy  himself  that  the 
all-wise  God,  who  has  appointed  his 
season  of  affliction,  has  likewise  de- 
termined the  set  time  of  his  deliver- 
ance. For  as  a  skilful  builder  knows 
well  by  what  time  his  laborers  will 
have  finished  their  task,  so  has  God 
measured  out  the  weight  and  duration 
of  every  man's  cross,  and  appointed 
the  season  of  his  deliverance.  As 
goon  as  that  comes,  the  light  of  divine 
grace  will  immediately  break  forth, 
and  will  comfort  the  afflicted  soul. 

4.  (3)  As  God  has  determined  the 
number  of  our  crosses  ;  so  He  has  been 
pleased  to  conceal  from  us  the  time  of 
our  deliverance,  satisfying  us  with  that 
dechiration  of  our  blessed  Lord,  '^It  is 
not  for  3'ou  to  know  the  times  or  the 
seasons,  which  the  Father  hath  put  in 
his  own  power."  Acts  1 :  7.  Agreea- 
bly to  this  are  the  words  of  God,  who 
when  he  had  threatened  the  children 
of  Israel  with  the  Babylonish  cap- 
tivity, adds,  *'Is  not  this  laid  up  in 
store  with  me,  and  scaled  up  among 
my  treasures  ?"  Deut.  32  :  34.  Thence 
we  may  learn,  with  what  great  and 
unsearchable  wisdom  God  governs  and 
corrects  the  children  of  men.    To  this 


also  may  be  referred  that  saying  of 
St.  Paul :  "  God  hath  made  of  one  blood 
all  nations  of  men  for  to  dwell  on  all 
the  face  of  the  earth,  and  hath  deter- 
mined the  times  before  appointed,  and 
the  bounds  of  their  habitation."  Acts 
17 :  26.  In  these  words  we  are  in- 
structed, that  not  only  the  period  of 
every  man's  life,  but  even  the  place 
and  manner  of  it,  are  appointed  by 
God.  And  this  general  determination 
of  time  and  place,  includes  in  it  the 
crosses  and  afflictions  appointed  to 
every  person. 

5.  (4)  And  as  God  has  appointed  the 
period,  time,  and  place,  of  the  suffer- 
ings of  his  servants;  so  has  He  also 
of  the  persecutions  and  oppressions  of 
the  wicked.    AVhen  these  have  for  a 
season  been  breathing  out  oppressions 
and  slaughter,  then  that  God  to  whom 
vengeance  belongeth,  awaketh  and 
riseth  to  judgment ;  according  to  Deut. 
32 :  35  :  "  To  me  belongeth  vengeance  \ 
and  recompense;  their  foot  shall  slide 
in  due  time :  for  the  day  of  their  ca-  I 
lamity  is  at  hand,  and  the  things  that  \ 
shall  come  upon  them,  make  haste."  j 
This  is  abundantly  confirmed  by  the  ' 
examples  of  heretics  and  tyrants  that 
have  most  grievously  persecuted  the 
church  of  God;  and  when  the  devil 
has  raged  long  enough,  and  his  time  is  j 
expired,  then  has  the  divine  vengeance 
so  confounded  him  and  all  his  accom- 
plices, that  the  whole  world  has  been 
amazed  and  astonished  at  the  right- 
eous judgments  of  God.    "Be  ye  also  j 
patient;  stablish  your  hearts;  for  the  I 
coming  of  the  Lord  draweth  nigh. 
Grudge  not  one  against  another,  breth- 
ren, lest  ye  be  condemned  :  behold  the 
Judge  standeth  before  the  door."  Jas. 
5 :  8,  9. 


Chap.  LYI.] 


TEUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


367 


CHAPTER  LYI. 

SHOWING  THAT  IN  SEASONS  OF  TRIAL  THE  CONSIDERATION  OF  THE  EXALTED  PATIENCE 
OF  CHRIST,  AND  OF  THE  FUTURE  AND  ETERNAL  GLORY,  WILL  ALLEVIATE  THE 
BURDEN  OF  THE  CROSS. 

Ought  not  Christ  to  have  mffered  these  things^  and  to  enter  into  his  glory? — Luke  24  :  26. 


THE  eternal  Son  of  God,  by  bis  most 
lioly  incarnation,  took  upon  him 
all  the  miseries  and  calamities  of  man- 
kind :  and  this  not  of  compulsion  and 
necessity,  but  of  pure  love,  that  by 
his  example  he  might  teach  us  pa- 
tience, and  enable  us  to  bear  the  cross, 
and  overcome  the  calamities  of  this 
mortal  life.  As  -he  was  to  become 
man,  so  he  willingly  subjected  himself 
to  all  those  miseries  to  which  man  is 
exposed  ;  and  as  he  came  down  from 
heaven  i'or  the  sake  of  all,  so  he  took 
upon  him  the  infirmities  of  all ;  so  that 
from  the  moment  of  bis  birth,  to  the 
hour  of  his  death,  he  was,  as  the  pro- 
phet truly  expresses  it,  "despised  and 
rejected  of  men;  a  man  of  sorrows, 
and  acquainted  with  grief"  Isa.  53 : 

3.  There  was  no  calamity  incident  to 
human  nature,  which  be  did  not  suffer, 
and,  particularl}^,  extreme  poverty. 
He  says  of  himself,  "The  foxes  have 
holes,  and  the  birds  of  the  air  have 
nests;  but  the  Son  of  man  hath  not 
where  to  lay  his  head."  Matt.  8 :  20. 
In  the  discharge  of  his  office,  he  un- 
derwent the  most  bitter  persecutions, 
being  exposed  to  hatred,  calumnies, 
and  reproaches.  In  his  last  days  he 
Bubmitted  to  the  most  ignominious 
sufferings,  so  that,  as  the  prophet  ex- 
presses it,  "We  did  esteem  him  stricken, 
smitten  of  God,  and  afflicted."  Isa.  53  : 

4.  His  transcendent  love  met  with 
the  highest  ingratitude,  his  illustrious 
miracles  were  rewarded  with  revilings, 
and  his  heavenly  doctrines  with  calum- 


nies and  lies.  And  since  our  blessed 
Lord  suffered  all  this,  why  shall  we 
expect  to  be  exempted  from  sufferings 
and  injuries  ? 

2.  Thus  the  blessed  Jesus,  by  his  ex- 
ample, has  shown  us  the  true  and  only 
path  to  heaven.  1  Pet.  2:  2L  Let  us 
therefore  tread  in  his  steps,  and  learn 
to  imitate  him  in  all  the  different 
scenes  of  his  most  holy  and  afflicted 
life.  He  went  before,  that  we  might 
in  holy  patience  follow  him.  Whence 
we  may  learn,  how  far  they  are  from 
the  true  and  right  way,  who  never  re- 
gard this  blessed  pattern,  but  refuse 
to  follow  it.  If  men  will  still  waikon 
in  darkness  and  shut  their  eyes  against 
this  light,  how  great  must  their  dark- 
ness be!  The  blessed  Jesus  himself 
calls  to  them,  saying,  "  I  am  the  light 
of  the  world;  he  that  Iblloweth  me 
shall  not  walk  in  darkness,  but  shall 
have  the  light  of  life."  John  8  :  12. 

3.  All  the  sufferings  of  true  Chris- 
tians in  this  life,  are  not  worthy  to  be 
compared  with  the  eternal  glories  re- 
served for  them  in  the  world  to  come; 
for  their  temporal  afflictions  are  but 
for  a  moment,  but  their  glorious  re- 
ward shall  endure  forever.  2  Cor.  4 : 
17,  18.  An  everlasting  possession  is 
well  worth  contending  for.  Couldest 
thou  but  for  a  moment  behold  what 
eternal  glories  they  enjoy,  who  in  this 
life  were  exposed  to  all  torments  and 
sufferings,  thou  wouldest  cheerfully 
submit  to  them  all,  and  take  up  thy 
cross  with  joy;  thinking  all  things 


368 


TRUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


[Book  I 


but  as  dross,  that  thou  migbtest  win 
Christ  and  be  a  partaker  of  his  glor3^ 
4.  Lift  up,  therefore,  the  eyes  of  thy 
mind  to  heaven,  and  view,  with  St. 
John,  that  vast  company  clothed  in 
white  garments,  and  following  the 
Lamb,  concerning  whom  this  account 
is  given  to  the  inquiring  Evangelist : 
"  These  are  they  which  came  out  of 
great  tribulation,  and  have  washed 
their  robes,  and  made  them  w^hite  in 
the  blood  of  the  Lamb.  Therefore  are 
they  before  the  throne  of  God,  and 
serve  him  day  and  night  in  his  temple." 
Rev.  7  :  14,  15.  Such  are  the  proper 
meditations  for  devout  souls.  Thus 
we  read  of  Moses,  "  By  faith,  Moses, 
when  he  was  come  to  years,  refused 
to  be  called  the  son  of  Pharaoh's 
daughter;  choosing  rather  to  suffer 
affliction  with  the  people  of  God,  than 
to  enjoy  the  pleasures  of  sin  for  a 
season;  esteeming  the  reproach  of 
Christ  greater  riches  than  the  treas- 
ures' in  Egypt;  for  he  had  respect  to 
the  recompense  of  the  reward."  Ileb. 
11 : 24-26. 


5.  Hence  we  learn  that  the  sain 
in  all  ages  have  esteemed  the  reproac 
of  the  cross  of  Christ  as  their  greate" 
treasure.    And  we  ma^'  depend  upo 
it,  that  no  man  can  be  admitted  to  th 
joys  of  the  next  world,  who  has  no 
fought  manfully  under  the  banner  o 
the  cross  in  this  world.    How  can  w 
imagine  that  those  blessed  spirits  wi" 
own  us  to  be  of  their  company  i 
heaven,  if  we  did  not  bring  with  r 
the  sign  of  the  cross  ?  They  would  n 
know  us,  and  we  would  be  strange 
among  them.   "He  that  overcometh 
saith  the  Lord,  "the  same  shall  \ 
clothed  in  white  raiment;  and  I  w' 
not  blot  out  his  name  out  of  the  boo 
of  life."  Rev.  3  :  5.  .And  what  does  S 
Paul  say  ?  "  I  have  fough  t  a  good  fig' 
I  have  finished  m.y  course,  I  have  ke 
the  faith:  henceforth  there  is  laid  u 
for  me  a  crown  of  righteousness,  whi 
the  Lord,  the  righteous  Judge,  sh 
give  me  at  that  day:  and  not  to 
onl}^,  but  unto  all  them  also  that  lo 
his  appearing."  2  Tim.  4  :  7,  8. 


CHAPTEH  LYII. 


CONSOLATIONS  AGAINST  THE  FEARS  OF  DEATH. 


Christ  haih  abolished  death,  and  hath  brought  life  and  immortality  to  light  through  the 

gospel.— 2  Tim.  1  :  10. 


THIS  sentence  is  full  of  divine  com- 
fort against  the  fears  of  temporal 
death.  For  if  "  Christ  hath  abolished 
death,"  why  should  we  fear  it?  And 
if  "life  and  immortality  be  brought  to 
light,"  why  should  we  not  rejoice  to 
pass  through  the  gates  of  death,  to 
take  possession  of  them  ?  But  since 
there  is  no  man  so  holy,  but  that  at 
Bome  time  or  other  he  is  afraid  of 


death,  I  shall  here  subjoin  the  cbi 
heads  of  consolation,  which  I  sha 
divide  into  two  parts.    The  first  co 
tains  those  consolations  which  aris 
from  Chrisfs  sufferings  and  death,  a 
the  fruits  of  them.    The  second,  tho 
that  arise  from  the  consideration  o 
the  vanity  of  the  world.    Each  of  these 
parts  shall  comprehend  seven  argu- 
ments of  comfort. 


CiiAP.  LVII.] 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


369 


2.  I.  The  first  and  most  powerful 
remedy  against  the  fear  of  death,  is 
the  most  holy  and  innocent  death  of 
Jesus  Christ,  by  which  he  destroyed 
the  power  of  death.  The  power  of 
death  consists  in  the  continual  dread, 
anxiety,  terror,  and  trembling  that 
arise  from  the  thought  of  the  severe 
judgment  that  is  to  follow.  With 
this  the  soul  is  oftentimes  so  afflicted, 
that  it  is,  as  it  were,  continually  dying, 
yet  cannot  die.  This  is  the  power  of 
death,  yea,  is  even  the  second  and 
eternal  death  :  and  this  terrible  state 
the  devil  makes  yet  more  dreadful  by 
his  suggestions.  Upon  this  account 
he  is  said  "to  have  the  power  of 
death"  (Heb.  2  :  14);  that  is,  to  ter- 
rify and  torment  the  conscience  with 
hellish  fears  and  terrors.  This  was 
David's  case,  as  he  complains,  "  My 
heart  is  sore  pained  within  me;  and 
the  terrors  of  death  are  fallen  upon 
me."  Ps.  55  :  4.  So  again,  "The  sor- 
rows of  death  compassed  me,  and  the 
floods  of  ungodly  men  made  me  afraid." 
Ps,  18  : 3,  4.  Now  the  blessed  Jesus  has 
taken  away  this  power  of  death,  chang- 
ing it  into  a  calm  sleep,  a  blessed  rest 
of  soul  and  body.  When  the  soul  is 
at  rest,  the  body  sleeps  peacefully,  so 
that  the  peace  of  the  soul  gives  peace 
also  to  the  body.  Hence  every  true 
and  faithful  Christian  may  be  properly 
said  not  to  taste  of  death;  according 
to  that  promise  of  our  blessed  Lord, 
"Yeril}^,  verily,  I  say  unto  3'ou,  If  a 
man  keep  my  sayings,  he  shall  never 
see  death."  John  8  :  51. 

3.  The  second  ground  of  comfort  is, 
the  resurrection  of  our  bodies.  For 
Christ  has  so  far  destroyed  the  power 
of  death,  that  it  not  only  cannot  tor- 
ment our  souls,  but  cannot  even  keep 
our  bodies  perpetually.  As  the  power 
of  Christ's  death  in  us  protects  us  from 
tasting  the  bitterness  of  it ;  so,  by  the 


power  of  his  resurrection,  our  mortar 
bodies  shall  also  be  raised  again  to  a 
glorious  immortalit3\ 

4.  For  (1),  the  foundation  of  our 
resurrection  is  the  resurrection  of  Je- 
sus Christ,  as  he  himself  says,  "Be- 
cause I  live,  ye  shall  live  also."  John 
14:19.  "I  am  the  resurrection  and 
the  life;  he  that  believeth  in  me, 
though  he  were  dead,  yet  shall  he 
live."  John  11 :  25.  "  I  know  that  my 
Redeemer  liveth,  and  that  he  shall 
stand  at  the  latter  day  upon  the  earth; 
and  though  after  my  skin  worms  de- 
stroy this  bod}^,  yet  in  my  flesh  shall 
I  see  God."  Job  19  :  25.  "For  since 
by  man  came  death,  by  man  came 
also  the  resurrection  of  the  dead.  For 
as  in  Adam  all  die,  even  so  in  Christ 
shall  all  be  made  alive."  1  Cor.  15  : 
21,  22. 

5.  (2)  This  is  also  founded  upon 
God's  veracity.  "Thy  dead  men  shall 
live."  Isa.  26  :  19.  "Thus  saith  the 
Lord  God  unto  these  bones:  Behold, 
I  will  cause  breath  to  enter  into  you, 
and  ye  shall  live.  Behold,  I  will  open 
your  graves,  and  cause  you  to  come  up 
out  of  3'our  graves,  O  my  people." 
Ezek.  37  :  5,  12.  "And  many  of  them 
that  sleep  in  the  dust  of  the  earth  shall 
awake,  some  to  everlastiiig  life,  and 
some  to  shame  and  everlasting  con- 
tempt." Dan.  12:2.  "Verily,  verily, 
I  say  unto  you.  The  hour  is  coming, 
and  now  is,  when  the  dead  shall  hear 
the  voice  of  the  Son  of  God:  and  they 
that  hear  shall  live.  The  hour  is  com- 
ing in  the  which  all  that  are  in  the 
graves  shall  hear  his  voice,  and  shall 
come  forth ;  they  that  have  done  good, 
unto  the  resurrection  of  life;  and  they 
that  have  done  evil,  unto  the  resurrec- 
tion of  damnation."  John  5  :  25,  28,  29. 
"And  I  saw  the  dead,  both  small  and 
great,  stand  before  God."  Rev.  20  :  12. 

6.  (3)  It  is  also  founded  upon  the 


370 


TRUE  CHHISTIANITY. 


[Book  11. 


omnipotence  and  glory  of  Jesus  Christ. 
As  in  the  resurrection  of  Lazarus,  he 
was  glorified,  when  he  cried  out,  "  Laz- 
arus, come  forth"  (John  11:43);  so 
will  he  also,  in  the  last  great  day, 
manifest  his  power  and  glory,  by  show- 
ing himself  to  be  the  Lord  of  the  dead 
and  living.  Horn.  14  :  9.  "I  will  ran- 
som them  from  the  power  of  the  grave  ; 
I  will  redeem  them  from  death ;  O 
death,  I  will  be  thy  plagues;  O  grave, 
I  will  be  thy  destruction."  Hosea  13  : 
14. 

7.  (4)  The  divine  justice  is  also  en- 
gaged for  the  confirmation  of  this 
truth.  As  it  has  received  fulfilment 
in  that  sentence,  "Thou  shalt  surely 
die"  (Gen.  2  :  17);  so  also  must  it  be 
fulfilled  in  our  resurrection  after  a  com- 
plete satisfaction  for  sin.  For  when 
sin  itself  is  at  an  end,  the  wages  of  sin 
ought  to  have  an  end  likewise.  This 
is  strictly  agreeable  to  the  justice  of 
God. 

8.  (5)  This  is  also  further  confirmed  to 
us  by  the  examples  of  those  who  have 
been  already  raised  from  death  unto 
life.  Such  was  the  case  of  the  widow's 
son  (1  Kings  17 : 22) ;  the  Shunammite's 
son  (2  Kings  4  :  35-37) ;  the  dead  body 
that  was  raised  by  touching  the  bones 
of  Elisha  (2  Kings  13  :  21) ;  the  daugh- 
ter of  Jairus  (Matt.  9  :  25) ;  the  wid- 
ow's son  at  Nain  (Luke  7  :  15) ;  Laz- 
arus (John  11  :  43)  ;  and  Tabitha  (Acts 
9:41). 

9.  (6)  Christ  hath  redeemed  both 
soul  and  body  to  everlasting  life. 

10.  (7)  The  beautiful  parables  de- 
rived from  nature,  as  the  grain  of 
wheat,  in  John  12 :  24,  claim  attention. 
The  apostle  says :  "  Thou  fool,  that 
which  thou  sowest  is  not  quickened 
except  it  die,"  etc.  1  Cor.  15  :  36,  etc. 
Upon  this  account,  burying-places  are, 
in  the  German  tongue,  called  God^s 
fields  {Gottesackef). 


11.  A  third  comfort  against  the  fears 
of  death  is,  the  fruit  of  Christ's  resur- 
rection ;  that  is,  that  eternal,  incor- 
ruptible, and  immortal  state  purchased 
for  us  by  Jesus  Christ.    For  as  by  th 
transgression  of  the  first  Adam,  all  hi 
posterity  were  made  subject  to  death 
so  by  the  obedience  of  the  second,  a^ 
are  restored  to  life  and  immortal  it 
Upon  which  account  it  is  said,  "B 
hold,  I  make  all  things  new."  Eev.  21 
5.    This  renovation  consists  in  an  e 
tire  freedom  from  sin,  misery,  an 
death,  and  is  a  state  of  righteousncs 
joy,  and  eternal  life.    For  this  caus 
it  is  also  called  Paradise  :  "  In  th 
presence  is  fulness  of  joy ;  at  thy  rig' 
hand  there  are  pleasures  for  eve 
more."  Ps.  16  :  11.    If  it  be  Paradis 
it  follows,  that  no  grief,  pain,  sorro 
or  sighing :  no  hunger,  thirst,  col 
heat,  or  any  other  evil,  can  enter  ther 
These  all  belong  to  this  transitory  lif 
but  that  eternal  life  is  "  an  inheritanc 
incorruptible,  and  undefiled,  and  tha 
fadeth  not  away;"  as  we  are  told  b 
St.  Peter.  (1  Peter  1  :  4.)    This  is,  i 
deed,  the  glorious  fruit  of  Christ's  re 
urrection  :  for  by  Christ  all  things  a 
renewed  and  restored  ;  corruption 
changed  into  incorruption ;  that  whic 
was  transitory,  into  that  which  is  ete 
nal ;  our  filthiness,  into  spotless  purit 
our  grief,  into  joy ;  aur  sorrows,  int 
triumphs;  our  sins,  into  righteousness 
the  divine  anger  into  mercy ;  the  cur 
into  blessings ;  our  poverty  into  riches ; 
our  diseases  into  health ;  our  contempt 
into  honor;  our  reproach  into  glory; 
our  disquiet  into  everlasting  rest ;  our 
miseries  into  pleasures ;  our  death  into 
life.    Now  death  is  the  entrance  into 
this  blessed  state :  so  that  temporal 
death  is  the  gate  to  everlasting  life, 
and  all  these  joys. 

12.  The  fourth  consolation  against 
the  fear  of  death,  is  prayer.    So  we 


Chap.  LYII.] 


TRUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


371 


read  of  the  Son  of  God,  that  "  being 
in  an  agony,  he  praj-ed  more  earn- 
estly." Luke  22:44.  And  "in  the 
day  a  of  his  flesh,  he  offered  up  prayers 
and  supplications,  with  strong  crying 
and  tears,  unto  him  that  was  able  to 
save  him  from  death,  and  was  heard 
in  that  he  feared."  Ileb.  5  :  7.  Indeed, 
the  prayers  of  dying  people  are  strong 
and  earnest ;  they  proceed  from  the 
bottom  of  the  heart,  ascend  through 
the  clouds,  and  reach  the  ears  of  the 
Almighty.  "  The  Lord  is  nigh  unto 
all  them  that  call  upon  him,  to  all  that 
call  upon  him  in  truth."  Ps.  145  :  18. 
"  I  will  be  with  him  in  trouble ;  I  w^ill 
deliver  him,  and  honor  him."  Ps.  91  : 
15.  "  Fear  thou  not,  for  I  am  with 
thee;  I  will  strengthen  thee ;  yea,  I  will 
help  thee  ;  yea,  I  will  uphold  thee  with 
ihe  right  hand  of  my  righteousness." 
Isa.  41  :  10. 

13.  The  fifth  consolation  is,  the  glo- 
rification of  our  bodies.  "  Our  conver- 
sation is  in  heaven;  from  whence  also 
we  look  for  the  Saviour,  the  Lord  Je- 
sus Christ;  who  shall  change  our  vile 
body,  that  it  may  be  fashioned  like 
unto  his  glorious  body,  according  to 

■  the  working,  whereby  he  is  able  to 
subdue  all  things  unto  himself."  Phil. 
3  :  20,  21.  What  greater  glory  can  we 
conceive,  than  that  our  bodies  shall  be, 
like  the  glorified  body  of  Jesus  Christ  ? 
He  showed  us  his  glorified  body  upon 
Mount  Tabor  (Matt.  17:2;  Mark  9  :  2, 
3),  that  he  might  inflame  us  with  a 
desire  of  the  same  glory.  Oh !  what 
a  glorious  temple  of  God  shall  our  body 
then  be !  Of  this,  the  royal  and  priestly 
garments  under  the  law,  were  but  a 
faint  shadow  and  resemblance. 

14.  The  sixth  is,  the  presence  of  the 
holy  angels,  who  carry  our  departing 
souls  into  Abraham's  bosom.  Our  soul 

I  enters  into  the  regions  of  eternal  glory, 
I   and  joins  the  society  of  blessed  spirits. 


Tin's  is  what  is  meant  by  "Abra- 
ham's bosom."  Luke  IG  :  22.  That  rest 
of  the  soul  consists  entirely  in  a  free- 
dom from  the  fears  and  terrors  of 
death.  So  "  Return  unto  thy  ro^t,  O 
my  soul.  For  the  Lord  hath  dealt 
bountifully  with  thee:  for  thou  hast 
delivered  my  soul  from  death,  mine 
eyes  from  tears,  and  my  feet  from  Aili- 
ing.  I  will  walk  before  the  Lord  in 
the  land  of  the  living."  Ps.  116  :  7-9. 
For  then  the  soul,  being  delivered  from 
the  yoke  of  the  flesh,  will  rejoice  like 
a  prisoner  rescued  from  long  captivity. 

15.  The  seventh  comfort  is,  the 
eternal  duration  of  our  future  glory. 
"They  shall  hunger  no  more,  neither 
thirst  any  more ;  neither  shall  the  sun 
light  on  them,  or  any  heat.  For  the 
Lamb  which  is  in  the  midst  of  the 
throne  shall  feed  them,  and  shall  lead 
them  unto  living  fountains  of  waters; 
and  God  shall  wipe  away  all  tears 
from  their  eyes."  Rev.  7  ;  IG,  17.  "My 
people  shall  dwell  in  a  peaceable  habi- 
tation, and  in  sure  dwellings,  and  in 
quiet  resting-places."  Isa.  32:  18.  And 
"  I  will  extend  peace  to  her  like  a  river. 
And  as  one  whom  his  mother  com- 
forteth,  so  will  I  comfort  you."  Isa. 
66:12,  18.  "My  servants  shall  eat, 
and  drink,  and  rejoice."  Isa.  65  :  18. 
Such  eating  and  drinking,  arc  to  be 
understood  of  their  exalted  pleasure, 
arising  from  their  vision  of  God,  "Xow 
we  see  through  a  glass  darkly;  but 
then  face  to  face."  1  Cor.  13  : 12.  "  We 
shall  see  him  as  he  is."  1  John  3:  2. 
"As  for  me,  I  will  behold  thy  face  in 
righteousness :  I  shall  be  satisfied, 
when  I  awake,  with  thy  likeness."  Ps. 
17  :  15.  O  happy  day,  when  we  shall 
see  God  face  to  face  !  How  ardently 
did  holy  David  long  for  it,  saying, 
"  When  shall  I  come  and  appear  be- 
fore God?"  Ps.  42:2. 

16.  In  short,  the  joy  of  eternal  life 


i 


372 


TEUE  CHEISTIAOTTY. 


[Book  II. 


will  consist  :  1.  In  the  beatific  vision 
of  tlie  face  of  God.  2.  In  the  presence 
of  Christ  our  Eedeenaer,  in  all  his 
glory  and  majesty :  Father,  I  will 
that  they  also  whom  thou  hast  given 
me.  be  with  me  where  I  am;  that  they 
may  behold  my  glory  which  thou  hast 
given  me."  John  17  :  24.  3.  In  the 
most  exalted  enjoyments  of  all  the 
gifts,  graces,  and  pleasures  of  the 
Holy  (rhost,  ''tlic  fountain  of  life." 
Ps.  3G  :  9.  4.  In  the  society  of  all  the 
Elect,  Patriarchs,  Prophets,  Apostles, 
and  Martyrs.  "And  the  ransomed  of 
the  Lord  sluill  rcUirn,  and  come  to 
Zion  with  songs,  and  everlasting  joy 
upon  their  heads;  they  shall  obtain 
joy  and  gladness,  and  sorrow  and 
sighing  shall  floe  away."  Lsa.  35  :  10. 

17.  II.  Thus  much  for  those  consola- 
tions that  arise  from  the  nature,  offices, 
and  promises  of  the  blessed  Jesus.  I 
come  now  to  consider  those  that  may 
be  drawn  from  the  consideration  of 
the  vanity  of  the  world.  Of  these 
there  are  also  seven. 

18.  First,  this  life,  how  great  and 
glorious  soever  it  may  appear  to  some, 
is  made  up  of  misery  and  sorrow.  1  Cor. 
15  :  31.  Every  day  steals  away  a  part 
of  our  life,  and  as  our  years  increase, 
our  life  decreases;  so  that  every  mo- 
ment of  our  time  is  divided  betwixt 
life  and  death.  How  many  and  va- 
rious diseases  are  there,  which,  like 
slow  poisons,  waste  and  consume  our 
bodies!  IIow  are  we  tormented  with 
sorrow,  broken  with  labors,  and  dis- 
tracted with  care!  So  that  the  wise 
man  truly  pronounced  that  "  the  day 
of  death  is  better  than  the  day  of 
one's  birth."  Eccles.  7:1.  "  Is  there 
not  an  appointed  time  to  man  upon 
earth  ?  Are  not  his  daj^s  also  like  the 
days  of  a  hireling?  As  a  servant  earn- 
estly desireth  the  shadow,  and  as  a 
hireling  looketh  for  the  reward  of  his 


work:  so  am  I  made  to  possess  months 
of  vanity,  and  wearisome  nights  are 
appointed  to  me."  Job  7  :  1-3.  "Ma 
that  is  born  of  a  woman,  is  of  few  day 
and  full  of  trouble."  Job  14  :  1.  Bu 
a  holy  and  happy  death  puts  an  eu 
to  all  these  miseries. 

19.  Secondly,  we  are  exposed  t 
many  and  very  grievous  sins,  fro 
which  nothing  can  deliver  us  but 
happy  death.     Thus  St.  Paul  com 
plains,   "I  see  another  laAV  in  m 
members,  warring  against  the  law  o 
my  mind,  and  bringing  me  into  ca 
tivity  to  the  law  of  sin  which  is  in  m 
members.    O  wretched  man  that 
am  !  who  shall  deliver  me  from  th 
body  of  this  death  ?"  Eom.  7  :  23,  2 
What  is  life  but  a  continued  course  o 
sin?    So  that  it  was  a  prayer  of  on 
of  the  ancients,  "Lord,  let  me  di 
that  I  may  cease  from  sin."    And  i 
the  whole  creation  is  travailing  i 
pain,  and   waiting   to    be  delivere 
from  the  bondage  of  corruption,  int 
the  glorious  liberty  of  the  children  o 
God  (Eom.  8  :  21,  22j,  how  much  mo 
ought  we  to  sigh  after  it  ?    IIow  ful 
the  world  is  of  offences  and  stumblin 
blocks,  which  we  are  continually  o 
liged  to  see  and  suffer,  whether  we  wi 
or  not!    And  these  offences  will  so  in 
crease  in  the  last  days,  that  the  soul 
of  the  righteous  shall  be  vexed  lik 
righteous  Lot's  in  Sodom.  2  Pet.  2  : 
"1  returned,  and  considered  all  th 
oppressions  that  are  done  under  th 
sun ;  and  behold,  the  tears  of  such  a 
were  oppressed,  and  they  had  no  com 
forter;  and  on  the  side  of  their  o" 
pressors  there  was  powder;  but  they  ha 
no  comforter.    Wherefore,  I  praise 
the  dead  which   are   already  dea 
more  than  the  living  which  are  y 
alive."   Eccles.  4  :  1,  2.    How  many 
pestilent  errors  in  matters  of  faith; 
how  many  heresies,  superstitions,  false 


Chap.  LYII.] 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


873 


prophets  and  false  Clirists  there  are, 
so  that,  if  it  were  possible,  even  the 
elect  might  be  deceived  !  Matt.  24  :  24. 
Upon  this  account  God  takes  his  faith- 
ful people  out  of  all  these  dangers  and 
troubles.  How  many  dreadful  mis- 
chiefs, and  mournful  events,  how" 
many  wars,  butcheries,  plagues,  and 
famines  occur!  Such,  and  so  great, 
are  thej^,  that  indeed  no  Christian 
would  wish  to  see  or  endure  them. 

20.  Thirdly,  all  must  die  without 
distinction.  "Death  hath  passed  upon 
all  men,  for  that  all  have  sinned." 
Rom.  5  :  12.  Since  so  many  holy  and 
excellent  men,  so  many  Patriarchs, 
Prophets,  and  so  many  other  right- 
eous men  are  dead,  who  would  not 
willingly  follow  them?  "Take  away 
my  Hie,  for  I  am  not  better  than  my 
fathers"  (1  Kings  19:4),  said  the 
prophet  Elijah.  "It  is  appointed  unto 
men  once  to  die,  but  after  this  the 
judgment."  Heb.  9  :  27.  "All  flesh  is 
grass,  and  all  the  goodliness  thereof  is 
as  the  flower  of  the  field.  The  grass 
withereth,  the  flower  fadeth  ;  because 
the  spirit  of  the  Lord  bloweth  upon 
it."  Isa.  40  :  6,  7.  "  I  am  a  stranger 
with  thee,  and  a  sojourner,  as  all  my 
fathers  were."  Ps.  39  :  12. 

21.  Fourthly,  no  man  dies  by  chance; 
but  God  is  the  Lord  of  life,  and  he  has 
appointed  the  bounds  of  its  duration. 
"His  daj'S  are  determined,  the  num- 
ber of  his  months  are  with  thee."  Job 
14  :  5.  "  Thou  turnest  man  to  destruc- 
tion ;  and  sayest,  Return,  ye  children 
of  men."  Ps.  90  :  3.  "  In  thy  book  all 
my  members  were  written."  Ps.  139  : 
16.  "  The  ver}^  hairs  of  your  head  are 
all  numbered."  Matt.  10  :  30.  "  God  is 
thy  life,  and  the  length  of  thy  days." 
Deut.  30  :  20. 

22.  Fifthly,  To  die  is  gain."  Phil 
1 :  21.  We  gain  more  than  we  lose  by 
dying-  righteousness,  instead  of  sin; 


glory,  for  misery;  heavenly  i-ichc^,  for 
earthly;  instead  of  the  short-lived 
friendships  and  relations  of  this  world, 
wo  gain  an  eternal  folio \vship  and 
union  with  the  saints  in  heaven  ;  in- 
stead of  this  mortal,  diseased,  and 
frail  bod}',  we  gain  a  heavenly  and 
glorious  one;  we  change  banishment 
for  our  own  country;  misery,  for 
peace;  and  this  world  for  heaven.  In 
short,  what  is  there  in  this  world, 
that  we  cannot  have  infinitely  better 
in  the  next?  If  thou  seekest  riches, 
honors,  or  glory;  with  friends,  pleas- 
ures, peace,  or  enjoj^ments,  all  these 
thou  shalt  enjoy  in  a  far  higher  degree 
in  the  next  world. 

23.  Sixthly,  Man  would  be  the  most 
miserable  creature  in  the  world,  if  he 
were  obliged  to  abide  in  it  forever. 
"If  in  this  life  only,"  saith  St.  Paul, 
"  we  have  hope  in  Christ,  we  are  of 
all  men  most  miserable."  1  Cor.  15  : 19. 
It  follows,  therefore,  that  we  are  de- 
signed for  a  better  world.  So  that, 
in  truth,  it  is  a  very  aflPecting  instance 
of  divine  mercy  to  take  us  out  of  this 
valley  of  tears,  and  translate  us  to  a 
better  place.  "  The  righteous  is  taken 
away  from  the  evil  to  come.  He  shall 
enter  into  peace;  they  shall  rest  in 
their  beds,  each  one  walking  in  his 
uprightness."  Isa.  57:1,2.  "Blessed 
are  the  dead  which  die  in  the  Lord; 
yea,  saith  the  Spirit,  that  they  may 
rest  from  their  labors."  Eev.  14  :  13. 

24.  Seventhly,  since  we  cannot  with 
these  bodily  and  sinful  eyes  behold 
the  glory  of  God,  nor  enter  with  these 
mortal  bodies  into  the  "new  heavens 
and  new  earth,  wherein  dwelleth 
righteousness  "  (2  Peter  3  :  13) ;  let  us 
cheerfully  put  off  this  earthly  taber- 
nacle, that  we  may  be  clothed  with  a 
heavenly  and  spiritual  body.  1  Cor. 
15;  44.  "Flesh  and  blood  cannot  in- 
hen't  the  kingdom  of  God;  neither 


87-i 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  11. 


doth  corruption  inherit  incorruption." 
1  Cor.  15  :  50.  Great,  tlierefore,  is  tlie 
merc}^  of  God,  who  exchanges  these 
filthy  rags  for  a  shining  garment,  in 
which  we  may  celebrate  the  eternal 
marriage;  a  beautiful,  festive  gar- 
ment, fit  to  be  worn  in  the  everlasting 
rest;  a  priestly  robe,  with  w^hich  w^e 
may  enter  into  the  very  holy  of  holies. 


CONCLUSION  OF  THE  SECOND  BOOK. 

At  the  close  of  this  Book,  I  desire 
to  submit  one  or  two  points  to  the 
consideration  of  the  Christian  reader. 

In  writing  these  Books  I  have  had 
no  other  object  in  view  than  that,  in 
connection  with  our  pure  religion  and 
confession  of  faith,  as  set  forth  in  the 
Church  of  the  Augsburg  Confession, 
and  repeated  in  the  Formula  of  Con- 
cord (which  I  publicly  and  sincerely 
adopt,  and  in  accordance  with  wiiich 
I  desire  these  wu'itings  of  mine  to  be 
understood),  purity  and  holiness  of 
tlie  life  might  be  promoted.  For  pur- 
ity of  doctrine  is  of  no  benefit,  wiien 
it  is  not  adorned  by  a  holy  life.  We 
ought  to  guard  the  purity  of  doctrine 
with  watchful  eyes,  bcit  sustain  holi- 
ness of  life  with  even  greater  earnest- 


ness. Of  what  advantage  are  great 
skill  and  learning  without  godliness? 
It  is  much  better,  in  the  eyes  of  God, 
to  train  up  a  devout  man,  than  to 
make  a  learned  man  of  him.  There 
are  many  who  teach  the  doctrine  of 
Christ  with  great  zeal,  but  there  are 
few  who  in  their  practice  conform  to 
his  life.  As  to  this  point  the  Chris- 
tian reader  is  referred  to  the  Preface 
of  the  First  Book,  and  to  the  Conclu- 
sion of  the  Fourth  Book. 

2.  If  any  one  should  allege  that  I 
have  treated  too  diffusely  of  the  doc- 
trine of  Christian  faith,  I  beg  to  give 
the  following  answer:  Our  evil  life  i8 
also  very  extensive — the  evils  under 
which  we  labor  are  very  serious — our 
redemption  is  a  great  work — and  our 
crosses  are  manifold.  But  let  any  one 
who  desires  greater  brevity,  read  the 
several  chapters  in  the  First,  Second 
and  Third  Books,  which  treat  of  Re- 
pentance, Faith,  Love,  Humility, 
Meekness,  Patience,  and  the  Cross, 
and  he  will  find  the  whole  Christian 
life  described  without  prolixity.  Nev- 
ertheless, if  thou  wilt  read  the  whol 
work,  thou  w^ilt  be  abundantly  re- 
w^arded  for  the  time  and  labor  which 
thou  hast  thus  expended. 


PREFACE  TO  THE  THIRD  BOOK 


AS  there  are  different  degrees  of 
age  and  maturity  in  the  natural 
life;  so  are  there  also  in  the  spiritual. 
This  life  has  its  first  foundation  in  sin- 
cere repentance,  by  which  a  man  sets 
himself  heartily  to  amend  his  life. 
This  is  succeeded  by  an  increase  of 
light,  when  by  contemplation,  prayer, 
and  bearing  the  cross,  a  man  is  daily 
improving  in  grace,  and  growing  up 
to  perfection.  The  last  and  most  per- 
fect state  is  that  which  consists  in 
firm  union,  which  is  founded  in,  and 
cemented  by,  pure  love.  This  is  the 
state  which  St.  Paul  calls  the  "  per- 
fect man,"  and  "  the  measure  of  the 
stature  of  the  fulness  of  Christ." 
Eph.  4  :  13. 

2.  To  explain  these  three  different 
states,  is  the  design  of  these  three 
books;  so  that  I  think  that  (with  my 
Book  of  Prayer),  the  whole  body  of 
Christianity  is  contained  and  ex- 
plained in  them,  as  far  as  is  essen- 
tially necessary;  though,  perhaps,  not 
so  perfectly  as  might  be  wished.  As 
for  the  Fourth  Book,  I  thought  fit  to 
add  it  to  the  rest,  to  show  how  har- 
moniously the  lIo\y  Scriptures,  Jesus 
Christ,  human  nature,  and  the  whole 
creation  agree  together ;  and  how  all 
things  centre  in  the  one  Eternal, 
which  is  God ! 

3.  That  the  reader  may  not  mistake 
the  design  of  this  Third  Book,  I  would 
remark  that  it  proposes  to  instruct 
him  how  to  seek  and  find  the  king- 
dom of  heaven  within  himself  (Luke 
17  :  21);  and  that,  in  order  to  this,  he 


must  devote  and  consecrate  his  whole 
heart  and  soul  to  God;  that  is,  not 
only  his  understanding,  but  his  will 
and  affections  also.  It  is  a  notion  too 
prevalent  at  this  day,  that  men  are 
very  good  Christians,  if  by  reading 
or  discourse  they  have  attained  to 
some  kind  of  intellectual  knowledge 
of  Jesus  Christ.  This  is  that  which 
generally  passes  under  the  name  of 
Divinity,  which  the  generality  take 
to  be  nothing  but  a  science,  or  a  set 
of  doctrines  or  opinions  to  be  learned 
only  in  theorj^,  not  regarding  the 
other  most  noble  powers  of  the  soul, 
namely,  the  w^ill  and  the  affections. 
But  all  these  must  be  consecrated  to 
God  in  Christ;  and  when  thou  hast 
done  this,  thou  mayest  assure  thyself 
that  thou  art  entirely  dedicated  to 
him.  For  there  is  a  wide  difference 
betwixt  the  understanding  by  which 
we  know,  and  the  will  or  affections  by 
which  we  love  the  Lord  Jesus.  Our 
love  may  be  perfect,  though  our 
knowledge  be  not  so.  To  know  Christ 
with  our  understanding,  and  yet  not 
to  love  him,  is  nothing  worth  ;  on  the 
other  hand,  it  is  infinitely  better  to 
love  him,  than  merely  to  be  able  to 
dispute  and  discourse  about  him. 
Eph.  3:19.  Let  us  learn,  therefore, 
so  to  seek  Christ  with  our  under- 
standing, that  we  may  also  love  him 
wath  the  entire  strength  of  our  will. 
By  this  we  may  be  assured  that  we 
know  him  truly,  if  our  knowledge  be 
productive  of  love.  Otherwise,  we 
may  be  said,  indeed,  to  find  him  and 

(  375  ) 


376 


PEEFACE  TO  THE  THIRD  BOOK. 


know  liim,  but  it  will  be  to  our  con- 
demnation. So  our  blessed  Lord  tells 
us,  "Not  every  one  that  saith  unto 
me,  Lord,  Lord,  shall  enter  into  the 
kingdom  of  heaven."  Matt.  7  :  2L 
Moreover,  there  are  two  ways  of  ob- 
taining- wisdom  and  knowledge.  The 
one  consists  in  reading  and  discus- 
sion ;  the  other  in  prayer  and  char- 
ity. The  one  makes  us  learned,  the 
other  holy.  And  between  these  there 
is  a  great  difference.  If  men  be 
learned,  and  not  lovers  of  God,  they 
breathe  nothing  but  pride  and  arro- 
gance; but  if  holy,  they  are  humble, 
and  think  meanly  of  themselves.  If 
thou  take  the  first  method,  thou  wilt 
never  find  thy  internal  treasure;  if 
thou  take  the  latter,  thou  canst  not 
be  disappointed.  Such  is  the  argu- 
ment of  the  Third  Book. 

4.  And  now,  how  glorious,  how  no- 
ble, and  happy  a  thing  is  it,  that  our 
;  chief  and  most  valuable  treasure,  that 
is,  the  kingdom  of  God,  is  not  to  be 
sought  without^  but  to  be  found  witJun 
us,  that  we  continually  carry  it  about 
with  us,  hidden  from  the  world,  and 
that  neither  the  world  nor  the  devil 
can  rob  us  of  it;  and  that  this  is  not 
to  be  obtained  by  profound  learning, 
skill  in  languages,  or  variety  of  books, 
but  by  a  devout  and  humble  spirit. 
Here  then  let  us  exercise  our  great- 
est care  and  diligence,  and  turn  our 
thoughts  inward  to  that  hidden,  ce- 
lestial, and  eternal  good,  that  divine, 
that  incomparable  treasure.  Why  do 
we  spend  our  time  and  pains  in  the 
pursuit  of  external  comforts,  whilst  so 
great  a  treasure  as  the  kingdom  of 
God,  w^ith  all  its  blessings,  lies  within 
us'/  For  in  our  heart  and  soul  is  the 
true  school  of  the  Holy  S])irit,  the 
true  habitation  of  the  Holy  Trinity, 
the  ver^^  temple  of  God  (1  Cor.  6  :  19), 
ih6^  true  house  of  prayer,  wherein  he 


desires  to  be  worshipped  "in  spirit 
and  in  truth."  John  4:23,  24.  For 
though  God  by  his  universal  presence 
is  in  all  things,  though  not  included  in 
them  (Isa.  66:  1),  but  after  an  incom- 
prehensible manner  filling  heaven  and 
earth;  3'et  in  a  particular  and  proper 
sense,  he  dwells  in  the  soul  of  the  en 
lightened  Christian,  taking  up  his  sea 
and  habitation  there,  as  it  were  in  hi 
own  image  and  similitude.    Here  h 
operates  in  a  way  suitable  to  himsel 
answering  and  aiding  every  groan  an 
sigh  of  the  devout  soul.    For  how  i 
it  possible  that  He  should  deny  an 
thing  to  him  with  wdiom,  and  in  who 
he  lives  i:'    In  a  word,  there  is  nothin 
more  pleasant  and  agreeable  to  divin 
love,  than  to  communicate  itself  to  al 
that  unfeignedly  seek  it. 

5.  In  order  to  this,  however,  th 
soul  must  be  at  rest,  which  it  neve 
can  be  till  disengaged  from  the  worl ' 
This  even  some  heathens  were  sensibl 
of,  and  accordingly  one  of  them  tel 
us,  "that  the  soul  is  incapable  of  wi 
dom  till  it  is  composed  and  at  rest. 
There  is  a  fine  passage  in  St.  Cyprian 
to  this  purpose.    "  This,"  says  he,  "  is 
the  true  rest  and  security  of  the  soul, 
when  the  man,  being  delivered  from 
the  storms  and  tempests  of  the  world, 
raises  his  heart  and  eyes  unto  God, 
and  endeavors  to  be  like  him.  By  this 
he  comes  to  understand,  that  all  which 
the  world  calls  beautiful  and  valuable, 
is  truly  hidden  in  his  own  soul,  so  that 
he  neither  expects  nor  desires  any- 
thing from  without.  O  celestial  treas- 
ure, to  be  delivered  from  the  chains 
and  fetters  of  this  world  !  O  chief  and 
boundless  good,  not  to  be  obtained  by 
any  labor  of  ours,  nor  by  our  interest 
with  the  great  men  of  this  world;  in 
short,  not  to  be  gained  by  our  industry 
and  study;  but  solely  and  entirely,  by 
the  grace  and  favor  of  God.    For  as 


PREFACE  TO  THE  THIRD  BOOK. 


377 


the  light  of  the  sun  proceeds  from  it- 
self, the  day  breaks  from  itself,  the 
fountain  flows  t'roni  itself,  the  rain  falls 
from  itself,  and  waters  the  earth;  so 
the  Holy  Spirit  descends  freely  into 
that  soul,  which  has  raised  itself  from 
the  world  unto  God." 

6.  Tliese  words  of  St.  Cyprian  ex- 
press a  great  truth,  and  are  a  sort  of 
epitome  of  this  Book.  In  a  word,  this 
turning  inwards  of  the  soul,  v,ery  often 
gives  us  a  view  of  the  inward  treasure 
of  our  souls,  though  but  for  a  moment. 
And  one  such  moment  is  better  than 
heaven  and  earth,  and  all  the  crea- 
tures. Hence  St.  Bernard  truly  ob. 
served, that  he  who  has  once  learned 
to  descend  into  himself,  to  seek  the 
face  of  God,  and  taste  the  sweetness 
of  his  presence  in  the  inmost  recesses 
of  the  heart,  will  think  it  more  tolera- 
ble to  suffer  even  the  pains  of  hell  for 
a  season,  than,  after  having  tasted  the 
sweetness  of  this  divine  exercise,  to 
return  again  to  the  pleasures,  or  rather, 
to  the  lusts  and  wearisome  gratifica- 
tions of  the  world  and  the  flesh,  aris- 
ing from  the  insatiable  cravings  of  the 
inferior  appetites."  In  short,  such  a 
soul  not  only  feels  the  highest  happi- 
ness, by  finding'in  itself  the  presence 
of  God;  but  also  the  deepest  misery, 
in  being  deprived  of  it.  By  this  the 
true  Christian  is  fully  instructed,  that 
by  dying  to  the  world,  ho  lives  in  God, 
as  the  fountain  of  life;  and,  on  the 
other  hand,  that  the  more  he  lives  to 
the  world,  the  more  he  dies  unto  God  : 
that  the  soul  which  is  dead  to  the 
world,  truly  lives  unto  God,  and  is  his 
joy,  or,  as  the  Song  of  Solomon  ex- 
presses it,  is  better  than  the  taste  of 
wine,  or  the  smell  of  all  spices  (Cant. 
4:  10);  while  on  the  other  hand,  the 
hearts  of  worldly  men  are  but  sour 
grapes,  as  the  grapes  of  Sodom,  Avhieh 
are  as  gall,  and  their  clusters  are  bit- 


ter. Deut.  32:32.  The  soul  that  is 
dead  to  the  world,  may  be  discovered 
by  these  tokens.  It  resigns  its  own 
will  to  the  will  of  God  in  all  thin«rs:  it 
suppresses  self  love;  it  mortifies  the 
desires  of  the  flesh;  it  avoids  woi-ldly 
pleasures;  it  esteems  itself  as  the  mean- 
est of  all,  and  is  not  apt  to  judge  or 
censure  a  neighbor.  Such  a  one  refers 
all  his  injuries  and  wrongs  to  the  God 
of  righteousness,  to  whom  vengeance 
belongeth;  he  is  not  puffed  up  with 
the  applause  of  men,  nor  grieved  by 
their  revilings;  in  a  word,  he  bears 
everything  with  patience  and  without 
repining.  A  noble  instance  of  this  re- 
signed temper  we  have  in  king  David 
(2  Sam.  23  :  15-17),  when  he  poured  out 
before  the  Lord  the  water  of  the  well 
of  Bethlehem,  after  which  he  had  so 
earnestly  longed,  and  which  three 
mighty  men  of  his  host  had  brought 
for  him  at  the  hazard  of  their  lives. 
This  was  an  action  of  great  self-denial ; 
for  he  would  not  gratify  his  desires  by 
tasting  that  for  which  three  men  had 
ventured  their  lives. 
•  7.  Herein  consists  the  true  perfec- 
tion of  the  Christian  life.  For  jierfec- 
tion  is  not,  as  some  suppose,  a  sublime, 
spiritual  kind  of  relish  for  heavenly 
enjoyments;  but  it  is  the  denying  our 
own  will,  the  contempt  of  the  pleas- 
ures and  profits  of  this  life,  the  ac- 
knowledging our  own  vileness,  con- 
stant resignation  to  the  will  of  God, 
and  unwearied  love  and  unfeigned  com- 
passion for  our  neighbor.  In  a  word, 
it  is  that  degree  of  love,  which,  allow- 
insc  for  human  infirmities,  thinks  of 
nothing,  seeks  nothing,  desires  noth- 
ino-  but  God.  This  is  that  true  Chris- 
tian  virtue,  true  liberty,  and  true 
peace,  which  consists  in  overcoming 
the  flesh  and  fleshly  desires,  as  will  ap- 
pear in  this  Third  Book,  and  as  thou 
wilt  learn  from  thine  own  experience, 


378 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  III. 


if  thou  wilt  apply  the  truth.  For 
which  great  end,  I  pray  tliat  divine 
grace  may  descend  both  upon  the 
reader  and  writer,  that  it  may  please 


God  to  begin,  strengthen,  and  perfect 
his  good  work  in  us,  to  the  praise  and 
glory  of  himself.  Amen. 


BOOK  III. 

CHAPTEE  I. 

OF  THE  GREAT  INTERNAL  TREASURE  OF  AN  ENLIGHTENED  BELIEVER. 

Know  ye  not  that  your  body  is  the  temple  of  the  Holy  Ghost  which  is  in  you,  which  ye  have  of  God  9 

1  Cor.  6:  19. 


THAT  the  hearts  of  believers  are 
the  habitation  of  the  Holy  Trinity, 
is  largely  attested  in  Scripture,  as  Lev. 
26:11;  lsa.44:3;  57:15;  Joel  2:  27; 
John  14:2:J;  17:23;  Rom.  8:9-11;  1 
Cor.  2:  11,12;  3:16;  6:19;  2  Cor.  G : 
16 ;  Gal.  2:20;  Ephes.  3:17;  4 :  24 ; 
Col.  3:10;  1  John  4  : 13.  But  who  is 
there  among  Christians  that  under- 
stands, values,  or  inquires  after  this 
immense  and  hidden  treasure  ?  I 
thought  it  desirable,  therefore,  to  ex- 
plain at  large  the  spiritual  and  heav- 
enly dignity  of  the  true  Christian,  and 
to  shovv  every  one  how  to  seek  and 
find  this  sublime  treasure  in  himself. 
The  foundation  of  this  doctrine  has 
been  already  laid  down  in  Book  I, 
proving  how  the  Word  of  God,  through 
faith,  exerts  its  power  in  the  heart  of 
man.  And  in  Book  'II,  it  has  been 
shown  how  God  discovers  himself  to 
the  devout  soul,  as  the  highest  love, 
goodness,  beauty,  holiness,  and  wis- 
dom. 

2.  But  as  this  high  treasure  cannot 
be  worthily  perceived  or  understood, 
except  in  the  still  and  quiet  sabbath 


of  the  soul,  in  which  the  Holy  Spirit 
teaches  us  inwardly  by  meditation  on 
the  Word,  in  which  ho  enlightens  us, 
and  "searcheth  all  things,  yea,  the  deep 
things  of  God"  (1  Cor.  2:  10);  upon 
this  account,  we  must  first  of  all  learn, 
how  to  bring  the  soul  to  that  quiet 
state  of  internal  rest.  Something  has 
been  said  by  way  of  foundation  upon 
this  head,  in  the  chapters  treating  of 
Prayer,  inserted  in  Book  II;  which 
comes  now  more  fully  and  perfectly  to 
be  handled  in  this  Third  Book:  name- 
ly, how  this  hidden  treasure,  this  pearl 
in  the  field  of  our  hearts  (Matt.  13  :  44, 
45),  is  to  be  sought  for  by  entering  into 
ourselves,  or  rather  into  God.  And 
this  is  the  inward  sabbath  of  a  heart 
cleansed  and  purified  by  faith  (Acts 
15  :  9),  and  enlightened  by  the  Holy 
Ghost.  From  this  treasure  of  the 
Spirit  and  kingdom  of  God,  hidden  in 
the  believing  soul,  sprang  the  wisdom 
of  all  the  enlightened,  Patriarchs, 
Prophets,  Apostles,  and  other  men  of 
God  that  have  ever  existed.  This  pearl, 
then,  is  worth  looking  after,  this  field 
is  worth  tilling,  and  this  gift  of  the 


Chap.  I.] 


Spirit  and  divine  grace  must  be  stirred 
up  in  us ;  even  as  a  spark  of  fire,  which 
by  continual  application  of  breath,  is 
blown  up  into  a  bright  flame.  2  Tim. 
1:6. 

3.  But  that  thou  ma  jest  more  fully 
and  distinctly  apprehend  in  the  com- 
mencement of  this  Third  Book,  which 
relates  entirely  to  the  inward  man, 
how  the  children  of  God  are  to  be 
drawn  from  the  exterior  to  the  interior 
man,  or  the  ground  of  the  heart;  that 
they  may  search,  know,  purify,  and 
change  it,  and  keep  their  spiritual  eyes 
fixed  upon  God,  and  his  kingdom  in 
the  inmost  recesses  of  the  soul;  that 
the  reader,  I  say,  may  more  fully  un- 
derstand this,  I  shall  first  of  all  more 
generally  in  this  chapter,  and  then 
more  particularly,  touch  upon  and  ex- 
plain the  several  heads  of  this  doctrine, 
referring  occasionally  to  the  Theology 
of  Dr.  John  Tauler,  and  quoting  him 
as  often  as  possible  in  his  own  words. 
And  here  I  may  remark,  that  as  the 
Holy  Scripture,  great  and  sacred  as  it  is, 
regards  the  heart  of  man ;  so  likewise, 
the  whole  divinity  of  Tauler  aims  at 
the  inward  man,  the  ground  of  the 
heart,  and  deepest  recesses  of  the  soul. 
Hence  it  is,  that  he  again  and  again 
inculcates,  "that  God  and  the  king- 
dom of  God,  are  purely  to  be  enjoyed, 
sought  for,  and  found  in  the  ground 
of  the  heart that  is,  whatsoever  the 
Hol}^  Scripture  and  its  true  interpre- 
tation, discover  outwardly,  all  that 
ought  to  be  really,  spiritually,  and 
truly  felt  and  experienced  in  the 
ground  of  the  soul.  This  cannot  be 
without  a  frequent  entering  into  the 
centre  of  the  heart;  so  that  the  more 
deeply  a  man  retires  from  the  world, 
so  much  the  more  closely  he  is  united 
to  God;  and  the  oftener  the  devout 
Christian  practises  this  exercise,  the 
more  clearly  will  the  kingdom  of  God, 


379 


and  this  hidden  treasure,  be  manifested 
in  his  soul.  He  that  docs  not  perceive 
in  himself  these  fruits  of  the  Spirit,  or 
the  new  man,  will  never  be  one  jot 
more  acceptable  in  the  sight  of  God  for 
all  his  great  knowledge  and  science; 
but  shall  be  reckoned  among  those  of 
whom  Christ  says,  that  they  shall  say 
in  the  last  day,  "  Lord,  Loi-d,  have  we 
not  prophesied  in  thy  name?"  Matt. 
7  :  21.  For  it  is  not  the  external  ap- 
pearance, but  the  internal  reality,  that 
will  avail  in  the  sight  of  God ;  not  that 
which  consists  in  the  letter,  but  that 
which  flows  from  the  Spirit,  and  con- 
sists in  the  Spirit.  This  is  the  true 
ground  of  the  distinction  mentioned 
in  the  Preface,  betwixt  one  taught  by 
the  world,  and  him  that  is  taught  of 
God;  that  is,  betwixt  a  learned  man, 
and  a  holy  man.  The  learned  man  is 
instructed  outwardly  by  the  letter; 
but  the  holy  man  by  God,  inwardly  by 
the  Holy  Ghost,  by  the  "anointing" 
which  teacheth  all  things.  1  John  2: 
27.  The  wisdom  of  the  learned  con- 
sists in  words ;  the  wisdom  of  the  holy 
man,  in  power.  For  "  the  kingdom  of 
God  is  not  in  words,  but  in  power."  1 
Cor.  4  :  20. 

4.  But  as  a  general  account  of  this 
will  not  be  sufiicient  for  the  simple 
and  unlearned,  to  bring  them  to  this 
fundamental  knowledge  of  themselves, 
I  shall  therefore  descend  to  a  more 
particular  explication,  asking  them, 
at  the  same  time,  to  attend  to  the 
"  Five  Parts"  of  their  Catechism,  and 
to  understand  how  these  are  not  to 
remain  loithout  them,  but  must  be 
within  them.  First,  therefore,  thou 
believest  that  God  delivered  his  law 
upon  Mount  Sinai,  written  upon  two 
tables  of  stone ;  and  that  this  law  is 
the  will  of  God,  which  thou  art  obliged 
to  obe}^  You  do  well  to  believe  this. 
But  this  faith  profiteth  not,  unless 


TRUE  CHEISTIANTTY. 


380 


TEUE  CIIEISTIANITY. 


[Book  III. 


God  biiTiself  write  his  law  in  jour 
heart  (Jcr.  31  :  33),  and  accomplish 
his  will  in  3'ou.  Now  this  can  never 
be  effected,  unless,  having  now  be- 
come a  Christian,  you  dedicate  your 
whole  heart  to  God,  and  offer  up  your 
will  to  him,  that  His  will  may  be  ful- 
filled in  you.  The  royal  prophet 
David,  who  well  knew  the  dignity 
and  necessity  of  this  divine  operation, 
employ's  especially  the  whole  119th 
Psalm  in  earnest  prayers  to  God,  that 
he  would  vouchsafe  to  guide  and  gov- 
ern him  according  to  his  law  and  tes- 
timonies, that  60  this  heavenly  work 
might  not  by  any  means  be  hindered 
in  him.  Further,  you  believe  that 
Christ  is  your  righteousness,  your  life 
and  salvation.  1  Cor.  1:30.  You  do 
well  to  believe  this,  "  for  other  founda- 
tion can  no  man  lay  than  that  is  laid, 
w^hich  is  Jesus  Christ"  (1  Cor.  3  :  11)  : 
"Neither  is  there  salvation  in  any 
other;  for  there  is  none  other  name 
under  heaven  given  among  men, 
whereby  we  must  be  saved."  Acts  4  : 
12.  Yet,  remember  that  3'ou  must 
have  Christ  within  you;  that  is,  you 
must  lay  hold  on  him  inwardly  by 
faith,  and  make  him,  both  as  to  his 
Person  and  office,  your  own.  For  if 
Christ  be  thine,  it  follows  that  all 
things  which  are  God's  are  also  yours; 
and  that  if  he  had  ten  thousand  worlds 
and  kingdoms  full  of  righteousness  and 
blessedness,  yet  by  faith  all  are  thine. 
For  the  righteousness  of  Christ  is 
greater  than  all  these.  So  in  like 
manner,  though  the  guilt  of  ten  thou- 
sand worlds  lay  upon  thee,  yet  should 
it  not  be  able  to  hurt  thee.  This  then 
is  the  treasure  which  thou  must  have 
w^ithin  thee,  as  our  Lord  tells  us,  "The 
kingdom  of  God  is  within  you  "  (Luke 
17:21):  that  is,  "righteousness,  and 
peace,  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost." 
Rom.  14  •  17. — Thou  believest  that 


Christ  is  the  eternal  Word  of  the  Fa- 
ther; that  he  is  the  true  life  and  light 
of  man.  John  1  :  4.  Thou  believest 
aright.  But  then,  thou  must  take 
care,  that  this  Word  speak  in  thee, 
that  this  light  shine  in  thee,  that  this 
life  live  in  thee.  For  unless  thou  hast 
this  inward  treasure  in  thy  soul,  and 
art  united  to  Christ  by  a  living  faith, 
everything  else  shall  avail  thee  noth- 
ing. Again,  thou  thinkest  thyself  ob- 
liged by  duty  and  interest,  to  pray  to 
God,  to  give  him  thanks,  and  to  praise 
his  name  (Psalm  92  :  1,  2),  and  in  this 
thou  judgest  right.  But  take  care 
that  Christ  himself  pray  within  thee, 
and  the  Holy  Spirit  groan  within 
thee  (Rom.  8:  26);  for  as  he  is  "the 
Spirit  of  grace  and  of  supplications" 
(Zech.  12  :  10),  so,  in  order  to  make 
thy  prayers  effectual,  it  is  necessary 
that  he  also  pray  in  thy  heart,  the 
temple  of  spirit  and  truth.  John  4: 
23.  If  this  be  not  done,  thy  prayers 
are  all  of  little  avail. — Thou  believest 
that  in  Baptism  thou  receivest  remis- 
sion of  sins,  the  new  birth,  and  adop- 
tion as  a  child  of  God.  Thou  believest 
aright.  But  unless  thou  find  in  thy- 
self the  fruit  of  baptism,  the  new  birth, 
the  unction  of  the  Spirit,  and  divine 
illumination,  thy  baptism  shall  avail 
thee  nothing. — Thou  believest,  accord- 
ing to  the  words  of  St.  Matthew  (Matt. 
26:  26),  that  in  the  external  Sacrament 
of  the  Lord's  Supper,  thou  receivest 
the  true,  essential  body  and  the  blood 
of  Christ.  Thou  believest  aright.  But 
if  thou  dost  not  also  eat  it  inwardly 
and  spiritually,  thou  wilt  not  only 
lose  all  the  benefits  of  that  institution, 
but  dost  also  eat  and  drink  condemna- 
tion to  thyself.  1  Cor.  11  :  29.— Thou 
believest  that  Christ  was  the  true 
Lamb  of  God  offered  for  us  upon  the 
cross.  John  1 :  29.  Yet  consider:  What 
good  can  this  do  thee,  unless  the  same 


Chap.  II.] 


TRUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


381 


Lamb  of  God  become  the  daily  food 
and  nourishment  of  thy  inward  man  ? 
I  Cor.  5:7.    It  appears,  therefore, 


that  thy  treasure  ought  to  be  vnthin 
thee,  and  that  unless  thou  seek  it  there, 
thou  shalt  never  find  it. 


CHAPTER  II. 


TRUE  FAITH,  AND   CONVERSE  WITH  THE   SOUL,  THE  ONLY  MEANS  OF  ATTAINING 

TO  THIS  INWARD  TREASURE. 

Bring  it  again  to  mind,  0  ye  transgressors. — IsA.  46 :  8 


THE  true  way  of  attaining  this  di- 
vine inward  treasure  is,  by  a  true 
and  living  faith.  Though  we  have 
already  in  Books  I  and  II  treated 
largely  of  faith,  with  all  its  powers 
and  properties,  how  it  cleaves  unto 
Christ,  rests  and  depends  upon  him  ; 
yet  we  must  here  return  to  it,  and 
show  of  what  use  and  advantage  it  is, 
in  the  matter  before  us.  The  property 
of  a  true  and  living  faith  is,  to  cleave 
unto  God  with  our  whole  heart;  to 
put  our  whole  trust  in  him  ;  to  depend 
upon  him ;  to  dedicate  and  resign 
ourselves  entirely  to  his  mercy  and 
goodness;  to  be  united  to  God;  and 
to  enjoy  him  in  the  internal  rest  of 
the  soul.  True  faith  prefers  nothing 
to  God  ;  it  makes  him  the  true  object 
of  all  its  desires,  by  unfeigned  abstrac- 
tion from  all  earthly  comforts.  In  a 
word,  it  places  its  chief,  eternal,  infi- 
nite, and  perfect  good  in  Him  alone, 
who  is  the  true  fountain  of  all  good, 
whether  in  heaven  or  earth,  in  time 
or  eternity,  and  all  through  Jesus 
Christ,  who  is  "  the  author  and  fin- 
isher of  our  faith."  Heb.  12  :  2.  This 
is  that  faith  which  leads  us  to  our  in- 
ward treasure,  which  is  our  chief 
good.  Of  this  the  Psalmist  was  an 
instance  :  he  was  full  of  this  faith  : 
"Whom/'  says  he,  "have  I  in  heaven 


but  thee  ?  and  there  is  none  upon 
earth  that  I  desire  besides  thee."  Ps. 
73  :  25.  Such  was  the  faith  of  Mary, 
the  sister  of  Lazarus,  when  she  sat  at 
Jesus'  feet,  and  heard  his  word  with 
eagerness.  Luke  10:39.  For  faith, 
as  has  been  observed,  brings  the  soul 
into  the  true  sabbath  of  the  heart, 
into  a  state  of  divine  quiet  and  heav- 
enly rest,  in  which  God  delights  to 
manifest  himself.  Therefore  the  Lord 
said  to  Martha:  "Martha,  Martha, 
thou  art  careful  and  troubled  about 
many  things:  but  one  thing  is  need- 
ful :  and  Mary  hath  chosen  that  good 
part,  which  shall  not  be  taken  away 
from  her."  Luke  10  :  41,  42.  What  is 
"that  good  part"  but  God  in  Jesus 
Christ?  For  by  this  faith  which 
opens  the  heart,  in  order  to  i*cceivo 
God  alone  is  that  better  part  chosen. 
By  this  faith  it  is,  that  the  ever- 
blessed  Trinity  enters  into  the  heart, 
and  takes  possession  of  it.  Eph.  3  : 
17  ;  John  14  :  23.  This  is  "  that  good 
part"  which  we  ought  all  to  choose; 
namely,  eternal  life  and  blessedness. 

2.  In  this  one  article  is  contained 
the  whole  sum  of  the  Christian  re- 
ligion ;  it  is  the  fountain  of  charity 
and  of  all  virtues.  For  faith  produ- 
ceth  love  ;  love  produceth  hope  ;  hope, 
patience;  patience  worketh  meekness; 


382 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  III. 


meekness,  humilitj;  humility  produ- 
ceth  the  fear  of  God;  and  the  fear  of 
God  teaelieth  us  to  pray  to  him,  to 
crucify  the  flesh  "  (Gal.  5  :  24),  to 
deny  ourselves,  to  hate  our  own  life, 
and  to  despise  the  world.  Matt.  10  : 
24.  Upon  this  account  St.  John 
calls  flxith,  "the  victory  that  over- 
cometh  the  world."  1  John  5  ;4.  This 
was  that  one  thing  to  which  our 
Lord  directed  the  attention  of  the 
rich  young  man  in  the  Gospel  (Luke 
18:18),  when  he  asked  him,  saying, 
''Good  Master,  what  shall  I  do  to  in- 
herit eternal  life?"  When  he  had 
commanded  him  to  keep  the  com- 
mandments of  God,  he  answered,  "  All 
these  have  I  kept  from  my  youth  up." 
Jesus,  hearing  him,  said,  "Yet  lackest 
thou  one  thing;  sell  all  that  thou  hast, 
and-distribute  unto  the  poor,  and  thou 
shalt  have  treasure  in  heaven :  and 
come  follow  me."  In  these  words 
the  Lord  directs  him  to  choose  that 
one  thing,  that  better  part,  by  faith; 
and,  by  forsaking  himself  and  his 
worldly  possessions,  to  turn  to  God, 
the  true  fountain  and  centre  of  his 
being  and  happiness.  From  this  one 
thing  proceeds  the  w^hole  Christian 
life,  and  all  the  commandments,  as  a 
stream  from  its  fountain,  not  by  com- 
pulsion or  law^,  but  from  love  and  free- 
dom of  the  spirit.  "  For  it  is  God 
which  w^orketh  in  us  both  to  will  and 
to  do  of  his  good  pleasure"  (Phil.  2  : 
13);  neither  will  he  own  anything  in 
us  as  his,  which  he  himself  has  not 
wrought.  Here,  then,  is  no  need  of 
laws,  no  need  of  commands  or  pro- 
hibitions. For  faith,  by  its  free  mo- 
tion and  spirit,  does  everything  in  iis 
which  is  necessary  to  be  done:  that 
is,  it  surrenders  itself  freely  and  en- 
tirely to  God,  and  to  the  operations 
of  his  £i:race.  And  this  is  what  the 
prophet  Isaiah  means,  when  he  invites 


us  to  come  unto  God,  to  "buy  wine 
and  milk  without  money  and  without 
price."  Isa.  55  :  1. 

3.  Faith,  then,  is  the  means  of  at- 
taining to  this  inward  treasure,  whilst 
it  keeps  a  sabbath  of  rest  unto  God  in 
every  soul  that  is  collected  into  itself. 
For  as  the  motion  of  the  heavens  ia 
therefore  the  most  perfect,  because  it 
terminates  in  itself,  and  returns  to  its 
beginning;  so  the  life  of  man  may  then 
be  accounted  most  excellent  and  per- 
fect when  it  returns  to  its  original, 
which  is  God.  And  this  a  man  does, 
when  he  enters  deeply  into  himself, 
having  collected  all  the  powers  of  his 
understanding,  will,  and  memory,  and 
emptied  them  of  the  world,  and  all  the 
lusts  of  the  flesh;  off'ering  up  his  soul, 
with  all  its  afi"ections,  to  God,  by  the 
Holy  Ghost,  and  celebrating  an  eternal 
sabbath  in  his  presence.  Then  God 
begins  to  operate  in  him.  He  waits 
for  such  a  frame  of  sj^irit,  and  rejoices 
to  finish  his  work  within  us.  For  so 
great  is  the  love  of  God  towards  us, 
so  ardent  is  his  afl'ection,  that  it  is  as 
if  his  divinity  itself  could  not  consist 
without  us;  as  if  he  should  himself 
cease  to  be,  unless  he  could  discover 
the  abyss  of  his  divinity  in  us,  and 
transfuse  the  overflowing  fulness  of 
his  essence  into  us.  So  that  the  most 
acceptable  service  a  man  can  do  unto 
God,  is  to  keep  his  heart  so  quiet  and 
still  that  God  may  rest  and  manifest 
himself  in  it.  All  that  God  requires, 
in  order  to  accomplish  this  w^ork  in 
us,  is  an  humble  and  quiet  spirit. 
Whenever  he  finds  such  a  habitation, 
he  dwells  there  with  a  high  manifes- 
tation of  his  wisdom  and  power.  The 
eternal  wisdom  of  God  cannot  unite 
with  the  wisdom  of  man ;  but  when 
the  human  soul  is  entirely  submitted 
to  God,  then  God  entirely  rests  in  her. 
But  if  thou  wilt  engage  thy  will,  thy 


Chap.  IT.] 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


383 


understanding,  memory,  and  affections 
in  the  service  of  thy  own  mind,  then 
they  are  no  longer  proper  instruments 
for  the  work  of  God.  For  in  every 
union  of  two  beings  as  one,  the  one 
must  of  necessity  be  active  and  the 
other  passive.  But  God  is  an  infinite 
and  eternally  active  power,  an  essen- 
tial pure  motion;  perpetually  operat- 
ing in  thee,  unless  hindered  by  thee. 
This  may  be  illustrated  by  the  follow- 
ing similitude:  as  the  eye  cannot  fix 
upon  any  object,  nor  receive  any  im- 
pressions from  it,  unless  it  be  free 
from  all  other  images  (for  otherwise 
one  will  hinder  the  other);  so  the 
soul,  with  all  her  powers,  understand- 
ing, will,  and  memory,  can  receive  no 
impressions  or  influences  from  God,  if 
it  be  not  empty  of,  and  disengaged 
from,  the  world.  The  ear  cannot  re- 
ceive or  enjoy  the  sweetest  music, 
whilst  employed  and  filled  with  other 
sounds :  so  neither  can  the  soul  receive 
the  divine  sweetness  whilst  it  listens 
to  the  voice  of  the  world.  The  more, 
therefore,  a  soul  withdraws  itself  from 
the  world,  the  nearer  it  approaches  to 
God.  The  more  it  renounces  the  pleas- 
ures of  the  flesh,  the  nearer  it  comes 
to  the  participation  of  "  the  divine  na- 
ture." 2  Pet.  1 :  4. 

4.  Nature  cannot  admit  a  vacuum. 
So  if  a  man  will  empty  himself  of  the 
love  of  the  world  and  himself,  with  all 
his  passions  and  affections  for  worldly 
things,  God  will  infallibly  fill  his  soul 
with  divine  grace,  love,  wisdom,  and 
knowledge.  But  if  thou  art  full  of 
worldly  things,  thou  canst  not  at  the 
same  time  be  fall  of  heavenly  things. 
When  Abraham,  at  the  command  of 
God,  went  from  his  own  country  and 
kindred,  then  was  he  enlightened  from 
above.  Gen.  12  :  1 ;  13  : 1.  Our  carnal 
affections,  self-love,  self-will,  and  self- 
conceit;  with  all  our  inclinations  to  the 


profits  and  pleasures  of  the  world,  are 
to  us  as  so  many  near  friends  and  re- 
lations; and  it  is  hard  to  flesh  and 
blood  to  part  ,  with  them.  But  how 
hard  soever  it  be,  this  is  the  first  step 
that  conducts  to  this  hidden  treasure, 
this  pearl  of  great  price;  of  which  our 
Lord  says,  that  the  merchant  having 
"found  one  pearl  of  great  price,  went 
and  sold  all  that  he  had,  and  bought 
it."  Matt.  13  :46.  This  is  what  the 
Lord  says:  "Yerily,  I  say  unto  you, 
There  is  no  man  that  liath  left  house, 
or  brethren,  or  sisters,  or  father,  or 
mother,  or  wife,  or  children,  or  lands, 
for  my  sake,  but  shall  receive  a  hun- 
dredfold, and  eternal  life.".  Mark  10  : 
29,  30.  What  are  our  brethren  and 
sisters  but  our  carnal  lusts  and  cor- 
rupt inclinations,  of  which  we  must 
be  emptied,  if  we  expect  to  be  filled 
with  the  fulness  of  God.  As  the  Vir- 
gin Mary  was  a  pure,  immaculate  vir- 
gin (so  remaining  eternally),  when 
she  conceived  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
(Luke  1  :  27) ;  so  must  every  soul  be 
like  a  pure,  immaculate  virgin;  that 
is,  be  unspotted,  free  from  all  the  pol- 
lutions of  the  world,  in  order  to  this 
spiritual  conception  of  him.  A  soul 
thus  pure  and  unspotted  is,  "  as  the 
king's  daughter,  all  glorious  within" 
(Psalm  45  :  13);  enriched  with  hidden 
treasure.  But  how  can  the  soul  be 
betrothed  to  God,  that  is  betrothed  to 
the  world  ?  "  I  come,"  saith  our  blessed 
Lord,  "to  send  fire  on  the  earth."  Luke 
12  :  49.  Oh,  that  such  a  fire  of  divine 
love  would  so  burn  in  us  as  to  consume 
all  our  dross  of  worldly  affections,  that 
nothing  might  live  and  move  in  us  but 
the  pure  and  holy  love  of  God!  He 
adds,  "  I  came  not  to  send  peace,  but 
a  sword."  Luke  12  :  51;  Matt.  10  :  34. 
And  would  to  God  that  the  Holy  Spirit 
might  so  mortify  and  destroy  all  our 
carnal  concupiscence,  that  God  alone 


884 


TRUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


[Book  IIL 


might  move  and  operate  in  us!  But 
if  you  will  siiy,  that  you  are  so  much 
taken  up  with  the  business  of  the 
world,  tliat  3'ou  cannot  be  so  collected 
as  3'ou  ought,  then  set  apart  some  cor- 
ner of  your  house,  and  some  little  por- 
tion of  3'our  time,  either  by  day  or 
night,  to  retire  into  yourself,  and  to 
pour  out  your  Boul  to  God,  in  the 


words  of  St.  Au<xnstine:  "Lord, 


my 


God,  be  pleased  to  enter  into  covenan' 
with  me,  that  I  may  die  entirely  t 
myself,  and  that  thou  mayest  live  i 
me;  let  me  keep  silence  in  myself,  and 
do  thou  speak  within  me;  let  me  res' 
from  all  things,  that  thou  mayest 
operate  in  me." 


CHAPTER  III. 


THE   WHOLE  TREASURE  OF    THE  INNER   MAN   DEPENDS  ON   FAITH,  NAMELY,  GOD 
CHRIST,  THE  HOLY  SPIRIT.  AND  THE  KINGDOM  OF  GOD. 


God  grant  yon,  according  to  the  riches  of  his  glory,  to  . he  strengthened  with  might  by  his  Spirit  i 
the  inner  man;  that  Christ  vtay  dwell  in  your  hearts  by  faith;  that  ye,  being  rooted  a 
grounded  in  love,  etc. — Eph.  3  :  16,  17. 


ACIIBISTIAK  ought  to  employ 
his  greatest  care  and  diligence, 
in  learning  the  true  nature  and  prac- 
tice of  iaith.  It  is  faith  that  unites  us 
to  Christ,  and  admits  us  into  all  the 
blessedness  of  the  kingdom  of  God. 
Upon  this  account  it  is  called,  "a 
substance; — the  substance  of  things 
hoped  for."  Heb.  11.  For  our  -whole 
Christian  life  consists  in  a  living  and 
operative  faith,  not  in  mere  knowledge, 
not  in  a  shadow  or  pretext,  but  in  a 
living,  active  power.  In  a  word,  it  is 
faith  alone  that  can  deliver  us  from 
our  bondage  of  corruption  and  misery, 
and  bring  us  into  the  glorious  liberty 
of  the  sons  of  God.  Whence,  at  our 
first  admission  into  the  Christian 
Church  by  holy  Baptism,  through 
which,  as  through  a  gate,  we  enter 
into  the  fold  of  Christ's  sheep,  faith 
stands  at  the  head.  "  He  that  be- 
lieveth  and  is  baptized,  shall  be  saved." 
Mark  IC :  16.  And  St.  Paul  says, 
"This  is  the  word  of  faith  which  we 


preach,  that  if  thou  believe  in  thin 
heart,  etc.,  thou  shalt  be  saved,  etc. 
Eom.  10  :  8-10.  But  as  the  nature  o 
faith  may  be  better  known  by  its  pro* 
erties,  I  shall  briefly  speak  of  eight  o 
them  in  this  chapter. 

2.  The  first  of  these  is,  spiritual 
freedom  or  a  release  from  sin  and 
death,  from  the  devil,  from  hell,  the 
curse  of  the  law,  the  Mosaic  typical 
ceremonies,  and  from  all  the  com- 
mands and  traditions  of  men.  For  as 
nothing  can  cause  greater  agony  to 
the  soul,  than  to  be  compelled  to  bear 
the  fiery  darts  of  Satan,  and  the  tyr- 
anny of  Antichrist,  by  which  the  con- 
science is  fettered  and  entangled  with 
traditional  precepts  of  men,  as  with 
cords  and  chains :  so  nothing  can  give 
it  greater  quiet,  peace,  and  comfort, 
than  to  be  delivered  from  this  servi- 
tude of  sin,  Satan,  and  human  tradi- 
tions, into  a  true  freedom  and  liberty 
of  conscience;  w^hich  liberty  is  nothing 
but  a  true  and  saving  faith.    For  by 


Chap.  III.] 


TEUE  CIIEISTIANITY. 


385 


this  faith  Ave  apprehend  Jesus  Christ, 
and  ail  the  treasures  of  his  grace,  par- 
ticularly reconciliation  with  God,  re- 
mission of  sins,  the  Holy  S2:>irit,  and 
eternal  life.  He  that  has  this  faith 
cannot  be  hurt  by  sin,  death,  the  devil, 
or  the  world;  for  he  has  Christ  dwell- 
ing in  him,  who  is  his  righteousness 
against  sin;  his  life  against  death;  his 
strength  against  the  devil;  his  heaven 
against  hell;  his  victory  over  the 
world;  his  blessing  against  the  curse 
of  all  the  world;  his  blessedness  against 
all  the  miseries  of  this  world ;  his  lib- 
erty, from  all  the  vain  traditions  of 
men.  This  our  blessed  Lord  has  briefly 
summed  up  in  one  sentence,  "If  the 
Son  shall  make  jon  free,  ye  shall  be 
free  indeed."  John  8  :  86*^  Whence 
Christ  is  all  in  all  unto  faith,  and  the 
sum  and  completion  of  all  our  hopes 
and  all  our  blessedness.  So  that  faith 
gives  quietness  to  the  soul;  peace  and 
plenty  to  the  conscience;  freeing  it 
from  all  fears  and  terrors,  and  causing 
the  heart  to  rest  joyfully  and  quietly 
in  God. 

3.  Secondly,  by  faith  the  soul  is  united 
to  Christ,  as  a  bride  with  her  bride- 
groom— "I  will  betroth  thee  unto  me 
forever;  yea,  I  will  betroth  thee  unto 
me  in  righteousness."  Hosea  2  : 19. 
The  consequence  of  this  espousal,  is  a 
communication  of  all  good  things,  yea, 
and  of  the  cross  itself,  so  that  all  that 
Christ  has,  belongs  to  the  soul,  and  all 
that  the  soul  has,  belongs  to  Christ. 
Now  as  Christ  has  all  heavenly  and 
eternal  gifts,  such  as  wisdom,  right- 
eousness, sanctification,  redemption, 
blessedness,  and  eternal  life  (1  Cor.  1 : 
30)  :  yea,  is  himself  all  these;  the  soul 
therefore  receives  them  all.  And,  on 
the  other  hand,  as  our  soul  has  noth- 
ing but  sin,  uncleanness,  calamity, 
misery,  sin  and  death,  Christ  has  taken 
to  him  all  these ;  bestowing  his  good 


things  upon  us,  and  taking  our  sins 
and  miseries  upon  himself.  Jiut  as  the 
good  things  of  Christ  are  eternal  and 
omnipotent,  so  they  root  out,  swallow 
up,  and  destroy  all  sin,  death,  and 
misery  that  are  in  us.  For  the  eternal 
and  invincible  righteousness  of  Christ, 
is  so  superior  to  the  power  of  sin  in  us, 
that  it  utterly  destroys  it;  and  by  this 
means,  the  soul  is  delivered  from  its 
own  sins,  and  clothed  with  the  right- 
eousness of  Jesus  Christ.  Isa.  Gl  :  10. 
And  surel}^  this  is  a  blessed  exchange, 
when  a  man  chann;es  sin  for  ri<rhteou3- 
ness,  death  for  life,  a  curse  for  a  bless- 
ing, and  eternal  misery  for  eternal 
blessedness.  "  There  is  therefore  now 
no  condemnation  to  them  which  are 
in  Christ  Jesus"  (Rom.  8:1);  for  their 
sins  are  swallowed  up  in  hisrighteous- 
ness.  For  if,  as  St.  Paul  says,  "  death 
is  swallowed  up  in  victor}-"  (1  Cor. 
15  :  54),  it  follows  that  sin  also  must 
be  swallowed  up. 

4.  Hence,  thirdly,  it  follows,  that  by 
faith  our  souls  are  assured  of  everlast- 
ing happiness.  "I  am  persuaded," 
saith  St.  Paul,  "that  no  creature  shall 
be  able  to  separate  us  from  the  love 
of  God."  Eom.  8  :  38.  "  Behold,  I  lay 
in  Zion  for  a  foundation  a  tried  stone  ; 
he  that  believeth  shall  not  make 
haste."  Isa.  28  : 16.  And  "  I  will  make 
with  you  an  everlasting  covenant." 
Isa.  55:3.  "My  kindness  shall  not 
depart  from  thee,  neither  shall  the 
covenant  of  my  peace  be  removed, 
saith  the  Lord,  that  hath  mercy  on 
thee."  Isa.  54  :  10. 

5.  Hence,  fourthly,  arises  the  vic- 
tory of  faith  over  sin,  death,  hell,  and 
the  world.  "  Whatsoever  is  born  of 
God,  overcometh  the  world: — who  is 
he  that  overcometh  the  world,  but  he 
that  believeth  that  Jesus  is  the  Son  of 
God?"  1  John  5,  4.  In  these  words, 
the  original  of  faith  is  discovered ;  that 


386 


TEUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


[Book  III. 


it  proceeds  not  from  the  powers  of 
man,  but  that  it  is  the  work  and  gift 
of  God  (John  6  :  29);  and  that  regen- 
eration is  a  divine,  and  supernatural 
work.  And  as  this  new  birth  is  in  all 
respects  superior  to  nature,  therefore 
it  cannot  be  hurt  by  any  assaults  from 
the  world  ;  for  though  a  Christian  be 
ever  so  much  despised  and  abused  by 
the  world,  yet  is  he  in  Christ  a  glori- 
ous and  triumphant  conqueror.  "In 
all  these  things  we  are  more  than  con- 
querors, through  him  that  loved  us." 
Eom.  8  :37. 

6.  Hence  also  arises,  fifthly,  the  glo- 
ry of  faith,  which  is  twofold:  the  one 
spiritual  and  hidden  ;  the  other,  future, 
visible,  and  glorious  in  the  world  to 
come.  Now  faith  makes  us  partakers 
of  both  kinds  of  Christ's  glory.  So 
then,  as  the  majesty  of  Christ  consists 
in  his  kingdom  and  high-priesthood; 
so  also  he  makes  us  kings  and  priests 
unto  God;  an  honor  which,  when  St. 
Peter  speaks  of,  he  can  hardly  find 
words  to  express.  "  But  3^e,"  says  he, 
"  are  a  chosen  generation,  a  royal 
priesthood,  a  holy  nation,  a  peculiar 
2>eople."  1  Peter  2  :  9.  Moreover,  the 
glory  of  Christ's  kingdom  consists  in 
this,  that  it  is  eternal,  and  all  the  bless- 
ings and  benefits  of  it  are  eternal : 
eternal  grace,  everlasting  righteous- 
ness, unfading  consolation,  endless  life, 
joy,  peace,  and  blessedness.  What 
good  could  we  expect  from  a  temporal 
prince?  All  the  world  itself,  and  all 
its  glories  decay  and  perish  ;  and  there 
is  no  trust  to  be  put  in  princes,  nor  in 
any  child  of  man.  But  Christ  is  our 
Eternal  King ;  and  all  his  favors  and 
blessings  endure  to  eternity.  The  spir- 
itual kingdom,  then,  of  a  Christian 
consists  in  this,  that  by  faith  he  is 
spiritually  exalted  above  all  things; 
that  nothing  can  hurt  or  hinder  him, 
in  the  great  affair  of  his  salvation. 


Yea,  all  things  are  subject  to  him,  and 
work  together  for  his  good,  as  we  are 
told  (Rom.  8  :  28)  :  even  life  and  death, 
the  world,  hell,  and  the  devil  himself 
Hence  it  appears  how  glorious,  how 
extensive  this  spiritual  dominion  of  a 
Clu-istian  is,  since  all  things,  whether 
good  or  evil,  are  forced  to  contribute 
to  his  spiritual  good,  so  soon  as  he  is 
possessed  of  Christ,  and  Christ  of  bim. 
For  the  whole  treasure  and  hope  of  a 
Christian  is — Ciirist  apprehended  by 
faith  ;  Christ  is  all-sufficient.  O  the 
precious  liberty  of  a  Christian  !  O  the 
mighty  power  of  the  inward  man !  As 
the  liberty,  righteousness,  and  blessed- 
ness of  a  Christian,  as  also  his  slavery, 
sin  and  misery,  are  not  external  things; 
so  it  follows,  that  no  external  thing, 
nothing  but  the  mere  grace  and  com- 
mand of  God,  can  justify,  sanctify,  or 
glorify  a  man.  What  though  the  body 
enjoy  liberty,  health,  and  strength, 
and  eat  and  drink  well,  will  the  soul 
be  the  better  for  this  ?  H'  the  body  be 
imprisoned,  sick,  weak,  hungry,  and 
thirsty,  will  the  soul  be  the  worse? 
Not  at  all.  These  things  cannot  make 
the  soul  either  happy  or  miserable, 
whilst  she  preserves  her  inward  treas- 
ure, and  is  true  to  her  spiritual  liberty.  ' 
So  also  in  respect  of  her  spiritual  I 
priesthood,  the  soul  is  out  of  danger 
from  anything  that  may  happen  with- 
out. Its  sacrifices,  prayers,  and  devo- 
tions, are  spiritually  performed  by 
faith,  without  any  necessary  depend- 
ence upon  external  things;  as  time, 
place,  food,  garments,  or  temples. 
Again,  the  soul  is  not  at  all  the  better 
for  any  external  circumstance;  such  as 
images,  saints'  robes,  churches,  exter- 
nal fasts,  oral  prayers,  and  other  out- 
ward works.  These  are  not  efficacious 
enough  to  lead  the  soul  into  the  paths 
of  righteousness  and  liberty.  All  these 
things  a  hypocrite  may  do,  without 


Chap.  III.] 


TRUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


387 


any  b(3nefit  to  his  soul.  For  there  is 
nothing  cither  in  heaven  or  earth  in 
which  the  soul  can  live,  nothing  that 
can  bestow  upon  her  righteousness 
and  liberty,  nothing  in  which  she  can 
rest  with  comfort,  and  joy,  but  Christ 
alone,  on  whom  by  faith  she  comfort- 
ably and  joyfully  depends.  This  is 
what  our  Lord  himself  tells  us,  ''I  am 
the  way,  the  truth,  and  the  life."  John 
14:6.  And,  "Come  unto  me,  and  ye 
fhaW  find  rest  unto  your  souls."  Matt. 
11:28.  The  soul  that  is  by  faith 
united  unto  Christ,  stands  in  need  of 
nothing  (John  10:  11);  for  in  Christ 
she  possesses  all  things:  food^  joy, 
peace,  light,  knowledge,  righteousness, 
truth,  wisdom,  liberty,  comfort,  bless- 
edness, life,  answers  to  prayer,  and  all 
things.  So  that  "  Christ  is  all,  and  in 
all"  (Col.  3  :  11),  as  the  Apostle  tells 
us.  And  whatsoever  external  cere- 
monies we  may  conform  to  for  the 
sake  of  peace,  order,  and  uniformity, 
we  may  be  satisfied  that  "  unto  the 
pure,  all  things  are  pure."  Tit.  1  :  15. 
"Now  ye  are  clean  through  the  word 
which  I  have  spoken  unto  you."  John 
15  :  3.  So  that  nothing  can  defile  the 
soul,  but  unbelief,  and  its  fruits. 

7.  The  sixth  property  of  faith  is, 
that  it  renews  the  w^hole  man.  It  kin- 
dles in  him  the  fire  of  divine  love,  and 
furnishes  him  with  all  Christian  graces 
and  works  of  mercy  ;  not  as  if  he  mer- 
ited thereby  anything  from  God,  but 
only  as  it  renders  the  soul  grateful  to 
Him.  "  Ofi'er  unto  God  thanksgiving, 
and  pay  thy  vows  unto  the  Most  High." 
Ps.  50  :  14.  So  that  faith  immediately 
begins  a  new  life  in  man,  and  quickens 
him  through  the  Word  of  God :  for  all 
the  Holy  Scripture  is  contained  in 
faith.  As  therefore  the  Word  of  God 
is  hol}^,  true,  just,  living,  spiritual,  free, 
and  full  of  all  good;  so  also  it  makes 
all  those  who  receive  it  in  faith,  holy, 


just,  true,  the  children  of  God,  "  thor- 
oughly furnished  unto  all  good  works." 
2  Tim.  3:  17. 

8.  Seventhly,  though  true  and  sav- 
ing faith  triumphs  over  the  world  and 
the  devil;  yet  is  it  of  such  a  nature, 
that,  in  pure  love,  it  makes  itself  ser- 
vant unto  all.  He  who  has  it,  consid- 
ers seriously  with  himself,  that  Jesus 
Christ  and  all  the  heavenly  graces  are 
freely  given  him  by  God,  so  that  he 
stands  in  need  of  no  worldly  thing  in 
the  concern  of  salvation  :  and  withal, 
that  "  nothing  can  separate  him  from 
the  love  of  God"(Eom.  8  :  38),  and  that 
nothing  in  this  w^orld  can  hurt  him. 
When  a  man,  endued  with  a  lively 
faith,  considers  all  this,  he  cannot  but 
acknowledge,  that  in  mere  gratitude 
to  God,  he  is  obliged  to  do  for  his 
neighbor,  as  Christ  hath  done  for  him. 
He  will  say,  "All  my  gifts  and  graces, 
my  wisdom,  my  understanding,  my 
riches,  my  comfort,  are  all  my  neigh- 
bor's, as  freely  as  Jesus  Christ,  by  his 
infinite  mercy,  has  bestowed  them  on 
me." 

9.  The  eighth  property  of  faith  is, 
that  it  conquers  and  trium2:)hs  over 
every  cross,  yea,  glories  in  the  cross. 
For  we  find  more  comforts  in  Christ 
by  faith,  than  we  leave  in  forsaking 
the  world  for  his  sake ;  more  honor, 
than  the  united  malice  of  the  world 
can  take  from  us.  In  him  we  meet 
w^th  so  much  love,  that  we  shall  not 
regard  the  hatred  and  enmities  of  men ; 
such  blessings,  that  all  the  curses  in 
the  world  cannot  impair  them;  so 
much  joy,  that  all  the  world  cannot 
make  us  sad.  If  it  were  possible  for 
us  to  be  slain  and  murdered  ten  thou- 
sand times  over,  yet  Christ  remains, 
and  will  forever  continue  to  be  our 
Lord,  and  our  everlasting  Life,  infi- 
nitel}^  to  be  preferred  before  this  short 
and  fleeting  life. 


388 


TEUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


[Book  III. 


CHAPTER  lY. 

THE  BELIEVING  SOUL  SEEKS  GOD  INTERNALLY,  IN  ITSELF;  ITS  BEAUTY  AND 
BLESSEDNESS  WHEN  IT  IS  UNITED  WITH  GOD. 

/  have  declared  unto  them  thy  name,  and  will  declare  it ;  that  the  love  wherewith  thou  hast  loved 
me  may  be  in  them,  and  I  in  them. — John  17  :  26. 


THEEE  are  two  ways  of  seeking 
after  God,  the  one  external,  and 
the  other  internal.  The  first  is  the 
active  way,  when  man  seeks  after 
God;  the  second  is  the  passive,  when 
God  seeks  after  man.  In  the  outward 
way,  we  seek  God  by  various  exer- 
cises of  a  Christian  life ;  as  fasting^ 
prayer,  retirement,  meekness,  accord- 
ingly as  we  are  moved  by  God,  or  led 
by  devout  people.  In  the  inward,  we 
enter  into  the  ground  of  our  hearts, 
attending  upon  the  revelation  of  the 
kingdom  of  God  which  is  within  us. 
Luke  17  :  21.  For  if  the  kingdom  of 
God  be  in  us,  then  God  himself  is  in 
us,  and  more  intimately  united  to  the 
soul  than  she  is  to  herself:  and  such  a 
treasure  as  this  within  us,  ought  care- 
fully to  be  attended  to.  The  soul  that 
desires  to  enter  into  this  inward  way, 
must  entirely  resign  and  submit  itself 
to  all  the  dispensations  of  Providence, 
both  inward  and  outward;  must  per- 
fectly rest  in  God,  and  be  content  to 
be,  as  God  shall  appoint,  poor  or  rich, 
cheerful  or  sad,  peaceful  or  joyless. 
For  thus  the  soul  is  cleansed  from  all 
created  images  that  may  crowd  into  it 
from  without ;  and  when  thus  strij^ped 
of  all  rational,  sensible,  and  created 
things,  and  everything  which  is  not 
God,  she  comes  at  last  into  her  own 
ground  and  centre,  and  there  with  a 
i:)ure  eye  discovers  the  essential  light 
and  presence  of  God.  But  before  this 
treasure  can  be  obtained,  everything 
else  must  be  forsaken.    Blessed  and 


truly  happy  are  they  that  find  it:  for 
being  entirely  divested  of  all  worldly 
afi'ections,  they  live  in  a  constant  union 
with  God. 

2.  And  now,  if  a  man  could  with  his 
bodily  eyes  take  a  view  of  such  a  soul 
as  this,  he  would  see  the  most  beauti- 
ful creature  in  the  world,  shining  forth 
in  all  the  transcendent  beauties  of  holi- 
ness; for  such  a  soul  is  united  to  God, 
and  by  consequence  is  a  partaker  of 
His  glory,  not  by  nature,  but  by  grace. 
It  desires  nothing  either  in  time  or 
eternity  but  God  alone,  seeking  noth- 
ing for  its  own  sake,  either  spiritually 
or  naturally.  On  the  other  hand,  could 
we  but  see  with  our  bodily  eyes  a  soul 
sunk  in  the  love  of  itself  and  the  crea- 
tures^ wholly  polluted  with  the  lust  of 
the  flesh,  the  lust  of  the  eyes,  and  the 
pride  of  life ;  and  all  its  corrupt 
thoughts  and  imaginations  externally 
figured  by  visible  characters  and  im- 
pressions; neither  earth  nor  hell  could 
furnish  a  more  dreadful  monster  than 
this.  But  in  the  last  great  day,  when 
the  hearts  and  consciences  of  all  men 
shall  be  laid  open  (1  Cor.  4  :  5),  and  the 
inward  eye  shall  be  unclosed,  so  that 
every  one  shall  have  a  full  view  of 
himself,  then  shall  such  an  impure 
soul  see  its  secret  abominations,  and 
find  in  itself  an  eternal  source  of  sor- 
row, misery,  and  torment.  On  the 
other  hand,  the  pure  and  divine  soul 
shall  forever  contemplate  in  itself  the 
presence  and  kingdom  of  God,  whom 
it  shall  forever  see  as  He  iS;  and  by 


CuAP.  v.] 


TRUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


389 


virtue  of  its  union  with  him,  possess 
and  enjoy  him  as  its  own  forever.  He 
that  rightly  considers  this  union  of 
the  soul  with  God,  shall  experiment- 
ally understand  that  expression  of  St. 
Paul,  that  "neither  height  nor  depth 
can  separate  us  from  the  love  of  God." 
Eom.  8  :  o9.  For  if  it  were  possible 
that  such  a  soul  should  be  in  hell,  yet 


could  it  not  be  separated  from  the 
presence  and  kingdom  of  God,  to 
which  it  is  most  intimately  united. 
On  the  other  hand,  should  a  damned 
spirit,  or  the  devil  himself,  be  admit- 
ted into  Paradise  and  lieaven,  yet 
could  they  not  be  exempt  from  the 
torments  of  hell,  which  they  continu- 
ally carry  about  in  themselves. 


CHAPTER  Y. 

SHOWING  HOW  A  MAN  MAY  BE  DRAWN  TO  GOD  ;  ALSO,  WHEREIN  SPIRITUAL 
POVERTY  consists;    and,  what  THE  DEGREES  OF  HUMILITY  ARE. 

He  that  humbleth  himself  shall  he  exalted. — Luke  18  :  14. 


MAXY  are  the  means  which  men 
make  use  of  to  come  to  a  union 
with  God;  such  as  reading,  and  other 
external  exercises  of  religion.  But  in 
truth,  next  to  that  true,  living  faith 
which  purifies  the  soul  from  the  love 
of  the  creatures  (as  has  already  been 
shown,  and  will  be  further  explained 
below,  chap,  ix),  there  is  no  better  or 
easier  method  than  that  of  true  humil' 
ity.  This,  however,  does  not  consist 
in  words,  or  in  any  external  behavior; 
but  is  seated  in  the  bottom  of  the  soul, 
so  that  the  man  upon  all  accounts, 
both  natural  and  spiritual,  reckons  and 
esteems  himself  as  nothing ;  and  being 
thus  truly  poor  in  spirit  (Matt.  5  :  3), 
he  values  neither  wealth  nor  honor, 
body  nor  soul,  peace  nor  joy,  nor 
anything  in  the  world,  in  comparison 
with  his  duty  and  the  glory  of  God. 
Yea,  should  it  please  God  to  inflict 
even  the  agony  of  hell  upon  him,  he 
would  acknowledge  that  he  deserved 
it;  and  he  would  most  cheerfully  and 
contentedly  submit,  esteeming  the  will 


of  God  as  the  onl}^  measure  and  stand- 
ard of  his  duty  and  happiness,  and  con- 
tinuing to  olfer  praise.  This  is  that 
true  poverty  of  spirit  which  disposes 
a  man  cheerfully  to  part  with^  or  sub- 
mit to,  anything,  according  to  the  will 
of  God  ;  after  the  example  of  our  bless- 
ed Saviour,  who  not  only  did^  but  also 
suffered  the  will  of  his  Father  (Matt. 
26  ;  39),  and  voluntarily  chose  the 
accursed  death  of  the  cross,  and  there- 
fore was  highly  exalted  by  God.  Phil. 
2  :  9.  Whosoever  has  this  humility, 
is  truly  poor  in  spirit;  and  though  he 
possessed  the  greatest  temporal  riches, 
yet  would  they  be  no  hindrance  to  his 
union  with  God.  This  is  that  "poor 
man"  of  whom  the  Psalmist  speaks: 
"This  poor  man  cried,  and  the  Lord 
heard  him."  Ps.  34  :  6.  And  if  we  could 
suppose  such  a  one  to  be  at  ever  so 
great  a  distance  from  God,  yet  would 
the  most  merciful  Father,  out  of  his 
abundant  mercy  and  goodness,  infal- 
libly draw  him  to  himself.  For  the 
fulness  of  divine  grace  chooses  to  dis. 


390 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  III, 


cover  itself  in  the  depth  of  human 
misery,  and  can  no  more  forsake  it, 
than  a  tender  father  could  leave  his 
beloved  son  under  the  agonies  of  a 
dangerous  sickness.  Of  this  we  have 
an  instance  in  the  woman  of  Canaan, 
who,  looking  upon  herself  as  no  more 
worthy  than  a  dog.  immediately  ob- 
tained help  of  Jesus.  Matt.  15  :  27,  28. 
For  no  man  ever  yet  came  to  the 
fountain  of  living  truth,  but  by  the 
way  of  humility  and  poverty  of  spirit, 
arising  from  a  knowledge  of  his  utter 
un worthiness.  He  that  understands 
this,  will  never  think  contempt,  re- 
proaches, poverty,  or  the  cross,  either 
bitter  or  irksome  to  him.  Yea,  rather 
with  the  holy  apostles,  he  rejoices  that 
God  has  thought  him  worthy  to  suffer 
shame  for  His  name  (Acts  5  :  41),  so 
that  God  in  his  glory  may  enter  into 
his  soul  in  his  misery.  Hence  the 
truest  and  safest  way  of  coming  to  a 
union  with  God,  is  that  of  deep  humil- 
ity and  true  poverty  of  spirit. 

2.  There  are  six  steps  or  degrees  of 
humility,  by  which  we  may  arrive  at 
the  perfection  of  spiritual  joy  and 
peace.  The  first  step  is,  that  a  man 
reckon  himself  as  inferior  to  all  men, 
and  have  no  desire  for  the  honor  and 


esteem  of  men.  The  second  is,  to  de- 
spise and  judge  no  man,  but  have  a 
constant  eye  upon  himself  The  third 
is,  to  refuse  and  avoid  honors  that  are 
offered  ;  and  if  they  cannot  be  avoided, 
to  receive  them  with  regret.  The 
fourth,  to  bear  reproaches  with  joy. 
The  fifth,  to  converse  willingly  with 
men  of  inferior  condition,  and  be  so 
far  from  thinking  ourselves  better 
than  they,  as  rather  to  think  ourselves 
the  most  miserable  of  all  men,  and  the 
chief  of  sinners.  The  sixth  is,  to  sub- 
mit readily  and  cheerfully,  not  only  to 
our  superiors,  but  even  to  the  least 
and  meanest.  By  these  steps  we 
ascend  to  the  last  and  highest  of  all, 
where  is  the  throne  of  peace.  "  The 
way  is  humble,"  says  Augustine,  "but 
the  country  to  which  it  leadeth  is  on 
high."  King  Solomon's  throne  had 
six  steps  conducting  to  it  (1  Kings  10: 
19);  on  the  top  Solomon  (that  is, 
Peaceable,  1  Chron.  22  :  9)  sat  en- 
throned. So  when  we  have  ascended 
the  six  steps,  we  shall  find  the  heavenly 
Prince  of  Peace — true  peace  of  heart. 
There  is  no  coming  to  the  exalted  fe- 
licity of  the  kingdom  of  God,  but  by 
the  low  valley  of  humility  and  self- 
denial. 


CHAPTEK  VI. 

THE  SEAT  OF  GOD  IN  THE  SOUL. 
Whither  is  thy  beloved  gone,  0  thou  fairest  among  women  ? — Cant.  6  :  1. 


THOUGH  our  "  beloved  "  is  always 
with  us,  yet  he  never  discovers 
himself  but  when  the  heart  is  quiet 
and  composed,  and  all  the  senses  are 
collected  in  God.  When  nothing  earth- 


ly appears  in  the  understanding,  but 
all  its  animal  and  worldly  wisdom  is 
swallowed  up  in  faith;  then  the  divine 
light  arises,  darting  light  and  glory 
throuf^h  the  beni^rhted  soul.    This  is 


Chap.  YI  ] 


that  darkness  which  is  tlie  habitation 
of  God;  that  night,  in  which  the  will 
I    rests  in  union  with  the  will  of  God  ; 

and  in  which  the  memory  forgets  all 
i    the  impressions  of  the  creatures.  Then, 
I    in  a  moment,  the  divine  light  strikes 
t    the  understanding,  heavenly  desires 
i    inflame  the  will,  and  eternal  joys  pos- 
sess and  fill  the  memory;  yet  neither 
the  understanding,  the  will,  nor  the 
memory,  can  comprehend  or  retain 
the  transcendent  joys  with  which  they 
are  visited  of  God.    For  this  percep- 
tion is  not  lodged  in  the  faculties  of 
the  soul,  but  lies  hid  in  the  very  centre 
of  it.    Yea,  it  may  sometimes  be  awa- 
kened through  the  Word,  and  break 
forth  in  words,  so  that  we  may  cry 
out  with  St.  Augustine's  mother  Mo- 
nica, "  Let  us  fly  away,  let  us  fly  away 
to  the  eternal  joy." 

2.  From  this  fountain  spring  all  the 
unutterable  groanings  of  holy  souls. 
This  v>^as  the  sweetness  that  St.  Paul 
tasted,  when  he  uttered  these  words, 
"I  am  persuaded,  that  neither  death, 
nor  life,  nor  any  other  creature,  shall 
be  able  to  separate  us  from  the  love  of 
God"  (Rom.  8  :  38)  :  meaning  that  love 
of  God  to  us,  v/hich  he  had  tasted  in 
his  own  soul.  Thus  St.  Augustine 
witnesses  of  himself,  "  that  he  some- 
times felt  such  exalted  joy  in  his  in- 
ward soul,  that  if  it  were  but  lasting, 
it  could  be  nothing  else  but  eternal 
life."  This  is  that  divine  pleasure 
which  would  fill  our  souls,  and  draw 
them  to  itself:  and  hy  these  foretastes 
we  know  what  eternal  life  is;  that  it 
is  a  state  in  which  our  souls  shall  be 
fully  satisfied  with  heavenly  joy  and 
sweetness.  Hence  the  devout  soul 
sa}- s,  "  I  am  sick  of  love."  Cant.  5  :  8. 
That  is:  "This  is  the  height  of  my 
wishes,  this  is  what  I  long  and  sigh 
after:  that  I  may  find  my  beloved, 
and  be  satisfied  with  his  love,  and  re- 


391 


cover  my  heavenly  nobility,  which 
consists  in  union  with  Christ;  that  1 
may  nevermore  delight  in  any  worldly 
or  transitory  things,  much  less  in  sins, 
or  sinful  pleasures." 

o.  This  nobility  of  the  soul  is  but 
little  known  to  the  men  of  this  world, 
even  those  that  are  accounted  wise 
and  learned:  and  they  that  have  writ- 
ten volumes  about  the  soul  aiid  its  fac- 
ulties, have  never  come  to  the  funda- 
mental point.  For  Christ  is  the  true 
strength  of  the  soul,  its  understanding, 
will,  and  memory;  that  is,  light  in  its 
understanding;  pleasure  in  its  will; 
and  joy  in  its  memory.  So  Christ  is 
the  true  sanctification,  glory,  and  or- 
nament of  the  soul;  so  that  a  man,  for 
the  love  of  Christ,  which  he  experi- 
ences in  himself,  does  not  desire  to  sin. 
Thus  we  are  told,  "Whoso  abideth  in 
him,  sinneth  not.  Whosoever  is  born 
of  God  doth  not  commit  sin;  for  his 
seed  remaineth  in  him,  and  he  cannot 
sin."  1  John  3  :  6,  9.  Yea,  from  this 
love  of  Christ  arises  often  joy  so  great 
as  to  make  crosses  and  afflictions  not 
only  tolerable,  but  even  desirable  for 
Christ's  sake  (Acts  5  :  41)  ;  so  that  the 
cross  is  turned  into  joy,  which  is  con- 
tinually springing  up  from  its  eternal 
fountain  in  the  centre  of  the  soul. 
There  God  has  sanctified  a  place  for 
himself,  and  made  it  so  peculiarl}^  his 
own,  that  neither  angel,  nor  man,  nor 
any  other  creature,  can  enter  there. 
Here  it  is  that  God  delights  to  dwell, 
and  he  suffers  no  other  being  to  dwell 
"with  him.  God's  delight  is  to  dwell 
in  a  pure  soul.  So  he  tells  us,  'Oly 
delio'hts  are  with  the  sons  of  men." 
Prov.  8:31.  But  what  this  happiness 
is,  or  how  great  this  delight  is,  no  man 
knows  but  he  who  has  experienced  it; 
nor  can  even  he  explain  it  fully  in 
words. 


TRUE  CHPJSTIANITY. 


392 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  III. 


CHAPTER    Y  1 1. 


OF  THE  DIGNITY  OP  THE  SOUL;   OF  TRUE  REPENTANCE;  AND,  OF  DIVINE  MERCY. 


il/y  house  is  the  house  of  prayer. — Luke  19  :  46  ;  Matt.  21  :  13  ;  Isa.  5G  :  7. 


THE  dignity  of  the  soul  consists  in 
this,  that  it  is  the  habitation  and 
temple  of  God,  in  which  he  takes  more 
delight  than  in  the  whole  compass  of 
heaven  and  earth.  So  the  believing 
Boul  has  more  of  the  divine  presence 
than  heaven,  than  all  the  temples 
made  with  hands,  yea,  than  all  the 
creatures  in  the  world.  For  God 
communicates  his  whole  treasures  of 
love  to  such  a  soul ;  he  rejoices  and 
delights  in  it;  yea,  through  all  crea- 
tures he  seeks  to  make  the  soul  of 
man  happy  and  glorious.  Wherefore, 
as  God  shows  so  much  love,  and  takes 
so  much  pleasure  in  the  soul  of  man, 
he  may  more  properly  be  said  to  dwell 
in  it  than  in  an}^  material  buildings, 
yea,  than  in  heaven  itself  Here  he 
displays  all  the  wonders  of  his  provi- 
dence and  love;  yea,  for  this  very  end 
has  he  created  it  with  nobler  faculties 
than  he  has  given  to  the  rest  of  his 
creatures,  that  it  might  be  capable  of 
these  exalted  communications  of  the 
■divine  grace.  And  if  God  should  be- 
stow upon  the  soul  anything  less  than 
himself,  she  would  reject  it  as  being 
too  little.  'Now  St.  Paul  tells  us, 
"God  hath  chosen  us  in  Christ  before 
the  foundation  of  the  world."  Eph.  1  : 
4.  Let  this  then  be  our  labor,  this 
our  highest  endeavor,  to  be  really 
what  we  have  been  from  the  begin- 
ning of  the  w^orld.  And  as  the  soul 
ought  to  be  the  spouse  of  the  Son  of 
God,  it  follows  that  it  is  beloved  by 
God  above  other  creatures.  It  was 
this  love  that  brought  the  blessed  Je- 


sus down  from  heaven  to  be  united  to 
the  beloved  soul  which  the  Father  had 
betrothed  to  him  from  all  eternity,  and 
to  bring  it  back  to  the  great  original 
from  which  it  at  first  proceeded. 

2.  Now  as  God  has  discovered  this 
transcendent  love  to  the  soul,  it  fol- 
lows that  the  soul  ought  to  rest  in 
God  alone,  and  not  to  waste  its  love 
on  an}^  creature,  at  wdiich  it  knows 
that  God  will  be  offended.  So  great 
is  the  loveliness,  so  great  the  beauty 
that  is  in  God,  that  if  the  soul  could 
take  ever  so  remote,  ever  so  obscure 
a  view  of  it,  she  would  not  be  sepa- 
rated from  him  to  gain  the  whole 
world.  The  soul,  then,  which  is  so  be- 
loved of  God,  should  be  ashamed  to 
fix  its  love  w-pou  any  creature  which 
is  offensive  to  God.  She  ought  to  be 
heartily  ashamed  and  afflicted  if  she 
has  not  preferred  God  before  all  crea- 
tures, proposed  his  glory  in  all  things, 
and  loved  him  above  all  things;  this  is 
the  true  contrition  which  is  acceptable 
to  God.  The  whole  creation  naturally 
loves  God  more  than  itself,  and  spends 
itself  in  the  execution  of  his  commands; 
but  the  miserable  sinner  loves  himself 
better  than  his  God.  If  thy  sorrow, 
theretbre,  proceed  merely  from  a  sense 
of  thy  own  loss,  and  not  of  thy  sins 
and  offences  against  God,  thy  contri- 
tion is  not  true,  thy  sorrow  is  not  ac- 
ceptable before  God.  Though  there 
were  no  heaven  to  reward  thee,  nor 
hell  to  punish  thee,  yet  thou  oughtest 
to  be  grieved  that  thou  hast  offended 
and  provoked  thy  God.    For  the  love 


Chap.  VIII.] 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


393 


of  God  is  very  heaven,  and  his  anger 
1     is  heU.    But  if  thou  hast  in  thy  heart 
!     that  contrition  which  is  here  described, 
i     and  true  faith  in  Christ,  thy  sins  shall 
!     freely  be  forgiven  thee.  For  it  is  more 
;     agreeable  to  him  to  forgive  sins,  than 
I     to  punish  them:  not  to  mention,  that 
j     as  he  is  our  Father,  and  we  are  his 
children,  he  is  obliged  in  justice  to 
show  mercy  to  us.    For  if  he  be  our 
Father,  it  follows  that  he  has  a  fa- 
therly affection   towards  us,  which 
will  upon  all  occasions  rejoice  and 


triumph  against  the  severity  of  his 
justice.  To  this  fatherly  affection  of 
God,  let  us  perfectly  resign  ourselves. 
Whosoever  rests  in  this,  will  bo  well 
pleased  both  with  the  justice  and  the 
mercy  of  God.  For  he  tliat  truly  loves 
God,  will  bear  patiently  all  the  deter- 
minations of  His  will,  either  towards 
himself  or  towards  any  other  creature. 
Let  his  will  be  thine;  remember  the 
saying  of  one  of  old:  "I  would  rather 
be  in  hell  w^ith  God,  than  in  heaven 
without  him." 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


THE  CALLING  OF  GOD  IS  EARNEST  AND  SINCERE,  AND  DIRECTS  US  TO  COME  TO  HIM. 

He  shall  call  to  the  heavens  from  above,  and  to  the  earthy  that  he  may  judge  his  people. — Ps.  50  :  4. 
He  hath  called  us  with  a  holy  calling. — 2  Tim.  1  :  9. 


GOD,  our  heavenly  Father,  by  all 
the  methods  and  arguments  of 
love,  is  continually  calling  and  draw- 
ing us  to  himself.  So  great  is  his  love 
towards  us,  that  it  is  as  if  his  own 
essence  and  blessedness  were  affected 
by  our  wandering  from  him.  Hence, 
all  his  works  of  creation,  both  in  heaven 
and  earth,  all  the  w^onders  of  his  prov- 
idence, tend  to  this  one  great  end, 
namely,  to  recall  and  bring  back  fallen 
man  to  himself.  All  his  words  and  all 
his  actions,  call  to  the  soul  to  return 
to  the  love  of  God  from  which  it  fell, 
by  hearkening  to  the  tempting  insin- 
uations of  Satan. 

2.  God  invites  us  to  believe  in  his 
Son,  and  to  follow  the  steps  of  his 
meekness  and  patience,  and  hy  this 
means,  to  be  reunited  to  himself,  our 
chief  Good.  For  as  when  God  called 
to  Elijah,  and  the  fire  passed  by,  and 


the  strong  wind  that  rent  the  moun- 
tains; yet  God  was  not  in  them,  but 
came  at  last  in  the  still  small  voice 
(1  Kings  19  :  11,  12)  ;  so  at  this  day  he 
descends  and  manifests  himself  in  hum- 
ble, quiet,  and  peaceable  souls.  And 
as  Ahasuerus  sustained  Esther  when 
she  fell  down  at  his  feet,  for  fear  of  his 
majesty  (Esther  5:2;  8:  3,  4);  so  God 
comforts   and   supports  the  humble 
man,  who  has  a  true  sense  of  his  own 
nothingness,  and  trusts  not  in  his  own 
strength.    And  were  not  God  to  sup- 
port him  with  the  everlasting  arm  of 
his  omnipotence,  he  would  sink  under 
the  apprehensions  of  his  own  un wor- 
thiness.   Such  a  man  is  so  humbled  in 
his  own  eyes,  that  he  would  seem  to 
sink  below  the  vilest  of  all  creatures. 
But  no  sooner  does  the  mighty  King 
of  heaven  cast  a  look  upon  such  an 
humble  soul,  but  it  is  strengthened  and 


394 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  III. 


refreshed  with  the  divine  consolation. 
Thia  is  the  consequence  of  true  hu- 
mility, when  deeply  rooted  in  the  soul ; 
the  lower  the  soul  sinks  in  its  own 
esteem,  the  higher  it  rises  in  the  sight 
of  God.  If  to  this  there  be  added,  ex- 
ternal contempt  and  reproaches,  they 
sink  the  soul  yet  more  deeply  into  self- 
abasement,  and  by  consequence  bring 
her  fco  much  the  nearer  to  God.  This 
is  the  soil  most  fit  to  produce  that 
peace  of  spirit  "  which  passeth  all  un- 
derstanding." Phil.  4:  7.  This  is  the 
fruit  of  trials,  injuries,  and  afflictions. 
By  these  God  prepares  and  purifies 
thee  for  himself,  that  at  length  thou 
mayest  return  to  him,  and  he  return 
to  thee,  and  dwell  in  thee.  And  this 
consummation  is  not  to  be  obtained  by 
fine  words  and  airy  speculations,  but 
by  manifold  afflictions.  It  is  not  talk- 
ing or  thinking  ol' humility,  that  makes 
a  man  humble;  but  bearing  the  cross 
with  patience;  without  which  thou 
hast  only  the  appearance,  and  not  the 
reality  of  virtue.  Upon  this  account 
the  man  that  treats  thee  with  reproach 
and  contempt,  ought  to  be  regarded 
as  in  truth  thy  benef:ictor.  For  these 
two  virtues,  meekness  and  patience, 
are  not  to  be  gained  except  by  various 
conflicts  and  severe  trials,  which  are 
very  great  and  grievous  to  human  na- 
ture. For  how  canst  thou  exercise  these 
virtues,  unless  in  the  time  of  suffering? 
Meekness  regards  the  ground  of  the 
soul,  which  is  best  tried  in  the  hour  of 
adversity.  And  patience  respects  the 
inner  man,  who  is  to  go  out  with  Christ, 
bearing  his  reproach.  Heb.  13  :  18. 
And  thus  the  man  is  conformed  to  the 
most  holy  and  innocent  life  of  Christ; 
and  Christ,  with  his  death  and  pas- 
sion, lives  and  governs  in  him. 

3.  There  is  also  another,  namely,  an 
inward  caWiug  of  God:  when  he  kin- 
dles in  the  devout  soul  the  fire  of  his 


love.  By  this  means  he  conveys  him- 
self to  the  soul,  for  he  himself  is  love. 
For  it  is  as  impossible  to  possess  God 
without  a  true  perception  of  his  love, 
as  for  a  man  to  live  without  a  soul. 
For  that  Christ  doth  ''dwell  in  our 
hearts  by  faith  "  (Ephes.  3  :  17),  is  only 
to  be  discovered  by  love  ruling  in  us. 
1  John  4:16.  And  this  divine  love 
cannot  rest  in  our  hearts,  until  they 
arc  emptied  of  the  love  of  the  world 
(1  John  2  :  15),  and  entii'ely  and  abso- 
lutely fixed  upon  God.  It  will  be, 
therefore,  a  very  useful  exercise  for  a 
man  often  to  examine  his  own  heart, 
and  see  what  is  uppermost  in  his  affec- 
tions, God,  or  himself,  or  any  creature  : 
whether  he  loves  life  or  death  :  what  it 
is  that  principally  engages  his  affec- 
tions, and  engrosses  his  thoughts.  If 
upon  inquiry  thou  findest  thy  heart 
set  upon  anything  but  God,  that  thou 
hast  any  affection  that  does  not  ulti- 
mately centre  and  terminate  in  him, 
then  God  cannot  enter  into  thy  soul,  1 
though  thou  shed  as  many  tears  as  1 
there  are  drops  in  the  ocean,  and  thou  1 
must  abide  forever  without  him.  Un-  | 
happy  mortals,  what  are  you  doing?  | 
Why  do  jovL  suffer  a  deceitful  world 
to  impose  upon  you  by  the  love  of  the 
creatures,  and  insinuate  itself  into  the 
centre  of  your  souls,  which  God  re- 
quires to  be  consecrated  to  his  own 
use  ?  It  was  for  this  end  that  we  carne  i 
into  the  world,  that  by  mortification  ! 
of  our  own  will,  and  contempt  of  the 
world  and  creatures,  we  should  return 
to  God,  and  be  reconciled  to  him;  so 
that  as  the  body  is  to  return  to  the 
earth  again,  the  spirit  should  also  re- 
turn to  God  that  gave  it.  Ecel.  12: 
7.  If  thou  returnest  not  in  this  life, 
thou  art  undone  to  all  eternity.  By 
that  in  which  thou  hast  placed  tliy 
joy  and  thy  delight  here,  shalt  thou 
be  judged  hereafter.  Let  then  this  con- 


Chap.  IX.] 


TRUE  CIIRISTIANITY. 


395 


viction  be  deeply  fixed  in  thy  lieart : 
Whensoever  thy  heart  is  emptied  of 
the  world  and  the  creatures,  it  shall 
forthwith  be  filled  with  all  the  fulness 
of  God  ;  3'ca,  assure  thyself,  that  were 
it  neeessai-y  to  leave  heaven  and  earth, 
God  would  certainly  do  it,  in  order  to 
take  possession  of  a  soul  thus  emptied 
of  the  world,  and  prepared  to  receive 
him.    On  the  other  hand,  if  thou  be 


full  of  the  world,  God  cannot  enter. 
The  more  delight  any  man  takes  in 
the  creatures,  the  farther  is  he  re- 
moved from  GoJ.  IIovv  lamentable  a 
case  this  is,  I  need  not  stay  to  explain. 
This  then  is  a  certain  conclusion,  that 
not  through  worldly  joy.s  and  pleas- 
ures, but  through  many  tribulations, 
we  must  enter  into  the  kingdom  of 
heaven. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

THE  PURIFYING  INFLUENCE  OF  TRUE  FAITH. 
God  purifies  their  hearts  hy  faith. — Acts  15  :  9. 


THE  property  of  true  faith,  is  to 
purify  the  heart  from  the  world, 
and  all  earthl}^  vain,  and  perishing 
desires;  in  a  word,  from  all  things  in 
which  corrupt  nature  delights  itself, 
whether  riches,  honors,  or  pleasures. 
Faith  fixes  its  ej-e  upon  those  things 
only,  that  are  invisible  and  eternal; 
and  when  all  impediments  are  re- 
moved, a  union  quickly  follows;  and 
there  can  be  no  union  of  things,  except 
they  be  alike.  God  is  pure  action,  and 
wheresoever  he  finds  a  soul  empty  of 
the  world,  there  he  delights  to  oper- 
ate, and  manifest  himself^  as  the  spring 
of  life  and  comfort  to  the  afflicted  long- 
ing soul.  Therefore  the  usual  lan- 
guage of  Christ  in  the  Gospel  to  the 
sick,  whom  he  healed,  was,  "  Thy  faith 
bath  made  thee  whole."  Matt.  9:22; 
15:28.  His  meaning  was  not,  that 
this  was  the  effect  of  the  mere  act  of 
faith ;  but  that  faith  had  so  cleansed, 
purified,  and  humbled  the  soul,  that  it 
was  now  fit  for  the  more  exalted  man- 
ifestations of  the  divine  power  and 
presence.    Hence,  when  our  blessed 


Lord  could  find  no  souls  so  qualified 
in  Nazareth,  he  could  do  no  mighty 
works  there.  Mark  6  :  5.  For  where 
the  creature  is,  God  cannot  enter;  one 
hinders  the  other.  No  man  can  more 
heartily  desire  the  assistance  of  God, 
than  He  desires  to  communicate  it  to 
a  devout  and  well-disposed  soul.  For 
as  God  fills  such  a  soul  with  his  liirht, 
consolation,  and  gracious  presence;  so 
the  longing  soul  rises  as  naturally  to- 
wards God,  as  the  fire  burns.  When 
God  has  once  taken  possession  of  such 
a  habitation,  he  operates  in  it  all  the 
wonders  of  his  grace,  in  which  he 
rejoices  as  once  he  did  in  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ;  because  in  him  he  ac- 
complished his  own  will,  without  any 
impediment.  For  no  work  or  action 
can  please  him,  which  does  not  begin 
and  end  in  him.  And  as  God  delights 
thus  to  operate  in  man,  so  he  contin- 
ually waits  to  see  when  we  are  fit  to 
receive  him  ;  being  more  ready  to  give, 
than  we  are  either  to  ask  or  to  receive. 
Take  heed,  therefore,  that  thou  neg- 
lect not  the  present  opportunity'.  For 


306 


TEUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


[Book  III. 


after  this  life  is  over,  we  shall  all  re- 
ceive according  to  our  works,  and  ac- 
cording to  the  principle  of  love  that 
ruled  in  our  hearts,  whether  it  be  good 
or  bad,  God  or  the  creature.  And  this 
is  so  certain,  that  should  all  the  saints 
of  God  intercede  with  tears  of  blood 
for  any  one  man,  it  would  be  lost  la- 
bor. For  that  which  has  possessed 
thy  heart,  and  engrossed  thy  afiections 
here,  shall  be  thy  lot  and  portion  to 
eternity. 

2.  Ard  as  true  faith  purifies  the 
heart  from  worldly  love  j  so  it  does 
also  from  inordinate  affections,  as  an- 
ger and  impatience;  planting  meek- 
ness and  patience  in  respect  to  our 
neighbor  in  their  stead.  For  God 
works  nothing  in  the  souls  of  believers, 
but  that  which  is  agreeable  to  his  own 
nature,  ^ow  what  is  He,  but  mere 
love,  patience,  and  gentleness  itself,  as 
he  has  manifested  himself  in  our  bless- 
ed Lord  Jesus  Christ?  As  then  the 
love  of  God  overflows  towards  all  men, 
having  mercy  upon  all ;  so  it  produces 
the  same  love  in  every  Christian  soul, 
a  love  free  and  universal;  making  no 
difference  either  of  friend  or  foe,  but 
being  equally  united  to  God,  and  to 
the  whole  race  of  mankind.  Moreover, 
this  love  I'cjoices  in  all  the  good  things 
that  God  bestows  upon  man,  and  is 
pleased  with  that  variety  of  gifts  which 
are  bestowed  upon  the  several  mem- 
bers of  Christ's  body ;  to  each  of  which 
it  pays  a  proper  and  proportionable 
respect.  For  as  there  is  a  mutual 
agreement  between  the  several  mem- 
bers of  the  natural  body,  in  which  the 
more  ignoble  parts,  as  the  hands  and 
feet,  serve  the  more  noble,  as  the  head, 
the  eyes,  and  the  heart;  so  ought  there 
to  be  the  same  agreement  between 
the  members  of  the  spiritual  body  of 
Christ.  AVherefore,  if  we  meet  with 
any  member  of  Christ,  who  is  more 


worthy  than  ourselves,  we  ought  pro- 
portionably  to  love  and  esteem  him 
more  than  ourselves.   And  the  greater 
the  portion  of  divine  grace  and  favor 
which  he  has  received  from  Jesus 
Christ,  our  supreme  Head,  is,  the 
greater  respect  and  love  we  ought  to 
pay  him.    For  this  good  is  common  to 
all,  as  being  derived  from  our  univer- 
sal Head,  Christ  Jesus.    But  we  can- 
not  enjoy  it  w^ithout  charity,  which 
makes  all  our  neighbor's  blessing  our 
own  ;  and  whatsoever  we  love  in  God, 
and  for  his  sake,  considered  as  a  uni- 
versal good,  is  properly  ours.    And  as 
by  charity,  all  our  neighbor's  blessings 
are  made  our  own,  therefore,  how 
many,  or  how  great  favors  soever  God 
bestows  upon  a  good  man,  they  are  no 
less  mine  than  his,  if  I  love  them  as  | 
the  gifts  of  God,  and  for  His  sake. 
Yea,  if  any  man  receive  the  blessings 
of  God  with  fear  and  humility,  not  be- 
ing exalted  with  pride  and  arrogance: 
and  if  I  can  behold  them  in  him,  and 
love  them  for  God's  sake,  and  as  pro- 
ceeding from  Him,  they  are  as  prop- 
erly mine  as  his.    This  is  the  way  by 
which  we  become  spiritually  rich  in  ^ 
God,  and  are  made  partakers  of  all  the  ; 
blessings  of  heaven  and  earth ;  yea, 
and  of  all  the  happiness  that  is  laid  up  . 
in  store  for  the  children  of  God,  by  ! 
the  mediation  of  our  spiritual  Head, 
Christ  Jesus.    So  deep,  so  close  is  this  , 
union,  that  I  am  actually  and  jDroperly  J 
possessed  of  all  the  blessings  which  ; 
our  head  Christ  Jesus  has  diffused 
through   all   his   members,  whether 
men,  or  angels,  in  heaven  and  earth. 
And  the  effect  of  this  inward  love  is 
patience,  by  which  a  man  readiiy  and 
willingly  takes  up  his  cross,  as  a  prep- 
aration for  very  exalted  gifts  of  God. 
For  no  cross  comes  without  its  special 
grace.   This  made  one  of  the  holy  men  , 
of  old  exclaim  :  "  Hail,  bitter  cross,  full  ! 


1 

'  Chap.  X.] 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


397 


of  grace  and  glory."  And  St.  Peter 
says  :  "  This  is  thankworthy,  if  a  man 
for  conscience  toward  God  endure 
grief."  1  Pet.  2  : 19. 

3.  And  they,  who  from  love  to  the 
cross  of  Christ,  willingly  bear  their 
own,  are  thereby  made  partakers  of 
an  eminent  pleasure  and  of  peace  of 
mind.  He,  then,  that  labors  under 
any  cross,  external  or  internal,  and 
yet,  although  his  heart  may  bleed, 
without  complaining  bears  it  patiently, 


for  the  sake  of  his  suffering  Redeemer, 
may  rest  assured,  that  iiis  sufferings 
shall  end  in  glory,  and  his  sorrow  shall 
be  turned  into  joy.  The  divine  conso- 
lations are  ever  at  hand  to  the  resii^ncd 
and  patient  soul ;  which  peace  is  tiiat 
inestimable  pearl,  the  riches  of  the  in- 
ward man,  which  no  man  can  explain 
or  comprehend  but  he  that  has  it.  Iq 
a  word,  this  is  that  "peace  which 
passeth  all  understanding,"  of  which 
St.  Paul  speaks  in  Phil.  4  :  7. 


CHAPTER  X. 


SHOWING  HOW  THE  NATURAL  LIGHT  IN  US  MUST  DISAPPEAR,  AND  THE  LIGHT 

OF  GRACE  SHINE  FORTH. 


God,  who  com7nanded  the  light  to  shine  out  of  darkness,  hath  shined  in  our  hearts. — 2  Cor.  4  :  6 


■\T7HOSOEyER  would  have  a  just 
1  T  notion  of  the  light  of  nature, 
and  the  light  of  grace,  must  nicely 
distinguish  between  the  faculties  of 
the  soul;  that  is  to  say,  the  reason, 
the  will,  and  the  senses,  and  the  pure 
essence  of  the  soul.  (See  below,  Chap. 
XXI.)  The  light  of  nature  resides  in 
the  reason,  will,  and  senses.  These 
faculties,  as  long  as  they  keep  the 
soul  in  subjection  to  them,  binder  the 
divine  light  of  grace  from  displaying 
itself  in  the  pure  essence  of  the  soul; 
so  that  before  this  can  rise,  the  other 
must  set.  For  the  light  of  grace  is 
above  all  sense  and  reason;  yea,  is 
hindered  by  them.  Thou  seest,  then, 
how  little  the  natural  man  can  do  in 
divine  things — even  nothing  at  all. 

2.  Let  us  now  consider  how  the 
light  of  grace  generally  arises  in  the 
soul.  God  has  the  word  of  grace,  which 
he  has  commanded  to  be  preached,  and 
by  which  he  operates;  and  this  word 


is  spirit  and  life.  John  6  :  63.  And 
though  God  by  his  power  and  provi- 
dence is  everywhere  present,  yet  his 
proper  habitation,  in  which  he  pecu- 
liarly operates  and  kindles  his  divine 
light,  is  the  soul  of  man.  So  that  the 
divine  light  in  the  soul  proceeds  not 
from  the  senses,  nor  from  reason,  nor 
any  natural  faculty;  but  merely  and 
entirely  from  the  operation  of  divine 
grace  in  the  soul.  And  this  is  the 
eternal  fountain  of  comfort,  peace, 
truth,  wisdom,  and  life,  the  chief  and 
everlasting  happiness  of  the  soul. 
Thus  the  only  happiness  of  the  soul 
is  its  union  with  God,  and  the  opera- 
tion of  his  grace:  and  of  this,  no  crea- 
ture that  has  not  the  image  of  God, 
can  partake.  For  nothing  but  God's 
own  image  is  capable  of  his  light,  bis 
grace,  and  his  wisdom. 

3.  By  this  light  the  soul  truly  re- 
covers its  spiritual  strength;  that  is, 
understandiuo'.  wisdom,  and  knowl- 


398 


TKUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  III. 


edge  in  the  hidden  mysteries  of  God. 
Hereby  ahso  is  produeed  in  the  soul 
such  a  high  relish  of  divine  love,  so 
sweet  imd  ])lcasant,  that  she  has,  as  it 
were,  an  aversion  and  dislike  of  everj^- 
thiiig  that  is  not  divine.  Hence  arise 
holy  desires  after  goodness,  flowing 
from  that  inward  spring  in  the  soul, 
without  the  concurrence  of  any  crea- 
ture. The  creatures  indeed  can  excite 
in  lis  admiration  and  joy,  but  all  by 
external  images  and  impressions;  so 
that  w^e  ought  carefully  to  distinguish 
between  these  different  motions.  The 
light  of  grace  affects  the  very  centre 
of  the  soul,  beyond  the  comprehension 
of  sense  or  reason.  So  then,  the  more 
thou  art  purified  from,  and  emptied 
of,  tho  creatures,  the  more  frequently 
and  plenteousl^^shalt  thou  be  refreshed 
with  the  visits  of  divine  light  and  truth. 
Now  from  this  light  arises  the  knowl- 
edge of  truth,  from  w^hich,  so  soon  as 
a  man  turns  himself,  he  fulls  into  er- 
ror. For  the  region  of  truth  is  not 
without  the  soul,  but  within  it;  and 
from  this  light,  are  darted  sometimes 
such  flashes  and  streams  of  wisdom  as 
show  a  man  more  in  an  instant  than 
all  the  men  in  the  world  could  teach 
him.  Yea,  the  perception  of  this  light 
but  for  a  moment,  wmII  give  the  atten- 
tive soul  more  joy,  comfort,  and  hap- 
piness than  all  the  creatures  in  the 
world  can  afford.  And  this  is  trans- 
acted in  the  inmost  recesses  of  the 
soul.  This  is  the  fountain  at  which 
the  royal  prophet  David  drank,  as  he 
tells  us:  "Thou,  through  thy  com- 
mandments, hast  made  me  wiser  than 
mine  enemies;  for  they  are  ever  with 
me.  I  have  more  understanding  than 
all  my  teachers;  for  thy  testimonies 
are  my  meditation.  I  understand 
more  than  the  ancients,  because  I 
keep  thy  precepts.  I  have  refrained 
my  feet  from  every  evil  way,  that  I 


might  keep  thy  word."  Ps.  119 : 98-101. 
Thus  speaks  David,  who,  through  that 
whole  Psalm,  makes  it  his  prayer  and 
request  to  God  that  he  would  let  the 
divine  light  shine,  and  the  divine  Word 
speak,  within  him ;  that  so,  b}^  the  fear 
of  God,  and  the  diligent  keeping  of 
his  commandments,  he  might  securely 
preserve  this  great  internal  treasure. 
Upon  which  account  he  says  that  "the 
law  of  God  was  better  unto  him  than 
thousands  of  gold  and  silver."  Ps.  119 : 
72.  To  short,  the  soul  that  is  sensible  of 
the  value  and  sweetness  of  this  inward 
and  heavenly  treasure,  can  have  no 
relish  or  esteem  for  the  pomps  and 
pleasures  of  this  world;  but  will  say 
with  Solomon,  "Vanity  of  vanities; 
all  is  vanity."  Eccles.  1  :  2. 

4.  But  as  this  light  cannot  shine  in 
a  wicked  soul  (for  "what  communion 
hath  light  with  darkness?"  2  Cor.  G: 
14),  and  yet  is  the  greatest  blessing 
of  the  soul,  therefore  holy  David  prays 
(so  ardently  (Ps.  119),  so  devoutly, 
yea,  he  falls  into  eloquence  so  copious 
as  to  astonish  the  reader),  that  it  would 
please  God  to  protect  him  from  the 
darkness  of  sin,  and  keep  him  in  his 
fear.  Indeed,  so  exceedingly  plenti- 
ful is  this  light,  so  wonderful  is  its 
charity,  that,  like  a  flash  of  lightning, 
it  often  strikes  the  hearts  of  wicked 
men,  warning  them  of  approaching 
ruin,  and,  as  it  were,  snatching  them 
from  the  jaws  of  destruction  ;  which  is 
undoubtedly  the  effect  of  this  illumi- 
nation. And  in  this  sense,  "  the  light 
shineth  in  darkness;  and  the  darkness 
comprehendeth  it  not."  John  1  :  5, 
Now  this  divine  light  is  hindered 
from  displaying  itself  in  the  bottom 
of  the  soul  by  the  restless  activity  of 
the  external  senses.  For  as  the  ear  is 
perpetually  longing  to  hear,  the  eye 
ahvays  employed  in  seeing,  and  the 
heart  constantly  taken  up  with  ex- 


Chap.  XI.] 


TRUE  CIirJSTIANITY. 


399 


ternal  objects,  this  scatters  and  dis- 
tracts the  powers  of  the  soul.  Where- 
as, the  light  of  grace  cannot  shine 
except  in  the  most  settled  and  com- 
posed frame  of  spirit;  so  that  from 
this  inward  principle  of  light,  the 
senses,  the  reason,  the  understanding, 
the  will,  and  the  memory,  might  be 
replenished  with  light  and  wisdom. 
For  the  enlightened  soul  neither  sees, 
nor  hears,  nor  speaks  as  before.  It 
speaks  no  more  the  superficial  lan- 
guage of  the  natural  man,  but  words 
full  of  spirit  and  life.  And  now  the 
enlightened  soul  begins  in  spirit  to 
contemplate  the  glory  of  God,  sigh- 
ing after  Him,  and  saying:  "O  God, 
who  art  most  beautiful  to  my  eyes. 


most  sweet  to  my  mouth,  most  charm- 
ing to  my  cars,  most  dear  to  niy  heart!" 
The  works  that  such  a  soul  performs, 
are  no  longer  her  own,  but  the  works 
of  God  ;  and  so  much  the  more  nohlc 
than  her  own,  as  God  is  more  nol)Ie 
than  all  creatures.  Then  also  she 
comes  to  understand,  that  blessedness 
cannot  be  the  reward  of  her  own 
works,  but  is  the  gift  of  the  grace  of 
God.  So  likewise  she  finds  more  con- 
tentment when  she  suffers  God  to  act 
in  her,  than  when  she  works  and  la- 
bors herself;  for  by  this  means  she 
has  joy  and  comfort  in  all  her  actions, 
as  knowing  that  they  are  all  wa*ought 
in  God.  John  3  :  21. 


CHAPTER  XL 

GOD,  THE  LIGHT  OF  THE  SOUL,  DIRECTING  US  NOT  TO  JUDGE  OUR  NEIGHBORS. 

God  is  lighi,  and  in  hiyn  is  no  darkness  at  all. — 1  John  1  :  5. 


GOD  is  the  supreme,  most  pure^ 
and  beauteous  light ;  flaming 
with  an  ardent  desire  of  enlio-htenino; 
the  souls  of  men,  and  uniting  himself 
to  them,  if  not  hindered  by  the  dark- 
ness which  men  "  love  rather  than 
light."  John  1:5;  3:19.  But  the 
darkness  of  the  soul  is  the  love  of  it- 
self, and  the  love  of  the  world,  which 
obstruct  the  operations  of  God  in  us. 
Wherefore,  if  the  soul  would  be  a  par- 
taker of  this  divine  light,  let  her  take 
care  not  to  be  overcome  by  the  love 
of  the  creatures,  by  covetousness,  an- 
ger, selflove,  ambition,  and  the  lust 
of  the  flesh;  for  all  these  are  the 
darkness  of  the  world,  in  which  the 
god  of  this  world  ruleth.  2  Cor.  4  :  4. 
A.  man  must  then  forsake  himself  and 


all  creatures,  yea,  everything  that  is 
not  God ;  this  is  called  the  forsaking 
"all  that  he  hath."  Luke  14:33. 
Such  a  soul  is  fixed  entirely  upon  God, 
and  is  enlightened  by  his  truth;  and 
if  by  the  will  of  Providence  he  be  re- 
quired to  engage  in  worldly  affairs, 
he  does  it  with  humility  and  lear, 
still  keeping  the  centre  of  his  soul 
free  from  the  creature  and  the  world ; 
so  that  the  emanations  of  divine  light 
are  not  obstructed,  but  flow  in  per- 
petual streams  from  their  fountain, 
which  is  God. 

2.  This  inward  light  breaks  forth 
into  external  actions,  so  that  whatso- 
ever a  man  says,  or  does,  or  sufiers, 
is  no  longer  an  act  of  his  own,  but  of 
God,  to  whom  he  has  surrendered  and 


400 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  III. 


dedicated  himself.  For  bow  can  be 
act,  who  is  merely  passive?  So  then, 
wbatsoever  impression  or  impulse  tbou 
findest  in  tbyself,  whether  it  be  a  de- 
vout desire,  a  good  intention,  an  in- 
clination to  prayer  or  thanksgiving, 
all  is  from  God,  and  not  from  tby- 
self. Submit  th^-self,  therefore,  to  the 
might}'  band  of  God,  and  suffer  him 
to  accomplish  bis  will  in  thee  ;  for  so 
whatsoever  thou  doest,  is  in  him,  and 
through  him,  and  he  worketh  in  thee. 
For  it  is  a  necessary  condition  of  all 
good  works  that  they  ultimately  re- 
gard God,  and  be  wrought  in  him. 
John  3  :  21.  Hence  we  should  live  in 
him,  pray  in  him,  and  do  everything 
in  him.  One  such  work  wrought  in 
God,  however  insignificant  it  may  be 
in  the  eye  of  the  world,  is  of  more 
value  in  the  sight  of  God,  than  all  the 
actions  wrought  in  human  strength. 
This  is  the  spring  of  true  virtue,  the 
essence  of  which  is,  that  it  should  be- 
gin and  end  in  God.  But  in  propor- 
tion as  the  love  of  the  world  and  the 
creature  prevails  in  thee,  thou  art 
farther  removed  from  God:  whilst 
the  nearer  God  is  to  the  ground  of 
thy  heart,  the  more  deeply  and  plen- 
tifully will  he  shine  forth,  and  mani- 
fest himself  by  works  of  charity  and 
compassion  towards  thy  neighbor. 
For  our  blessed  Saviour  tells  us,  "I 
am  the  light  of  the  w^orld."  John  8  : 
12.  In  him,  therefore,  let  us  act. 
Let  us  cleave  to  the  love  of  this  our 
Head,  that  we  may  be  enlightened  in 
Christ. 

3.  For  of  all  our  actions  those  only 
may  be  called  ''light,"  which  proceed 
from  God  and  diffuse  themselves 
through  the  darkness  and  miseries  of 
our  neighbors,  in  patience,  in  meek- 
ness, in  humility,  in  consolation,  in 
compassion,  in  gentle  reproofs,  and 
charitable  censures.    Whereas  from 


an  arrogant  love  of  censuring  others 
arise  self-esteem,  a  high  mind,  con- 
tempt, and  insolence  toward  our 
neighbors.  This  is  the  root  of  innu- 
merable sins.  But  as  the  light  of 
the  llol}^  Spirit  cannot  enter  into 
such  souls,  so  where  he  inhabits,  these 
vices  have  no  place.  The  man  of  God 
judges  not  his  neighbor,  unless  com- 
pelled by  necessity ;  and  even  then  he 
does  it  with  great  gentleness,  and  in 
the  proper  time  and  place;  lest  while 
he  attempt  to  cure  one  wound,  he 
should  make  ten,  by  an  unseasonable 
and  improper  application.  One  thing 
ought  carefully  to  be  observed  in  re- 
proving our  neighbor,  namely,  that 
we  should  not  publish  such  uncharita- 
ble reflections  upon  him,  as  may  in  any 
way  injure  his  reputation,  either  in 
bis  spiritual  ortemj)oral  concerns;  but 
on  the  contrary,  every  one  should 
keep  himself  within  the  bounds  of 
meekness  and  charity,  lest  he  en- 
danger his  own  humility  and  poverty 
of  spirit.  They  that  delight  in  un- 
charitable censures  and  railing  accusa- 
tions, are  like  the  old  serpent;  their 
YQYy  breath  is  infected  with  his  poison, 
whilst,  like  him,  they  delight  in  being 
accusers  of  the  brethren.  Whilst  they 
know  not  themselves,  they  will  dare 
to  censure  and  judge  their  neighbors. 
Consider,  O  man,  thy  perverse  heart, 
and  judge  thyself,  but  no  one  else. 
Luke  6  :  37.  The  false  light  of  nature 
misleads  thee,  and  draws  thee  blindly 
into  pride,  self-love,  and  rash  censures 
of  others.  But  know  that  this  is  not 
the  light  of  God,  but  the  very  dark- 
ness of  Satan. 

4.  But  the  true  and  divine  light  al- 
ways discovers  itself  in  modesty  and 
humility.  It  hunts  not  after  the 
empty  applause  of  men,  but  seeks 
after  God,  from  whom  it  proceeded, 
and  into  whom  it  longs  and  labors  to 


Chap.  XII.] 


TRUE  CHEISTIAOTTY. 


401 


return.  Such  a  man  thinks  himself 
the  weakest,  vilest,  and  most  ignorant 
of  all  men ;  being  fully  persuaded 
that  whatever  good  there  is  in  him, 
it  is  not  his  but  God's.  Above  all 
things,  therefore,  endeavor  to  know 
thyself,  and  trouble  not  thyself  about 
thy  neighbor,  particularly  his  faults; 
lest  in  the  bitterness  of  thine  heart 
thou  be  tempted  to  condemn  him;  for 
thereby  thou  canst  do  great  harm  to 
thine  own  soul.  Turn  away,  then, 
thy  eyes,  for  God's  sake,  from  any 
vices  of  thy  neighbor,  and  turn  into 
thyself,  and  see  whether  thou  art  not, 
or  hast  not  been  as  deep  in  the  mire 


as  he.  And  if  this  appear  to  he  the 
case,  consider  it  in  the  onler  of  Provi- 
dence as  an  opportunity  of  rending 
thy  own  defects  in  tho  life  of  thy 
neighbor,  and  as  a  means  of  bringing 
thee  to  the  knowledge  of  thyself,  to 
true  repentance  and  amendment  of 
life.  Then  turn  thine  eye.s  upon  thy 
neighbor,  and  pray  to  God  for  him, 
that  He  would  be  pleased,  of  his  fath- 
erly compassion,  to  grant  unto  him 
also  the  same  knowledge  and  amend- 
ment of  life.  The  man  that  is  thus 
disposed,  profits  by  his  neighbor's 
faults,  and  is  preserved  from  the  sin 
of  rashly  judging  or  condemning  him. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

THE  CHRISTIAN  OUGHT  DAILY,  ONCE  AT  LEAST,  WHOLLY  TO  ABSTRACT  HIMSELF 
FROM  ALL  EXTERNAL  OBJECTS,  AND  RETIRE  INTO  HIS  OWN  SOUL;  THE  AD- 
VANTAGES OF  THIS  COURSE. 


Return  unto  thy  rest,  O  my  soul;  for  the  Lord  hath  dealt  bountifully  with  thee. — Ps.  116  :  7. 


THE  soul  of  man,  flowing  out  into 
w^orldly  things,  and  cleaving  en- 
tirely to  the  creatures,  is  like  a  wan- 
dering sheep.  Now,  the  great  Shep- 
herd of  souls  tries,  by  all  the  methods 
of  his  mercy  and  wisdom,  to  bring  him 
back  to  the  fold,  by  emptying  him  of 
the  creatures,  and  filling  him  with  all 
the  fulness  of  God.  Thus  the  royal 
Psalmist  concludes  the  119th  Psalm : 
"I  have  gone  astray  like  a  lost  sheep; 
seek  thy  servant."  This  expression, 
how  oddly  soever  it  may  sound  to  car- 
nal ears,  discovers,  nevertheless,  to  the 
spiritual  man,  the  whole  work  of  illu- 
mination and  divine  w'isdom.  For  as 
the  soul  of  man  is  placed  between  time 
and  eternit}^,  so  soon  as  ever  it  turns 
to  time,  it  forgets  eternity,  and  with- 


draws every  day  further  and  further 
from  divine  things.  But  if  it  returns 
to  eternity,  then  it  forgets  the  crea- 
tures, recovers  its  liberty,  draws  nearer 
to  God,  and  is  thorougblj^  drawn  unto 
him.  For  there  is  nothing  dearer  to 
God,  than  a  soul  abstracted  from  the 
creatures,  and  resigned  to  him.  Then, 
and  not  till  then,  the  soul  enjoys  true 
peace,  tastes  the  food  of  life,  and  feels 
in  herself  the  true  fruits  of  that  divine 
anointing,  which  denominates  us  truly 
Christians  (the  name  "Christ"  signify- 
ing: "  The  Anointed  One.") 

2.  And  if  these  things  are  so,  who 
can  doubt  that  it  is  the  duty  of  every 
true  Christian,  if  not  oftener,  yet  once 
a  day  at  least,  to  taste  this  divine  food 
of  the  soul,  which  is  God  himself,  that 


26 


402 


TEUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


[Book  III. 


thereby  he  may  be  refreshed  with  true 
peace,  and  be  replenished  with  the  ful- 
ness of  divine  life  and  grace?  Wouldest 
thou,  O  man,  but  thoroughly  consider 
this,  thou  wouldest  be  much  more  in 
love  with  heaven,  than  with  earth ! 
Wert  thou  but  thus  disposed,  though 
the  burden  of  a  whole  kingdom  la}^ 
upon  thy  shoulders,  as  it  did  upon  Da- 
vid's, yet  it  should  be  no  hindrance 
to  thy  holy  exercises.  For  the  crea- 
tures are  not  in  themselves  hurtful, 
but  are  only  so  to  him  whose  soul  is  in 
captivity  to  them;  or,  as  it  is  said, 
who  sets  his  heart  upon  them  "  (Ps. 
62  :  10),  which  ought  to  be  entirely 
consecrated  and  devoted  to  God.  Upon 
this  foundation  stood  the  Psalmist, 
when  he  cried  out,  "Lord,  whom  have 
I  in  heaven  but  thee?  and  there  is 
none  upon  earth  that  I  desire  besides 
thee."  Ps.  73  :  25.  For  fo  great  is  the 
sweetness  of  divine  love,  that  the  soul 
that  has  once  tasted  it,  despises  suffer- 
ings, and  looks  upon  the  love  or  hatred 
of  this  world  with  indifference.  They 
that  are  admitted  to  these  joys,  have 
perpetual  peace  in  God  with  all  crea- 
tures, whether  friends  or  enemies.  To 
these  "the  3'oke  of  Christ  is  easy" 
(Matt.  11  :  30) ;  for  they  are  in  Christ, 
and  Christ  is  in  them  ;  and  his  pres- 
ence makes  their  burden  light,  whilst 
he  bears  it  in  them,  and  they  bear  it 


in  him.  Therefore,  such  a  believer 
says  with  St.  Paul,  "I  can  do  all  things 
through  Christ  which  strengtheneth 
me."  Phil.  4:  13. 

3.  From  what  has  been  said,  it  ap- 
pears plainly,  how  necessary  and  profit- 
able an  exercise  it  is  for  every  Chris- 
tian, once  a  day  at  least,  to  retire  into 
his  own  heart,  into  God,  and  into 
Christ,  to  draw  thence  true  peace  of 
soul,  and  to  learn  there  the  true  use  of 
temporal  blessings.  For  God  does  not 
forbid  lis  the  use  of  these,  provided 
we  walk  in  humility,  and  in  his  fear, 
and  continue  faithful  in  our  attend- 
ance upon  him.  Our  misery  requires 
this  of  us,  which  in  such  a  soul  God 
will  not  suffer  to  last  long;  and  so 
does,  lastly,  our  daily  cross,  which 
Christ  by  this  means  makes  light  and 
easy  to  us.  Not  to  say,  that  thou,  0 
Christian,  art  continually  admonished 
hy  the  Spirit  of  God  within  thee,  to 
sigh  and  pray  for  the  love  of  God,  and 
of  God  alone,  and  to  grieve  within 
thyself,  when  any  worldly  impedi- 
ments draw  and  separate  thee  from  it. 
This  is  the  true  and  inward  calling  of 
the  Holy  Ghost,  this  is  the  well-belov- 
ed's knocking  at  the  door  of  thy  heart 
(Cant.  1 :  13;  Rev.  3  :  20),  as  a  living 
testimony  that  our  hearts  ought  to  be 
the  chamber  of  our  heavenly  bride- 
groom. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

SHCWING  HOW  THE   LOVE  OF    GOD  ENTERS   INTO    THE   SOUL,  WHEN  IT  IS  EMPTY 
OF  THE  LOVE  OF  THE  CREATURES. 

If  any  man  love  the  world,  the  love  of  the  Father  is  not  in  him. — 1  John  2  :  15. 

HE  that  desires  to  become  the  hab-     then  exercise  himself  in  the  love  of 
itation  of  God,  must  first  divest     God.    No  man  can  receive  the  one, 
himself  of  the  love  of  the  world,  and     without   quitting  the  other ;  or  be 


Chap.  XIII.] 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


403 


filled  with  the  Spirit  of  God,  before  he 
be  emptied  of  the  spirit  of  the  world. 
As  the  magnet  by  a  touch  draws  iron 
to  it;  so  God  first  touches,  with  his  di- 
vine love,  the  soul  which  he  intends 
to  draw  and  unite  to  himself. 

2.  Now  this  divine  love  is  so  great, 
that,  like  the  sun,  it  shines  upon  all; 
yea,  it  shines  more  universally  than 
the  sun  itself,  displaying  itself  equally 
upon  all  men.  So  that  it  is  not  the 
fault  of  God,  who  is  2)ure  light,  and 
pure  love,  but  of  men,  if  they  do  not 
perceive  or  enjoy  it.  For  when  God 
approaches  men  with  the  highest  love, 
and  most  ardent  affection,  he  gene- 
rally finds  their  hearts  full  of  the  love 
of  the  world,  and  all  uncleanness,  that 
is,  of  covctousness,  pride,  lust,  hatred, 
env}^  and  evil  thoughts,  which  force 
him  to  retire  and  to  withdraw  his 
graces  from  them.  Whence  it  appears, 
that  since  God  is  ready,  like  the  sun 
in  the  firmament,  to  communicate  the 
rays  of  his  light  freely  to  every  puri- 
fied soul,  it  is  not  His  fault,  but  theirs, 
if  they  are  not  enlightened  by  it.  As, 
therefore,  we  know  these  things,  let 
us  keep  ourselves  from  the  love  of  the 
world,  and  turn  to  the  living  God, 
watching  diligently  unto  prayer;  let 
us  labor  earnestly  for  the  love  of  God 
in  Christ,  by  which  we  are  united  to 
him.  Let  us  knock  at  the  door  of  his 
holy  wounds,  and  from  thence  expect 
salvation.  If  we  do  this,  God  will 
open  to  us,  and  give  us  admission  into 
that  high  state  of  uniting  love,  in 
which  we  shall  be  refreshed  with  all 
the  treasures  of  God.  And  who  can 
doubt  that  the  God  of  mercy,  the 
fountain  of  happiness,  will  fill  the  heart 
of  man  with  greater  and  more  sub- 
stantial joys,  than  any  which  this  per- 
ishing world  can  afford  ? 

3.  Whosoever,  therefore,  loves  God, 
shall  be  loved  by  all  the  saints  and 


holy  angels.  If  I  love  God,  then  I 
share  in  the  love  of  all  the  inhabitants 
of  the  city  of  God,  a  love  that  far 
surpasses  the  highest  degree  of  world- 
ly affection.  And  as  all  the  heavenly 
host  have  the  highest  love  of  God, 
and  rejoice  in  his  honor,  so  is  tiieir  joy 
proportionably  great  at  every  step  of 
our  conversion,  and  their  happiness  is 
enhanced  by  every  rdvance  which  we 
make  in  the  love  of  God. 

4.  Now  one  evidence  of  divine  love 
is  this,  that  we  use  the  creatures  with 
fear  and  humility.  He  that  is  endued 
with  a  habit  of  divine  love,  whether 
he  eat  or  drink,  or  whatever  he  doth, 
doth  everything  like  a  dutiful  son, 
with  reverence  and  fear,  having  his 
ej'e  constantly  fixed  upon  the  glory 
of  his  Heavenly  Father.  1  Cor.  10  :  31. 
From  this  fear  of  God  flow  the  many 
deep  sighs  and  passionate  groans  of 
the  devout  soul,  which,  by  degrees, 
raise  him  from  earth  to  heaven.  For 
he  discovers  so  many  corruptions  and 
impurities  in  himself,  obstructing  the 
light  and  quenching  the  flames  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  that  he  is  forced  to  cry 
out  with  St.  Paul,  "  O  wretched  man 
that  I  am  !  who  shall  deliver  me  from 
the  body  of  this  death  ?"  Rom.  7  :  24. 
And  truly,  these  sighs  and  groanings 
must  frequently  ascend  to  the  mercy- 
seat  of  God,  that  by  the  assistance  of 
divine  grace  we  may  bear  up,  and  not 
faint  under  the  manifold  miseries  of 
this  wretched  state,  and  the  pressure 
of  a  vile  earthly  body.  Thus  did  all 
the  holy  men  of  old  time  when  they 
labored  under  the  sense  of  spiritual 
infirmities:  they  raised  their  broken 
spirits  unto  God  by  devout  sighs,  peni- 
tential tears,  and  humble  acknowl- 
edgments of  their  misery,  which  re- 
verted into  their  own  bosoms  with  a 
large  increase  of  grace  and  spiritual 
strength.    He  that  does  not  sincerely 


404 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  III. 


seek  after  God,  but  has  his  soul  intent 
on  something  else  besides  him,  shall 
never  find  him.  On  the  other  hand, 
he  that  seeks  him  alone,  in  the  integ- 
rity of  his  heart,  shall  surely  find 
him,  and  be  admitted  to  all  the  bless- 
ings and  happiness  that  are  to  be 
found  in  the  presence  of  God.  He 
that  seeks  God  in  truth,  finds  God, 


and  all  things  that  are  God's;  and 
whosoever  seeks  for  nothing  else,  and 
looks  for  nothing  else  but  God  only, 
unto  him  God  manifests  himself,  and 
confers  upon  him  all  whatsoever  is 
laid  up  in  his  divine  heart,  that  the 
same  may  as  properly  be  said  to  be- 
long to  man,  as  to  God. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

or  THE  EXERCISE  OF  PATIENCE  AND  LOVE. 


He  is  brought  as  a  lamb  to 

WHOSOEVER  would  rightly  pre- 
pare his  soul  for  union  wnth 
Jesus  Christ,  must,  like  him,  be  cloth- 
ed with  the  meekness  and  patience  of 
the  lamb.  Yea,  he  must  have  the 
very  same  mind  that  was  in  Christ, 
and  become  a  lamb  even  as  he  was. 
Let  this  be  thy  rule  and  thy  guide  in 
all  thy  actions.  He  tells  us  himself, 
"  Behold,  I  send  you  forth  as  sheep 
in  the  midst  of  wolves."  Matt.  10:16. 
This  is  truly  thy  case ;  and  w^hatever 
way  thou  turnest  thyself,  remember 
that  thou  art  in  the  midst  of  wolves, 
to  whose  violence  thou  art  continually 
exposed ;  and  against  this  thou  hast 
no  other  remedy  but  patience,  meek- 
ness, and  submission,  according  to  the 
example  of  the  Lamb  of  God,  thy 
Saviour,  Jesus  Christ.  And  as  this 
meekness  of  the  blessed  Jesus  was  ac- 
ceptable to  his  Heavenly  Father,  so 
also  is  thine,  when  by  patience  thou 
dost  triumph  over  persecution.  So 
that  it  is  thy  business  to  submit  cheer- 
fully to  his  will,  whensoever  he  shall 
be  pleased  to  lay  his  afflicting  hand 


the  slaughter. — Isa.  53 :  7. 

Upon  thee,  either  more  immediately 
from  heaven,  or  by  any  suffering 
which  may  fall  upon  thee  by  means 
of  any  creature.  It  must  all  be  borne 
with  patience,  as  coming  from  the 
hand  of  God;  and  assure  thyself  that 
the  faithful  Shepherd  is  at  hand  to 
seek  and  save  the  lost  sheep,  and 
bring  it  home  "upon  his  shoulders, 
rejoicing."  Luke  15  :  5.  Thus  the  pa- 
tient soul  is,  by  every  impetuous 
wave  of  affliction,  wafted  nearer  to 
God.  But  if  thy  blind  carnal  reason 
suggest  to  thee  any  excuses  or  objec- 
tions against  thy  submission,  hearken 
not  to  them ;  but  fix  thine  eyes  upon 
the  exemplary  patience  of  thy  Re- 
deemer; look  steadfastly  to  thy  cruci- 
fied Saviour,  who  did  no  evil,  yet  suf- 
fered all  injuries  without  thoughts  of 
revenge. 

2.  Endeavor  to  acquire  more  and 
more  the  meekness  of  the  Lamb,  and, 
above  all  things,  preserve  the  love  of 
God,  which  cannot  abide  in  a  wrathful 
soul.  And  here  consider  well  with 
thyself  what  that  love  is.    Do  not 


Chap.  XY.] 


TEUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


405 


fancy  it  to  be  that  inward  joy,  that 
unspeakable  pleasure,  which  some- 
times elevates  devout  souls;  that  is 
not  the  essence  of  love,  but  the 
brightness  of  it,  differing  from  its  root 
and  cause  as  much  as  the  light  does 
from  the  fire  whence  it  proceeds. 
But  the  true  essence  of  love  to  God  is, 
to  be  resigned  to  the  will  of  God,  to 
depend  entirely  upon  him,  and  to  sub- 
mit to  every  affliction  as  coming  im- 
mediately from  his  hand.  Thus  did 
Job,  who,  taking  the  loss  of  l»is  chil- 
dren, his  goods,  his  health,  and  his 
honor,  as  coming  from  the  hand  of 
God,  still  "  blessed  the  name  of  the 
Lord."  Job  1  :  21.  So,  too,  David 
humbly  submitted  to  the  curses  of 


Shimei,  as  being  ordered  by  the  Lord. 
2  Sam,  16  :  10.  By  this  means  the  es- 
sence, the  root,  and  spring  of  love,  are 
preserved  pure  and  unshaken  ;  and 
by  love  w^e  rest  in  God,  and  rejoice  in 
all  his  dispensations.  So  that  if  it 
shguld  please  God  to  sink  such  a  man 
with  Christ  to  hell,  he  w^ould  not  open 
his  mouth,  but  rest  satisfied  with  the 
will  of  God,  in  which  only  he  finds 
happiness  and  rest.  In  tiiis  love  true 
peace  is  to  be  found,  when  in  God,  and 
for  God's  sake,  we  love  everything, 
crosses  and  tribulations  not  excepted. 
Ti-ue  love  unites  us  to  God,  and  to  all 
the  world  :  and  the  happiness  of  such 
a  state  is  inexpressibly  great. 


CHAPTER  XY. 


SHOWING  now  CHRIST,  THE  ETERNAL  WORD  OF  THE  FATHER,  PERFECTS  HIS  WORK 
IN  THE  HEARTS  OF  THE  FAITHFUL,  BY  LOVE  AND  HUMILITY, 

Examine  yourselves.    Know  ye  not  your  own  selves^  how  that  Jesus  Christ  is  in  you  ? — 

2  Cor.  18  :  5. 


AS  the  faithful  soul  is  often  ob- 
liged to  bear  the  temptations 
and  suggestions  of  the  Evil  Spirit;  so, 
on  the  other  hand,  it  receives  the  di- 
vine consolations  from  the  mouth  of 
the  eternal  Word  speaking  in  it.  Of 
this  Tauler  speaks  :  "We  know,''  says 
he,  "  that  the  eternal  Word  is  so  very 
near  the  ground  of  the  human  soul, 
that  its  own  nature  and  being  are  not 
more  essential  and  familiar  to  it,  than 
that  Word  is.  This  eternal  Word  is 
continually  speaking  in  man,  though 
his  perverse  heart,  deluded  by  the 
devil,  neither  hearkens  nor  attends  to 
it.  For  the  great  adversary  makes 
him  deaf  by  his  wicked  insinuations, 


the  love  of  the  world,  and  carnal  in- 
clinations." For  the  devil  to  this  day 
tempts  all  men,  as  he  did  Eve  (Gen. 
3  : 4),  by  those  things  which  he  knows 
to  be  most  agreeable  to  our  tempers 
and  inclinations, — by  riches,  honors, 
friendships,  our  own  nature,  the  love 
of  the  creatures,  and  infinite  other 
ways,  in  which  be  influences  and  af- 
fects our  imaginations.  For  as  he  is 
industriously  busy  about  us  for  our 
destruction,  so  he  narrowly  observes 
the  particular  bias  of  our  afiections, 
and  knows  all  the  secret  arts  of  rais- 
ing our  passions;  and  when  by  thus 
striking  our  imaginations,  he  has  dis- 
composed our  spirits,  we  immediately 


406 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  III. 


become  deaf  to  the  culls  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  and  the  Word.  These  sugges- 
tions of  Satan  we  must  oppose;  for  so 
far  as  we  attend  to  them,  we  are  the 
nearer  to  our  ruin;  but  if  thou  stop 
thine  cars  to  his  insinuations,  and  turn 
thyself  unto  God  in  the  centre  of  Jhy 
Boul,  thou  hast  already  conquered  liim. 
And  as  time  friends,  united  in  affection, 
are  particularly  delighted  in  mutual 
conversation;  so  if  thou  sincerely  love 
God,  thou  shalt  frequently  hear  his 
voice  within  thee.  "  If  a  man  love 
ine,"  saith  Christ,  "he  will  keep  my 
words  "  (John  14  :  23):  not  only  those 
which  he  hears  in  the  outward  and 
visible  temple  and  congregation  of  the 
faithful;  but  those  also  which  are  heard 
in  the  true  temple  of  the  soul,  without 
which  the  outward  hearing  availelh 
little.  And  this  inward  voice  of  God 
thou  canst  not  hear,  unless  the  love  of 
God  be  in  thee. 

2.  "The  most  certain  token  of  love 
to  God,"  saith  St.  Gregory,  "is  this, 
that  we  receive  all  the  adversities 
which  God  shall  think  fit  to  lay  upon 
us,  without  any  impatience  in  thouglit, 
word,  or  actions.  If  we  do  this,  with- 
out doubt  we  truly  love  God ;  if  not, 
it  is  certain  that  we  do  not  love  him 
sincerely,  but  prefer  ourselves  and  our 
own  things  to  him;  though  nothing- 
can  be  properly  said  to  be  a  man's 
own  but  sin;  everything  else  is  God's." 
Take  heed,  therefore,  that  thou  prefer 
not  even  the  gifts  of  God  before  Him- 
self ;  whom  if  thou  love  purely  and 
above  all  things,  then  thou  shalt  con- 
tinually hear  him  speaking  peace  to 
thy  soul,  according  to  that  saying  of 
our  blessed  Lord,  "He  that  loveth  me, 
to  him  will  I  manifest  myself."  John 
14  :  21.  This  manifestation  is  made 
by  the  opening  of  the  understanding, 
by  the  illumination  of  the  heart,  by 
tlie  spirit  of  wisdom,  of  understand- 


ing, of  might,  and  of  fear  (Isa.  11 :  2), 
and  especially  by  the  purifying  and 
enlightening  of  the  inward  eyes  (Eph. 

1  :  18),  to  see  and  know  Jesus  Christ. 
3.  But  as  the  devil  is  wont  to  stop 

the  inward  ears  of  men  by  his  sugges- 
tions; so  he  also  blinds  their  eyes  by 
self-love,  by  the  love  of  the  world  and 
the  creatures,  and  by  inward  and  out- 
ward pride.  For  as  by  true  and  gen- 
uine love,  we  hear  Christ;  so  by  faith  ' 
and  profound  humility,  we  must  see  ' 
him ;  for  that  only  can  purify  our 
hearts  from  vain  pride.  For  it  is  not 
without  reason  that  our  blessed  Lord 
tells  us,  "  Blessed  are  the  pure  in 
heart;  for  they  shall  see  God."  Matt. 
5  :  8.  And  for  this  cause  it  is  that 
God  sends  us  so  many  crosses  and  af- 
flictions, that  we  may  thereby  be 
brought  into  the  depths  of  profound 
humility,  which  is  an  exercise  more 
profitable  to  us  than  all  the  delights 
and  glories  of  this  world.  And  now, 
though  heaven,  and  earth,  and  hell  it- 
self, should  unite  their  forces  against 
thee,  yet  bear  up  with  constancy  and 
patience,  remembering  that  all  shall 
work  together  for  thy  good;  as  it 
serves  to  produce  in  thee  true  humil- 
ity, by  which  thou  shalt  see  Christ. 
Look  at  him,  O  man,  and  consider 
how  he  that  is  God  (John  1:1;  Acts 
20  :  28;  Rom.  9  :  5),  most  high  and 
omnipotent,  by  whom  were  made  the 
heavens  and  the  earth,  and  who  could 
easily  again  have  reduced  all  things 
into  nothing;  yet  for  the  sake  of  this 
wretched  creature  man,  submitted  him- 
self to  the  most  bitter  sufferings.  Phil. 

2  :  5-8.  Be  thou,  therefore,  O  sinful 
and  wretched  creature,  ashamed  of 
that  pride,  vainglory,  and  self-love, 
which  have  taken  possession  of  thy 
heart.  Learn  to  submit  thyself  to 
every  cross  that  shall  be  laid  upon 
thee,  of  what  sort  soever  it  be,  whether 


CiiAP.  XV.] 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


407 


inward  or  outward ;  and  so  subject  thy 
])roud,  swelling  spirit  to  the  thorny 
crown  of  Christ,  that  thou  mayest 
imitate  thy  humble  and  crucified  Lord 
by  a  true  contempt  of  thyself ;  making 
this  the  great  end  and  design  of  all 
thy  actions,  to  be  conformed  to  the 
meek  and  suffering  life  of  the  blessed 
Jesus,  that  so  thou  mayest  come  to  an 
experimental  knowledge  of  him.  For 
what  avail  a  few  cold,  formal  reflec- 
tions upon  the  sufferings  of  our  Lord, 
whilst  we  are  destitute  of  that  meek 
and  patient  spirit  with  which  he  bore 
them?  Of  what  benefit  is  it  to  enter- 
tain our  fancies  with  a  few  dead  specu- 
lations about  his  passion,  whilst  our 
hearts  are  full  of  pride,  ambition,  and 
w^orldly  love  ?  This,  surely,  is  not  the 
way  to  the  true  vision  and  experimen- 
tal knowledge  of  Jesus  Christ.  The 
Spirit  of  Jesus  operates  most  deeply 
in  the  valley  of  humilit3\  And  in  this 
consists  the  essence  of  humility,  that 
a  man  look  upon  himself  and  all  that 
he  ever  has,  or  ever  can  do,  as  noth- 
ing. For  if  there  be  any  good  in 
thee,  it  is  not  of  thyself;  it  is  the  gift 
of  God. 

4.  And  this  humility  thou  must 
practise,  if  ever  thou  expect  to  see 
Christ.  For  the  hidden  mysteries 
and  wisdom  of  God  are  revealed  to 
the  meek  and  humble,  but  are  hidden 
from  the  wise  men  of  this  world.  Ps. 
51 :  6 ;  Matt.  11  :  25;  1  Cor.  1 :  20,  26. 
For  in  this  humility  alone  consist  the 


knowledge  and  understanding  of  pure 
and  divine  truth,  in  which  is  the  es- 
sence of  eternal  blessedness.  In  this 
the  greatness  of  the  divine  majesty 
manifests  itself,  which  the  more  clear- 
ly we  discern,  the  deeper  root  humil- 
ity takes  in  our  souls.  And  the  most 
certain  sign  of  divine  illumination  is, 
that  a  man  grow  daily  more  and  more 
humble,  and  be  less  fond  of  himself  . 
For  self-love  and  pride  are  the  foun- 
tains of  all  the  darkness,  error,  and 
iniquity  that  are  in  us.  On  the  other 
hand,  they  that  are  truly  enlightened 
by  God,  glory  in  contempt  and  suffer- 
ings, and  rejoice  to  imitate  their  suf- 
fering Redeemer.  This  is  the  ground- 
work and  spirit  of  Psalm  111).  The 
roj-al  prophet  well  knew  that  without 
such  a  thirst  after  godliness,  no  divine 
light  and  wisdom  would  enter  the  soul, 
and  no  divine  answer  be  given  to  it. 
And  this  is  the  real  purport  of  that 
long  Psalm. 

5.  In  a  word,  this  humble  and  re- 
signed state  of  soul,  is  that  in  which 
God  particularly  delights  to  operate. 
And  he  that  has  this,  carries  in  his 
soul  the  comfortable  jDresence,  and  in 
his  body  the  suffering  marks  of  the 
Lord  Jesus;  and  considering  himself 
as  unworthy  of  the  least  of  God's 
mercies,  he  uses  them  all  with  rever- 
ence and  fear,  having  his  eye,  like  a 
good  servant,  fixed  on  his  Master;  and 
therefore  he  is  honored  with  His  more 
immediate  conversation,  and  grace. 


408 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  III. 


CHAPTER  XYI. 

SHOWING  now  THE  HOLY  SPIRIT  OPERATES  IN  OUR  SOULS. 

I  will  pour  water  upon  him  that  is  thirsty,  and  floods  upon  the  dry  ground. — IsA.  44  :  3. 


IF  after  a  drought  and  dearth  of  three 
3'ears  and  a  half  (such  as  happened 
,  ill  the  time  of  Elijah,  1  Kings  17  :  1 ; 
18 :  45),  it  should  please  God  to  send 
rain  upon  all  the  earth,  one  man's  field 
only  excepted ;  he  would  truly  have 
reason  to  think  that  God  was  angry 
with  him,  and  that  his  case  was  most 
deplorabl}'  miserable.  But  how  much 
more  miserable  and  unhappy  is  he, 
who,  though  hungering  and  thirsting, 
like  a  parched  ground,  after  faith, 
charity,  and  all  Christian  graces,  yet 
cannot  receive  one  drop  of  spiritual 
consolation  in  the  inward  ground  of 
his  soul ! 

2.  But  if  this  ever  happen,  it  is  not 
God's  fault,  for  he  is  ready  "to  pour 
out  his  Spirit  upon  all  flesh"  (Joel  2  : 
28),  but  man's,  who  prepareth  not  his 
heart  to  receive  it.  The  best  prepara- 
tion to  receive  this  holy  guest,  is  to 
turn  our  hearts  by  faith  and  prayer 
from  the  world  unto  God,  as  the  Apos- 
tles did  at  Pentecost  (Acts  2:4);  and 
whensoever  God  shall  find  us  thus 
prepared;  he  will  forthwith  visit  us 
with  all  the  fulness  of  spiritual  bless- 
ings. On  the  other  hand,  if  the  heart 
be  full  of  the  world,  there  will  be  no 
room  for  the  Spirit  of  God  to  enter; 
for  where  the  one  is,  the  other  cannot 
be.  As  in  nature  there  is  no  vacuum, 
80  it  is  in  the  spiritual  world.  Let  this 
then  be  thy  care,  and  this  thy  chief 
concern,  not  to  fix  thy  heart  upon  any 
creature,  either  inwardly  or  outward- 
ly, not  on  the  love  of  thyself,  nor  upon 
thine  own  will,  but  upon  God  alone; 
assuring  thyself,  that  this  is  the  most 


noble  and  useful  exercise  for  thee.  As 
the  finest  work  of  the  most  skilful 
workman  may  be  broken  and  destroy- 
ed by  a  heedless  child ;  so  it  often  hap- 
pens with  the  works  and  gifts  of  God, 
which  men  destroy  by  their  rash  and 
unadvised  management.  Thus  they 
break  and  deface  the  most  noble  de- 
signs and  operations  of  the  Sjurit  of 
God  within  them;  they  attribute  that 
to  themselves  which  is  the  work  of 
God,  and  patch  their  own  vile  rags 
upon  the  fine  linen  of  Christ's  right- 
eousness. For  it  is  most  certain  that 
we  are  "  unprofitable  servants"  (Luke 
17  :  10),  and  by  consequence  can  do 
nothing  but  what  is  unprofitable.  And, 
in  the  same  degree,  as  God  is  more 
noble  than  man,  so  the  works  of  the 
Divine  Spirit  are  more  noble  and  pre- 
cious than  those  of  the  human  spirit. 
Hence  it  follows,  that  if  thou  wouldest 
have  God  to  operate  more  eminently 
in  thee,  thou  must  surrender  all  the 
passions,  affections,  and  powers  of  thy 
soul,  to  be  possessed,  governed,  and 
directed  by  Him.  For  unless  the  crea- 
ture be  entirely  still,  thou  canst  not 
hear  the  voice  of  God.  Think  not  then 
that  every  inward  motion  which  thou 
perceivest,  is  the  work  of  God ;  whereas 
some  are  merely  the  product  of  thy 
own  flesh  and  blood.  Take  heed  there- 
fore to  thyself,  and  learn  to  distinguish 
well,  lest  thou  ascribe  to  God  the  very 
operations  of  the  devil. 

3.  But  in  order  to  the  more  perfect 
operation  of  the  Holy  Ghost  in  thee, 
there  are  two  rules  proper  to  be  ob- 
served :  first,  that  thou  turn  away 


Chap.  XVIT.] 


TEUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


409 


thine  heart  from  the  world,  the  crea- 
tures, thyself,  and  thine  own  will  and 
affections,  that  so  this  Holy  Spirit  may 
have  room  to  act  freely;  secondly,  to 
receive  all  crosses  and  afflictions  as 
coming  from  the  hand  of  God,  without 
any  respect  or  reference  to  the  crea- 
tures, and  to  embrace  them  as  prepa- 
rations for  receiving  more  plentiful 
communications  of  divine  grace  and 
blessing.  Suppose,  for  instance,  thou 
wert  engaged  in  some  good  work  or 
act  of  devotion,  and  some  intimate 
friend  should  break  in  upon  thee  with 
abusive  and  reproachful  language;  if 


thou  couldest  bear  this  with  silence 
and  patience,  thou  mightest  be  as- 
sured that  that  was  the  work  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  in  order  to  prepare  thee 
for  greater  blessings.  But  if  wick(^d 
thoughts  be  suggested  to  thee,  by  the 
devil,  yet  satisfy  thyself  that  they  do 
thee  no  harm,  because  they  arc  invol- 
untary. Lastly,  if  thou  art  engaged 
in  any  worldly  calling  or  profession, 
see  that  thou  perform  thy  duty  in  it 
with  thine  eye  fixed  upon  the  glory  of 
God,  and  the  good  of  thy  neighbor. 
By  this  means  all  thy  worKs  shall  be 
wrought  in  God,  and  his  Spirit. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

SIGNS  OF  THE  PRESENCE  OF  THE  HOLY  SPIRIT  IN  US. 
The  Comforter  will  reprove  the  world. — Johx  16  :  8. 


WHEX  the  Holy  Spirit  enters  into 
our  soul;  that  is  to  say,  man- 
ifests his  presence  by  his  operations, 
in  the  first  place,  he  forthwith  re- 
proves in  us  everything  that  is  not 
divine,  such  as  the  lust  of  the  flesh, 
and  the  lust  of  the  eyes,  and  the  pride 
of  life  (I  John  2  :  16),  giving  us  a  sort 
of  loathing  and  abhorrence  of  them. 
Whosoever,  therefore,  lives  a  carnal 
life,  without  such  inward  admonition 
of  the  Holy  Spirit,  may  assure  himself 
that  that  Spirit  is  not  in  him;  inas- 
much as  it  is  peculiarly  his  office  and 
character,  at  all  times,  to  persuade, 
draw,  and  invite  every  one  that  will 
give  him  room  to  act  freely,  to  the 
duties  of  a  Christian  life.  Thus  the 
Holy  Spirit  reproves  sin.  But  every- 
thing is  sin,  that  opposes  our  obe- 
dience to  the  will  of  God.    And  every 


such  act  of  disobedience,  or  inclination 
to  it,  the  Holy  Spirit  reproves  wher- 
ever he  enters. 

2.  Hence,  in  the  second  place,  arise 
spiritual  sadness,  grief,  and  inward 
terrors  of  mind.  Of  this  the  children 
of  this  world  have  little  experience, 
though  it  is  one  of  the  surest  signs  of 
the  presence  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  the 
soul.  But  they  that  are  utter  stran- 
gers to  this  godly  sorrow,  who  run  on 
with  delight  and  satisfixction  in  the 
way  of  the  world,  upon  whom  all 
things  smile,  and  who  find  here  their 
enjoj'ment,  and  never  meet  with  any 
cross ;  these  men,  I  say,  are  in  a  very 
dangerous  state,  and,  being  destitute 
of  God's  Spirit,  are  without  God  in 
the  world.  On  the  contrary,  they 
that  are  afflicted  of  God,  and  are  re- 
proved in  their  consciences  by  the 


410 


TP.UE  CnmSTIANITY. 


[Book  HI. 


Spirit  of  God  for  every  act  of  diso- 
bedience to  his  will;  and  are  led  in 
the  wa}^  of  the  cross,  being  brought 
under  the  discipline  and  correction  of 
wisdom,  are  those  in  whom  the  Spirit 
of  God  prepareth  himself  an  habita- 
tion. And  this  is  the  second  sign  of 
the  presence  in  us,  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 

3.  The  third  sign  is,  that  the  Divine 
Spirit  takes  away  from  us  all  the 
glorj'  of  our  ow^n  merit  and  righteous- 
ness, 60  that  before  the  righteousness 
of  God  it  falls  as  a  flower  of  the  field, 
and  withers  as  grass,  when  the  sj)irit 
of  the  Lord  bloweth  upon  it.  Isa.  40  : 
6,  7.  For  the  Spirit  of  Christ  shows 
us  that  we  have  no  other  solid  and 
stable  foundation  upon  which  to  rest, 
but  the  merits  and  righteousness  of 
Jesus  Christ.  "  Woe  to  our  own 
righteousness/'  saith  St.  Augustine, 
"if  it  were  to  be  tried  and  judged 
without  mercy  by  God."  For  this 
reason  Isaiah  compares  it  to  "  filthy 
rags."  Isa.  64 :  6. 


4.  The  fourth  token  of  the  presence 
of  God's  Spirit,  is  when  a  man  looks 
upon  his  neighbor's  faults  with  com- 
passion, not  rudely  censuring  or  con- 
demning him.  For  a  haughty  desiro 
to  judge  others  is  diabolical,  proceed- 
ing from  nothing  but  pride,  contempt 
of  our  neighbor,  and  admiration  of 
ourselves.  And  where  these  reign 
the  Holy  Spirit  cannot  abide;  but 
wheresoever  He  is,  there  a  man  is 
careful — 1.  Not  to  reprove  his  neigh- 
bor but  upon  urgent  necessity.  2.  To 
do  it  in  the  proper  time  and  place, 
after  the  example  of  our  blessed  Lord. 
3.  Not  to  do  it  in  severe  terms,  but 
with  meekness  and  humanit3^  4.  Not 
to  despise  his  neighbor,  nor  expose 
him  to  the  scorn  and  contempt  of 
others,  but  to  do  all  from  a  pure  prin- 
ciple of  charity.  Let  these  things 
sink  deeply  into  thy  heart,  that  thou 
maycst  abide  in  humility,  and  in  the 
grace  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  that  he 
may  dwell  in  thee. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

SHOWING  HOW  WORLDLY  PLEASURES  DRIVE  AWAY  THE  HOLY  SPIRIT. 
Abstain  from  Jleshly  lusts,  which  war  against  the  soul. — 1  Peter  2  :  11. 


THE  children  of  this  world  earn- 
estlj^  follow  the  joys  and  pleas- 
ures of  it,  which  the  children  of  God 
avoid  with  all  diligence,  as  so  many 
snares  and  temptations  of  the  devil, 
designed  to  draw  them  from  God, 
their  sovereign  Good.  If  thou,  O 
Christian,  resolve  to  preserve  this 
most  valuable  treasure,  be  careful  to 
avoid  all  occasions  of  losing  it.  Of 
this  sort  are  all  so-called  sports,  pas- 


times, and  recreations,  or  those  ac- 
tions which  do  not  in  some  way  tend 
to  the  glory  of  God,  and  the  good  of 
our  neighbor.  And  though  thou  art 
sometimes  forced  to  be  present  at 
them,  yet  be  then  careful  to  turn  thy 
thoughts  inward,  by  an  elevation  of 
thy  heart  to  God ;  and  so  thou  shalt 
never  lose  the  comfort  and  peace  of 
the  divine  presence  wheresoever  thou 
art.    And  whilst  thou  art  faithful  in 


Chap.  XVIII] 


TRVE  CIIEISTIANITY. 


411 


this  exorcise,  tlie  world  and  all  its 
vanities  shall  not  hurt  thee.  This 
was  queen  Esther's  case,  who,  though 
outwardly  clothed  witli  roj'al  orna- 
ments, 3'et  was  in  wardly  clothed  with 
profound  humility.  Thus  David,  in 
the  midst  of  his  glory  and  riches,  had, 
nevertheless,  humble  thoughts  of  him- 
self 2  Sam.  6:22.  And  Joseph,  in 
his  master's  house,  which  was  full  of 
luxury,  3^et  preserved  a  chaste  heart. 
Gen.  39  :  9.  And  this  is  that  true  fear 
of  God  which  keeps  his  faithful  ser- 
vants from  the  world  and  all  its  vani- 
ties, that  they  lose  not  their  inward 
jo}^  and  peace  of  conscience.  This 
"fear  of  the  Lord  is  the  beginning  of 
wisdom."  Ps.  Ill :  10.  lie  that  is  en- 
dued with  it  will  not  turn  himself  to 
the  world,  but  from  the  w^orld  to  God, 
seeking  contentment,  joy,  and  peace 
in  Him.  This,  in  short,  is  the  fruit 
of  true  contrition  ;  to  turn  us  away 
from  all  things  which  are  not  God.  or 
do  not  tend  to  him ;  and  to  turn  us  to 
that  chief  and  true  Good,  which  is 
God.  If  we  are  inwardly  conscious 
that  we  have  hitherto  neglected  this 
useful  exercise,  and  have  been  im- 
mersed in  the  vanities  of  the  world, 
let  the  remainder  of  our  lives  be  spent 
in  bewailing  and  lamenting  our  past 
transgressions,  and  in  forsaking  and 
guarding  against  every  approach  to- 
wards them.  If  we  do  this,  God  will 
not  remember  how  great  sinners  we 
have  been,  but  will  rejoice  at  our  re- 
pentance, not  regarding  our  former 
iniquities,  but  our  present  faith  and 
earnest  desires  of  serving  God  more 
faithfull}' than  hitherto  we  have  done. 
But  though  God  so  earnestly  desires 
our  salvation,  yet  too  many,  by  turn- 
ing from  h\m  to  the  world,  resist  his 


grace  and  force  him  out  of  their 
hearts,  notwithstanding  all  his  gra- 
cious endeavors  to  continue  there. 

2.  Therefore  it  is  necessary  that 
every  man  should  die  to  the  world, 
that  would  live  to  God;  wherice  it  ap- 
pears that  the  major  part  of  mankind 
are  at  enmity  with  God.  Alas!  how 
many  mortifications  of  the  flesh  must 
we  undergo  before  our  corrupt  na- 
ture, both  externally  and  internally, 
is  perfectly  slain  in  us,  and  the  life  of 
God  succeed  in  its  place.  Kow  crosses 
and  trials  are  as  so  many  remedies 
applied  to  our  corruption,  in  order  to 
drive  out  of  us  the  poison  of  sin,  and 
restore  us  to  the  life  of  God.  Whence 
it  appears,  that  the  benefit  of  afllic- 
tions  is  very  great,  and  that  we  ought 
to  meet  them  with  contentment  and 
joy,  as  the  means  of  purifying  our 
corrupt  nature,  and  bringing  us  to  a 
participation  of  the  divine  nature. 
This  it  is  which  brings  us  to  the  no- 
blest exercise  of  Christian  duty, 
namely,  dying  to  the  world,  in  pros- 
perit}"  and  adversity,  in  silence  and 
hope,  secretly  and  inwardly,  without 
the  least  murmur  or  complaint.  They 
who  fret,  repine,  or  complain,  discover 
plainly  that  they  are  unwilling  to  die 
to  the  world,  and  that  they  have  but 
little  of  the  divine  light  in  their  souls. 
God  cannot  live  in  the  soul  which  is 
not  dead  to  the  world ;  for  the  more 
we  live  after  the  lusts  of  corrupt  na- 
ture, the  less  w^e  live  unto  God  and 
his  holy  will.  On  the  other  hand,  the 
less  we  live  to  the  flesh,  so  much  the 
more  we  live  unto  God.  Let  this, 
then,  be  our  certain  rule,  that  he  that 
would  live  to  the  Spirit,  must  die  to 
the  flesh.  Eom.  8:  13. 


412 


TEUE  OHEISTIANITY. 


[Book  III. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

OF   INWARD    PRAYER,  AND   OF    THE    TRUE    USE    OF    THE    LORD's  PRAYER. 
Ye  have  received  the  spirit  of  adoption,  whereby  we  cry,  Abba,  Father. — Rom.  8  :  15. 


AS  God  operates  eminently  in  hum- 
ble souls ;  so  the  Holy  Spirit  par- 
ticularly works  in  them  the  gift  of 
filial  prayer.  Without  the  Spirit  of 
God  there  is  do  true  prayer;  for  he  it 
is  that  cries  and  groans  in  the  soul, 
being,  as  it  were,  its  life.  Eom.  8 :  26 ; 
Gal.  4  :  6.  For  as  the  soul  is  the  life 
of  our  bod}',  so  is  the  Spirit  of  God 
the  life  of  the  soul,  being  the  source 
of  all  its  spiritual  life  and  strength. 
This  Holy  Si)irit  is  also  the  witness  of 
our  adoption  and  regeneration  ;  and  he 
w^ho  knows  how  to  use  these  as  he 
ought,  relying,  b}^  faith  in  Christ  and 
love  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  upon  the  eter- 
nal love  of  his  heavenly  Father,  will 
ask  for,  and  receive  great  and  heavenly 
gifts.  For  so  great  is  the  love,  so  abun- 
dant the  goodness  of  God,  that  he  can 
deny  nothing  to  his  children,  who  ask 
in  faith.  But  as  even  faith  and  prayer 
are  the  work  and  gift  of  God,  so  we 
must  daily  apply  ourselves  to  Him  for 
the  same.  Hence  arises  the  true  in- 
ternal prayer  of  the  heart,  from  a  true 
conversion  and  inclination  of  our  souls 
and  affections  to  God.  This  inward 
prayer  pierces  the  heavens,  whilst  a 
man  walking  in  the  steps  of  his  Sa- 
viour, freely  and  cheerfully  takes  up 
his  cross  and  follows  him;  not  like 
Simon  the  C3'renian,  who  bore,  in- 
deed, the  cross,  but  it  was  because  he 
w^as  compelled  to  do  it.  Matt.  27:  32. 
So  great  is  the  love  of  God,  that  he 
does  not  stay  for  cm"  prayers;  but 
comes  forth  freely  to  meet  us,  and 
courts  our  friendship,  entreating  us  to 


ask  pardon  for  our  sins,  and  to  prac- 
tise the  same  love  towards  our  nei<rb- 
bors  which  he  shows  towards  us.  Hap- 
py is  he,  who  trulj^  knows,  understands, 
and  meditates  on  this  boundless  love 
of  God  in  Jesus  Christ.  Such  a  man 
praj's  more  effectually  in  his  heart, 
than  if  he  used  the  most  perfect  form 
of  words.  One  single  meditation  or 
devout  sigh  offered  up  to  God  by  Jesus 
Christ,  in  faith,  love,  and  devotion,  is 
more  acceptable  to  God,  than  all  the 
l^arade  of  external  worship. 

2.  The  whole  life  of  a  Christian  ought 
to  be  spent  in  the  exercise  of  love,  and 
in  the  imitation  of  his  crucified  Lord. 
He  properly  is  a  Christian,  who  does 
all  things  from  a  principle  of  divine 
charity,  and  is  transformed  by  it  into 
the  nature  of  Christ.  And  can  God 
deny  anything  to  so  dutiful,  loving, 
and  obedient  a  child  when  he  prays? 
No,  surely.  But  that  we  might  know 
how  and  for  what  we  ought  to  ask, 
Christ  has  taught  us  the  Lord's  Prayer, 
a  prayer  full  of  petitions  for  the  most 
exalted  blessings.  Can  there  be  a 
greater  good  than  the  kingdom  of 
God  ?  For  he  himself  is  his  own  king- 
dom, extending  to  all  rational  crea- 
tures. So  that  when  we  pray,  "  Thy 
kingdom  come,"  we  pray  that  God 
would  please  to  bestow  Himself  upon 
us,  with  all  the  riches  and  blessings  of 
his  presence.  In  this  kingdom,  there- 
fore, God  is  our  Father,  manifesting 
his  paternal  love  and  faithfulness  to 
his  children,  by  erecting  his  kingdom 
in  us,  that  therein  he  may  perfect  his 


Chap.  XIX.] 


TEUE  CKRISTIAlSriTY. 


413 


most  noble  work  in  iis,  expressed  in 
thispetition,  "Hallowed  bethyname;" 
which  is  done  when  the  dignity  and 
excellency  of  the  divine  name  and  na- 
ture are  more  deeply  discovered  in  the 
soul. 

3.  In  this  kingdom,  which  is  within 
us,  he  works  his  own  will,  without 
any  impediment.  And  so  his  "  will  is 
done  in  earth,"  namely,  in  us,  '^as  it 
is  in  heaven,"  that  is,  in  God  himself. 
Hence  we  understand,  that  what  God 
desires  to  bestow,  and  has  commanded 
us  to  pray  for,  is  nothing  less  than 
Himself  This  was  the  promise  that 
he  made  to  Abraham,  "  I  am  thy 
shield,  and  thy  exceeding  great  re- 
ward." Gen.  15  :  1.  Moreover,  our 
Heavenly  Father  gives  us  "  our  daily 
bread;"  that  is,  he  appropriates  all  his 
creatures  to  our  use,  testifying  thereby 
the  greatness  of  his  love  towards  us. 
For  the  heart  that  is  truly  devoted  to 
God,  and  in  which  he  freely  executes 
his  own  will,  is  capable  of  receiving 
the  fulness  of  his  grace  and  blessings. 
So  great  are  the  goodness,  love,  and 
mercy  of  God,  that  he  can  deny  us 
nothing  that  is  necessary  either  for  the 
body  or  the  soul ;  and  he  best  knows 
our  necessities.  For  this  end  he  is 
daily  setting  our  sins  and  miseries  be- 
fore our  eyes,  teaching  us  to  abase  our- 
selves before  him,  and  to  pray  :  "  For- 
give us  our  trespasses,  as  we  forgive 
them  that  trespass  against  us."  For 
so  compassionate  is  God,  that  he  freely 
offers  us  forgiveness  of  sins,  and  teaches 
us  how  to  ask  it  from  the  heart;  that 


thereby  we  may  be  assured,  that  he  is 
more  ready  to  forgive,  than  we  are  to 
ask  it  j  and  that  we  may  thence  learn 
to  exercise  the  same  kindness  towards 
our  neighbor,  that  He  exercises  to- 
wards us.  For  they  that  are  truly  the 
children  of  God,  exclude  no  man  from 
their  charity,  or  from  the  love  of  God. 
They  have  nothing  more  at  heart,  than 
the  glory  of  God,  the  increase  of  his 
kingdom,  and  the  salvation  of  all  men. 
By  this  acknowledgment  of  sin,  and 
petition  for  pardon,  the  Christian  is 
taught,  that  in  his  natural  state  he  is 
without  God  and  his  kingdom;  void 
of  comfort,  poor  and  miserable.  And, 
therefore,  he  is  taught  to  pray,  "Lead 
us  not  into  temptation,"  by  which  the 
devil  endeavors  to  draw  us  from  the 
will  and  kingdom  of  God;  but  that  he 
would  "deliver  us  from  evil,"  that  is, 
from  our  own  evil  will  and  corrupt 
nature,  which  hinder  the  accomplish- 
ment of  God's  will,  and  the  erecting 
of  his  kingdom  in  us,  and  deprive  him 
of  the  honor  due  unto  his  name.  "  For 
thine  is  the  kingdom,  the  power  and 
the  glory,  for  ever  and  ever.  Amen." 
Whilst  we  receive  these  as  cominoj 
from  him  alone,  they  still  continue  to 
be  his.  But  if  we  do  not  ascribe  them 
to  Ilim  alone,  we  exclude  ourselves 
from  his  kingdom,  his  power,  and  his 
glor}^,  not  worthil}^  sanctifying  his 
name,  nor  obeying  his  will.  And 
hence  it  follows,  that  we  also  are  out 
of  his  kingdom,  and  so  have  no  title  to 
remission  of  sins  and  deliverance  from 
evil. 


414 


TRUE  CIirJSTIANITY. 


[Book  TIL 


CHAPTER  XX. 


SnOWING  THAT  HUMILITY  MUST  FIRST  BE  LAID  AS  A  FOUNDATION  IN  THE  HEART, 
AND  ALL  OUR  WORKS  MUST  REST  ON  IT;    ITS  BLESSED  INFLUENCES. 

Be  clothed  with  humility/. — 1  Peter  5  :  5. 


IF  thoii  wouldst  build  for  eternity, 
let  thy  foundation  be  humility; 
for  no  man  can  of  himself  do  any- 
thing. Wherefore,  in  all  thine  under- 
takings, humble  thj'self  before  God, 
the  overflowing  fountain  of  grace  and 
mercy,  and  pray  devoutly  for  his  di- 
rection and  assistance,  that  all  thy 
labors  may  be  entirely  directed  to  the 
praise,  and  honor,  and  glory  of  God  ; 
and  remember  this,  that  w^hatsoever 
thou  cloest  without  the  grace  of  God, 
can  tend  to  nothincr  but  sin  and  de- 
struction.  lie  that  carefully  attends 
to  this,  submitting  himself  entirely  to 
the  divine  will,  silently  and  humbly 
deploring  his  own  weakness  and  vile- 
ness,  and  by  ardent  love  devoting 
himself  to  God,  shall  experience  in  all 
the  powers  of  his  soul  the  wonderful 
works  of  God;  while,  on  the  contrarj^, 
pride  is  that  vice  which  makes  all  our 
works  vile  and  abominable  in  the  sight 
of  God. 

2.  And  alas!  why  are  dust  and  ashes 
proud  ?  If  we  look  into  our  original, 
we  were  created  out  of  nothing;  of 
ourselves  we  are  nothing,  more  fleet- 
ing than  a  vain  shadow;  so  corrupt 
that  nothing  but  the  grace  of  God  re- 
strains us  from  falling  into  the  gross- 
est sins,  and  sinking  into  the  lowest 
pit  of  destruction.  AVe  are  perpetually 
exposed  to  the  assaults  of  the  devil, 
agoinst  whom  we  have  no  security  but 
in  humility.  For  this  evil  spirit,  pufl'ed 
up  with  pride,  has  all  imaginable  ad- 
vantages over  the  proud  man;  but 


flies  from  the  meek  and  humble.  Pride 
has  its  root  in  Satan;  but  so  long  as 
thou  canst  preserve  thy  humility, 
turning  thj^sclf  to  God  from  all  thine 
iniquities,  so  long  he  can  have  no 
power  over  thee.  Uow  lamentable  a 
thing  is  it  then,  to  see  a  Christian, 
furnished  with  the  Word  and  Spirit 
of  God,  so  tamely  give  himself  up  to 
the  devil.  Such  u  one  is  like  a  cow- 
ardly soldier,  who,  though  armed  from 
head  to  foot,  should  suffer  himself  to 
be  stung  to  death  by  a  wasp.  So 
powerful  is  the  grace  of  God  in  hum- 
ble souls,  that  if  they  will  be  true  to 
themselves  the  devil  can  have  no 
power  over  them.  And  if  thou  suffer 
thyself  to  be  thus  shamefully  foiled, 
notwithstanding  all  the  assistance  of- 
fered to  thee,  what  canst  thou  expect 
at  the  last  day  but  the  insults  of  those 
very  evil  spirits  to  whom  thou  hast 
given  so  cheap  a  victory.  Consider 
well,  therefore,  what  a  grace  and  bless- 
ing humility  is. 

3.  There  is,  moreover,  in  humble 
souls,  a  perpetual  hungering  and 
thirsting  after  the  grace  of  God, 
which  God  never  fails  to  reward  by 
the  fulness  of  his  blessings,  that  is,  of 
Himself:  for  he  alone  can  satisfy  the 
cravings  of  a  thirsty  soul.  And  on 
this  humility  is  founded  true  repent- 
ance; for  when  a  man  sees  the  vast 
impurity,  the  secret  malice,  the  deep 
corruption  of  his  sinful  heart,  and  be- 
wails all  this  with  sincere  sorrow,  he 
gladly  lays  hold  of  the  free  grace  of 


Chap.  XXI  ] 


TEUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


415 


Christ  by  faith,  and  entirely  resigns 
and  devotes  himself  to  the  will  of  God. 
Such  a  man's  sins  God  freely  pardons, 
and,  as  it  were,  blots  them  out  at  once. 
For  when  a  man  turns  himself  from 
his  sins  unto  God,  God  immediately 
turns  unto  him  and  remembers  his 
trans£»:ressions  no  more. 

4.  Another  property  of  humility  is, 
that  it  cheerfully  receives  every  cross 
sent  from  God  as  a  preparation  for 
greater  gifts;  it  regards  not  the  im- 
mediate agents  by  which  the  man  is 
afflicted,  but  looks  up  to  God  from 
whom  afflictions  come.  The  humble 
man  rejoices  in  the  cross,  saying: 
"Ilail,  blessed  cross,  unexpected  in- 
deed, but  not  unwelcome.    I  know 


that  it  is  the  will  of  God  by  thee  to 
sanctify  and  consecrate  me  to  Him- 
self." And,  lastly,  humility  keeps  a 
man  in  peace  of  mind,  as  well  in  ad- 
versity as  in  prosperity,  as  well  under 
the  w^ant,  as  in  the  abundance  of  the 
gifts  and  blessings  of  God.  So  that 
the  truly  humble  man  is  always  easy, 
w^hether  it  please  God  to  give  or 
take  away,  and  nothing  can  happen 
to  him,  to  exalt  or  deject  him  above 
measure.  In  him  the  wonders  of  di- 
vine grace  manifest  themselves.  And 
whereas  he  before  lived  and  acted  by 
his  own  strength,  he  is  nov\^  supported 
by  God,  and  in  and  through  Ilim  pro- 
duces fruit  abundantly. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

SUOWING  THAT  A  MAN  OUGHT  TO  REST  IN  GOD  ALONE,  AND  NOT  IN  HIS  GIFTS; 
AND  THAT  HE  MUST  DENY  HIMSELF. 


Be  glad  in  the  Lord,  and  rejoice,  ye  righteous. — Ps.  32  :  11. 


THE  genuine  love  of  God  proposes 
God  alone  for  its  end.  It  de- 
lights not  in  the  creatures,  but  in  that 
supreme,  eternal,  and  uncreated  Good, 
whence  they  proceeded;  and  this  not 
only  outwardly,  but  even  in  the  very 
bottom  of  the  soul.  For  the  soul,  be- 
sides its  natural  powers,  by  v>'hich  it 
gives  life  and  motion  to  the  body,  has 
a  deep  and  central  essence,  having  no 
relation  to  the  creature.  This  is  the 
seat  and  city  of  God,  abstracted  from 
all  external  and  earthly  things ;  here 
the  Holy  Spirit  pours  out  his  gifts 
through  all  the  faculties  of  the  soul, 
in  the  different  manifestations  of  wis- 
dom, understanding,  and  knowledge. 
But  when  corrupt  nature  begins  to 


delight  itself  inordinately  with  these 
visitations,  loving  the  gifts  more  than 
t he  G  iv er ,  i  t  i  m m cd la t ely  p ol  1  u t cs  t h em 
by  corrupt  mixtures  of  self-love.  All 
the  love  and  joy  which  result  thence, 
are  blind,  vicious,  and  deceitful.  For 
as  the  gifts  of  God  are  not  God  him- 
self, so  we  must  not  place  the  same 
love  upon  both.  Most  men  rest  in  the 
gifts  of  God,  and  upon  the  least  per- 
ception of  divine  light  in  the  under- 
standing, or  warmth  in  the  affections, 
imas-ine  themselves  at  the  summit  of 
perfection  ;  not  considering  that  they 
are  yet  far  short  of  it.  Man  was  made 
for  greater  things,  even  to  receive  God 
into  the  soul;  and  God  is  displeased  if 
we  stop  short  of  this.    There  is  noth- 


416 


TEUE  CIIEISTIAI^ITY. 


[Book  III. 


ing  ho  so  much  desires  as  to  bestow 
himself  upon  us,  and  that  after  the 
most  exalted  and  glorious  way;  and 
certainly  the  least  we  can  do  in  re- 
turn is  thankfully  to  accept  this  di- 
vine love,  and  to  delight  in  God  alone. 

2.  But  so  corrupt  is  human  nature, 
and  so  addicted  to  self-love,  that  it 
catches  greedily  at  everything  that 
may  gratify  its  passions,  placing  its 
happiness  in  those  delights,  which,  like 
Jonah's  gourd,  perish  in  the  enjoy- 
ment. This  satisfaction,  though  in  the 
gifts  of  God,  defiles  them,  and  hinders 
His  operations  in  us.  So  great,  and 
80  deep,  is  the  corruption  of  our  na- 
ture, introduced  by  Original  Sin,  that 
scarce  one  in  a  thousand  can  know  his 
secret  faults.  l\s.  19  :  12.  Hence  pro- 
ceeds that  inordinate  love  which  men 
have  for  themselves  more  than  for 


God.  This  abyss  of  corruption,  the 
most  learned  men  could  never  fully 
fathom  nor  explain  :  and  yet  much 
more  difficult  is  it  to  root  it  out  of  hu- 
man nature.  This  rooting  it  out  is  the 
denying  of  ourselves,  required  by  our 
blessed  Lord,  if  wo  will  be  his  disciples. 
Matt.  IG  :  24.  And  yet  it  is  much 
easier  to  forsake  all  earthlv  things, 
gold,  silver,  houses,  and  estates,  than 
to  forsake  one's  self :  so  deeply  is  this 
poison  rooted  in  our  nature !  But  as 
this  self-denial  is  absolutel}'  necessary, 
so  God  disposes  and  prepares  us  for  it 
by  various  tribulations.  This  is  the 
only  end  of  all  the  crosses  and  afflic- 
tions, inward  or  outward,  spiritual  or 
bodily,  with  which  he  is  pleased  to 
visit  us;  namely,  to  bring  us  to  the 
practice  of  self-denial. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

SHOWING  HOW  OUR  WORKS  MAY  EE  RENDERED  ACCEPTABLE  TO  GOD. 
Delight  thyself  in  ihe  Lord ;  and  he  shall  give  thee  the  desires  of  thine  heart. — Ps.  37  :  4, 


AS  man  in  his  natural  state  is  ob- 
noxious to  the  w^rath  of  God 
(Eph.  2  :  o),  it  follows,  that  all  his 
natural  works,  how  great  and  good 
soever  they  may  appear  in  the  eye  of 
the  world,  are  subject  to  it  likewise. 
For,  without  the  grace  of  God,  we  can 
do  nothing  that  is  acceptable  in  his 
sight;  but  if  a  man  be  in  a  state  of 
grace,  then  all  his  works  are  accept- 
able to  God ;  because  it  is  the  grace 
of  God  which  works  them  in  him. 

2.  Whence  it  appears,  that  all  man- 
ner of  gifts  whatsoever,  as  St.  Paul 
assures  us,  are  to  be  ascribed  to  the 
grace  of  God,  not  to  ourselves  (1  Cor. 


15  : 10),  and  that  by  our  own  works 
we  can  never  be  justified  or  saved. 
For  though  a  man  should  suffer  ail  the 
pains  of  martyrdom;  though  he  should 
perform  all  the  good  actions  that  were 
ever  done  by  all  the  saints  from  the 
beginning  of  the  world,  or  that  ever 
shall  bo  done;  though  he  should  feed 
upon  nothing  but  thorns,  and  suffer 
death,  not  once,  but  ever}'-  day;  yet 
could  he  not  thereby,  of  himself,  be 
able  to  procure  the  least  grace.  De- 
pend not  then  upon  thine  own  works, 
but  upon  the  infinite  mercies  of  God 
in  Jesus  Christ,  with  a  resigned  and 
humble  spirit ;  and  then  be  confident, 


Chap.  XXII.] 


TEUE  CHKISTIANITY. 


417 


that  the  same  Jesus  will,  of  his  free 
love  and  mercy,  give  thee  whatever 
he  shall  see  expedient  for  thee.  This 
is  the  meaning  of  the  saying  of  our 
Lord,  "  W lien  ye  shall  have  done  all 
those  things  which  are  commanded 
you,  say,  We  are  unprofitable  ser- 
vants." Luke  17  :  10.  O  merciful  God  ! 
how  poor,  how  worthless  in  thy  sight 
is  our  righteousness ;  it  is  no  better 
than  "  filthy  rags."  Isa.  64  :  6.  For  all 
the  works  of  good  men  would  be  of  no 
value  for  our  justification.  Enter  then 
into  thy  purchased  inheritance  by  the 
surest  gate,  even  the  meritorious  work 
of  thy  blessed  Saviour.  Offer  up  to 
God  his  passion,  for  the  punishments 
which  thou  bast  deserved;  his  holy 
thoughts,  for  thy  polluted  imagina- 
tions; his  many  divine  words,  for  thy 
vain  speeches;  in  a  word,  all  his  w^orks, 
his  poverty,  his  patience,  his  meekness 
and  charity,  for  all  thy  defects  and 
omissions.  Keep  thine  eyes  fixed  on 
the  blessed  Jesus,  and  thou  shalt  ob- 
tain grace  and  favor  with  God.  With 
the  Prodigal  Son  (Luke  15  :  20),  re- 
turn to  thy  oflPended  Father,  and  he 
will  receive  and  embrace  thee.  His 
mercies  are  unchangeably  the  same, 
ready  to  be  communicated  to  every 
sincere  penitent.  This  he  freely  offers 
to  all,  and  nothing  is  more  agreeable 
to  him,  than  to  show  mercy  to  him 
that  asks  it  in  faith.  For  his  hand 
is  not  shortened,  that  it  cannot  save." 
Isa.  59  : 1.  And  the  more  wretched 
and  miserable  thou  appearest  in  his 
sight,  the  more  welcome  shalt  thou  be 
to  Him,  who  is  desirous  to  enrich  thee 
out  of  his  own  treasures.  The  sins  of 
the  whole  world,  bear  no  more  pro- 
;  portion  to  his  infinite  mercies,  than  a 
single  drop  of  water  does  to  the  vast 
'  ocean.  But  as  soon  as  thou  art  in  a 
I  state  of  grace,  all  thy  works  wrought 
'   hence  in  thee,  shall  be  made  accept- 


able to  God,  through  his  only  begotten 
Son,  by  whom  alone  we  have  access 
to  his  mercies.  In  this  faith,  in  this 
union  with  the  Son  of  God,  thou  shalt 
live.  He  is  that  living  fountain  that 
purifies  all  our  uncleanness,  and  makes 
all  our  works  acceptable  in  his  sight. 
Zech.  13:1. 

3.  But  still  take  heed  to  thj'self,  and 
remember  that  thou  rest  not  even  in 
thy  spiritual  privileges,  w^hich,  as  a 
child  of  God,  are  bestow^ed  upon  thee, 
but  in  God  alone,  the  author  and  giver 
of  them.  Hence  we  are  commanded, 
"to  delight  in  the  Lord"  (Ps.  37:4); 
not  in  his  gifts,  but  in  his  glory;  that 
his  will  may  be  perfected  in  us.  We 
must  then  refer  all  our  gifts  and  graces 
totheir  munificent  donor,  even  God.  In 
order  to  use  them  aright,  let  this  rule 
be  deeply  fixed  in  our  minds.  If  thou 
hadst  all  the  gifts  and  graces  which 
God  has  bestowed,  either  in  heaven, 
or  on  earth,  with  the  good  works  of 
all  the  saints  that  have  ever  lived ;  as 
soon  as  thou  beginnest  to  take  an  in- 
ordinate pleasure  in  them,  and  to  de- 
light in  them  as  a  propert}"  of  thine 
own,  they  are  immediately  defiled  with 
the  stain  and  guilt  of  idolatry.  For 
there  is  nothing  either  in  heaven  or 
earth,  in  which  we  ought  to  rest,  but 
God  alone.  And  when  we  do  this, 
then  God  himself  is  our  joy,  our  de- 
liirht,  our  rest,  our  fulness,  our  treas- 
ure,  and  our  refuge;  and  in  this  con- 
sists the  fulness  of  blessing;  we  then 
become  proper  vessels  of  divine  grace. 
For  in  proud  spirits,  w^hich  are  the 
organs  of  the  devil,  God  cannot  oper- 
ate ;  but  "  he  giveth  grace  to  the  hum- 
ble," as  St.  Peter  tells  us  (1  Pet.  5  :  5), 
and  filleth  their  souls  with  his  treas- 
ures. Inward  pride  is  the  fruitful  root 
of  all  vices.  By  this  the  devil  keeps 
his  strongholds  in  the  soul,  which  God 
alone  has  a  right  to  inhabit.  The  vine,  . 

27 


418 


TEUE  CnmSTIANITY. 


[Book  IIL 


as  to  its  outward  form,  seems  to  be  but 
a  useless  plant,  fit  for  nothing  but  the 
fire ;  and  yet,  under  that  mean  outside, 
conceals  veins  of  most  generous  juice. 
So  it  is  with  all  those  godly  persons, 
through  whom  the  Spirit  of  God  oper- 
ates :  they  appear  in  the  sight  of  men 
as  vile  and  contemptible  persons ; 
their  appearance  is  humble,  and  void 
of  external  grandeur ;  but  within,  they 
arc  full  of  invaluable  treasures,  even 
living  streams  of  blessing  flowing  in- 
cessantly from  the  throne  and  presence 
of  God.  But  they  who  are  puffed  up 
with  their  gills,  who  make  a  show  of 
their  alms,  who  build  altars  in  churches 
at  their  own  cost,  adorning  them  with 
their  own  names,  arms,  and  titles  of 
honor;  these,  by  displaying  so  indus- 
triously their  good  deeds  to  the  world, 
have  indeed  received  their  reward. 
In  the  same  unhappy  state  also  are 
they,  whose  mouths  are  full  of  their 
own  wants  arid  unworthiness,  contin- 
ually desiring  others  to  pray  for  them  ; 
not  considering  that  other  alms,  pro- 
ceeding from  an  humble,  sincere,  and 
devout  heart,  are  a  more  effectual 
prayer  to  God,  than  are  all  the  inter- 
cessions of  persons  who  know  that 
these  alms  are  given  only  for  display. 

4.  If,  then,  thou  wouldest  have  thy 
works  to  be  sincere  and  acceptable  be- 
fore God,  observe  carefully  these  four 
general  rules:  1.  Think  humbly  of  all 
thine  actions,  not  respecting  thyself, 
but  God  alone.  2.  Let  this  humility 
be  deeply  rooted  in  thy  soul,  humbling 
th3'Self  not  only  under  the  hand  of 
God,  but  under  every  man,  whether 
small  or  great,  from  a  hearty  sense  of 
thine  own  unworthiness.  3.  Look 
•  upon  all  that  thou  doest  as  unprofit- 
able and  worthless.  4.  Have  a  pro- 
found dread  of  the  secret  judgment 
of  God,  not,  indeed,  as  proceeding 
•  from  any  doubts  about  the  mercies  of 


God;  but,  regarding  him  as  thy  best 
friend,  be  careful  to  avoid  everything 
that  may  disoblige  or  offend  him.  lie 
that  despises  these  four  rules,  renders 
even  his  best  actions  impure  in  the 
sight  of  God.  But  he  that  carefully 
attends  to  them  as  the  rules  of  action, 
shall  be  like  a  green  olive  tree  in  the 
house  of  his  God,  bearing  good  fruit 
abundantly.  Ps.  52  :  8. 

5.  And  we  must  observe  that  even 
the  most  inconsiderable  thing  thoa 
doest,  if  it  promote  the  good  of  thy 
neighbor,  is  acceptable  to  God;  whilst 
he  that  employs  not  his  talent  to  that 
end,  shall  have  a  serious  account  to 
give  at  the  last  day.  This  is  the  only 
use  and  end  of  God's  gifts,  that  we 
should  readily  and  industriously  em- 
ploy them  for  the  benefit  of  others. 
Every  action,  art,  employment,  and 
profession,  were  given  by  God  for  this 
only  end.  And  these  are  the  works 
which,  as  our  Lord  tells  us,  "are 
wrought  in  God"  (John  3:21);  that 
is,  in  faith  and  charity,  directed  solely 
to  the  glory  of  God  and  the  benefit  of 
our  neighbor,  without  any  prospect 
of  honor  or  advantage  to  ourselves, 
of  which  ever}'-  man's  own  conscience 
is  the  proper  judge.  Consider  then 
carefully  w'ith  thyself  the  spring  and 
motives  of  all  thy  actions,  remember- 
ing that  if  thou  neglect  or  refuse  to 
employ  the  blessings  of  God  for  thy 
neighbor's  benefit,  thou  must  have  the 
same  punishment,  with  the  slothful 
servant,  who  was  deprived  of  his  tal- 
ent which  he  had  hid  in  the  ground, 
and  not  employed,  and  saw  it  given 
to  another  that  better  knew  how  to 
use  it.  Matt.  25:26.  Thus  thou  losest 
both  the  gift  and  the  grace.  No  less 
foolish  are  they  Avho  pretend  to 
things  above  their  strength,  who  talk 
eloquently  and  fluently  of  what  they 
neither    practise    nor  understand. 


Chap.  XXIII.] 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


419 


Though  these  should  confidently  pre- 
tend to  speak  by  the  authority  of  the 
blessed  Trinity,  yet  is  all  this  nothing 
but  empty  boasting,  unless  they  de- 
monstrate that  they  experimentally 
know  what  they  so  magisterially  in- 
culcate. 

6.  Ecmember  also,  that  no  actions, 
how  great  and  glorious  soever  in  ap- 
pearance, which  proceed  only  from 
ostentation  and  vainglorj',  can  be 
well  pleasing  to  God.  For  as  is  the 
principle  of  our  actions,  such  are 
also  the  actions  proceeding  from  it. 
Whence  it  follows,  that  such  as  re- 
gard themselves  only,  are  no  better 
than  impostors  and  hyj^ocrites.  Their 
best  works  are  no  better  than  painted 


sepulchres,  which  appear  beautiful 
without,  but  within  are  full  of  noth- 
ing but  corruption.  Tiiere  is  in  them 
no  pure  love  of  God,  no  desire  to  pro- 
mote his  glory;  but  only  a  certain 
carnal  self-love  and  an  insatiable 
thirst  of  vainglorj^. 

7.  The  sum  of  all  is  this,  that  all 
our  works,  how"  specious  soever  they 
may  appear,  if  they  be  directed  to 
any  other  end  but  God,  are  nothing 
but  vanity  and  idolatry.  For  he  is 
truly  an  idolater,  w^ho  proposes  to 
himself  any  other  end  or  aim  but  God. 
Wherefore,  if  thou  hast  any  gifts,  use 
them,  but  take  heed  that  thy  heart 
rest  not  in  them  ;  if  it  so  rest,  thou 
art  guilty  of  idolatry. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

OF  THE  MYSTERY  OF  THE  CROSS,  BY  WHICH  W^E  ARE  DRAWN  TO  GOD. 

He  ihat  taketh  not  his  cross,  and  followeth  after  me,  is  not  worthy  of  me. — Matt.  10  :  38. 


LET  all  that  desire  to  be  the  true 
disciples  and  followers  of  Jesus 
Christ,  bear  their  cross  in  this  world, 
be  it  what  it  may;  for  if  thou  flee 
from  one,  another  will  meet  thee;  and 
do  what  thoQ  wilt,  thou  must  bear  it. 
But  under  every  cross  the  hand  of 
God  is  with  us,  to  lighten  it  and  make 
it  easy,  and  by  his  assistance  we  may 
bear  it  wnth  pleasure.  But  when  God 
withdraws  his  hand,  then,  indeed,  it 
is  a  heavy  burden.  Now  the  Son  of 
God  bore  a  very  heavy  burden,  and 
in  the  most  afflicting  circumstances; 
of  which,  in  their  proportion,  all  his 
true  friends  and  followers  have  been 
partakers.  Words  cannot  express  the 
many  and  great  advantages  that  are 


in  the  cross ;  forasmuch  as  God  lays 
it  upon  us  in  mere  love,  that  he  may 
thereby  draw  us  to  himself,  and  make 
us  "conformable  to  the  image  of  his 
Son  "  (Eom.  8  :  29),  and  partakers  of 
eternal  happiness.  The  wounds  in 
Christ's  sacred  feet,  should  teach  us 
abstinence  and  patience :  abstinence 
from  carnal  lusts  and  fleshly  pleas- 
ures; and  patience  under  all  afflic- 
tions and  oppositions,  whether  from 
within  or  without.  The  wounds  in 
his  sacred  hands,  should  teach  us  si- 
lence and  contempt  of  worldly  things. 
The  wound  in  his  side,  should  teach 
us  to  deny  ourselves,  and  seek  for 
rest  and  joy  in  Christ  alone.  His 
naked  body  stretched  on  the  cross, 


420 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  III. 


should  continually  put  us  in  mind, 
that  we  must  be  stripped  and  bare  of 
all  created  comforts.  For  as  Christ 
was  fixed  naked  to  the  cross,  and  his 
garments  were  parted  by  lot  before 
his  blessed  eyes  (Ps.  22:18;  Matt. 
27  :  35),  so,  be  assured,  that  if  thou 
art  desirous  of  perfection,  thou  must 
be  stripped  of  everything  which  is 
not  of  God.  And  as  every  cross,  how- 
ever small,  is  laid  upon  thee  by  the 
particular  order  and  direction  of 
Providence,  so  thou  onghtest  to  re- 
ceive it  with  thankfulness.  For  the 
beloved  friends  of  God  have  always 
the  greatest  share  of  afflictions.  The 
devil  always  makes  use  of  our  pros- 
perity, as  the  best  season  and  occa- 
sion of  our  ruin  ;  to  prevent  which,  it 
pleases  God,  in  mere  compassion,  to 
visit  his  children  with  a  variety  of 
crosses  and  afflictions,  thereby  with- 
drawing us  from  the  love  of  the  world, 
and  disappointing  the  malicious  de- 
signs of  the  tempter.  Did  we  but 
know  how  efficacious  the  cross  is  in 
bringing  us  to  God,  driving  away  the 
devil  from  us,  and  entitling  us  to  fu- 
ture glories,  we  should  not  only  ex- 
pect it  with  patience,  but  run  out  vig- 
orously to  meet  it.  For  so  great  is 
the  dignity,  so  transcendent  are  the 
benefits  of  the  cross,  that  God  has  al- 
lotted it  as  the  inseparable  companion 
of  all  his  chosen  servants. 

2.  Did  we  thoroughly  consider  the 
benefits  and  honor  of  the  cross,  we 
should  think  ourselves  unworthy  of  so 
great  a  blessing ;  for  great  is  the  honor 
of  being  made  like  unto  the  Son  of 
God !  He  was  never  acceptable  to  the 
world,  but  was  its  scorn  and  derision. 
But  now,  scarcely  one  Christian  in  a 
thousand  is  come  to  that  perfection,  as 
not  to  desire  to  please  the  world.  He 
that  pleaseth  the  world,  cannot,  how- 
ever, please  God :  and  he  that  is  full 


of  the  world,  is  empty  of  God.  But 
so  far  as  a  man  dies  to  himself  and  the 
world,  so  fiir  is  Christ,  the  true  life, 
advanced  in  him.  No  man  can  please 
God  better  than  by  fully  submitting  lo 
his  will.  If  my  prince  should  like  to 
see  me  in  one  suit  of  clothes  rather 
than  in  any  other,  I  should  certainly 
esteem  it  better  than  the  most  gaudy 
dress.  And  since  my  God  is  better 
pleased  to  see  me  under  the  cross,  I 
ought  certainly  to  prefer  it  to  all  the 
affluence  and  glories  of  the  world. 
But  perhaps  thou  art  in  doubt  with 
thyself,  whether  the  cross  which  thou 
bearest,  has  come  from  God;  if  so,  let 
this  be  the  test:  Whatsoever  thou 
sutferest  for  thine  own  sake,  will  be 
grievous  and  tedious,  but  if  thou  suffer 
for  God's  sake,  thy  cross  will  be  easy, 
for  God  himself  will  lighten  it.  What 
matters  it  then,  whether  thy  load  be  of 
the  weight  of  a  hundred  or  of  a  thou- 
sand pounds,  if  He  but  lend  a  helping 
hand,  and  make  thy  yoke  easy  and  thy 
burden  light.  Matt.  11 :  30.  Where- 
fore, O  Lord,  lay  upon  me  what  bur- 
den thou  pleasest;  only  assist  me  in 
my  weakness  with  the  everlasting 
arms  of  thy  omnipotence  ! — Observe, 
in  the  next  place,  that  the  choicest 
blessings  of  God  are  bestowed  upon  us 
whilst  we  are  under  the  cross;  and 
though  they  are  sometimes  bestowed 
beforehand,  yet  it  is  the  cross  that 
confirms  them  in  the  soul ;  and  as  it 
is  so  very  useful  and  necessary  to  the 
soul,  God  has  given  a  large  share  of 
it  to  his  faithful  friends  and  servants, 
and  particularly  to  his  only  begotten 
Son  Jesus  Christ;  the  advantage  it 
brings  with  it,  making  it  tolerable  and 
easy  to  be  borne.  Devout  men  submit 
themselves  entirely  to  God,  keeping 
their  minds  easy  and  cheerful  under 
all  the  vicissitudes  of  life.  Particu- 
larly, they  take  care  to  preserve  hu- 


Chap.  XXIIL] 


TEUE  CIIKISTIANITY. 


421 


mility,  as  the  best  guard  against  the 
assaults  of  their  spiritual  adversaries. 
Though  God  sent  his  only  Son  into  the 
world,  in  order  to  suffer  in  his  human 
nature,  yet  we  expect  an  exemption 
from  sufferings.  But,  be  assured  that 
if  yoa  would  walk  in  the  same  way, 
and  rest  upon  a  firm  foundation,  you 
must  expect  to  suffer  with  Christ,  and 
in  some  degree  at  least,  to  have  your 
lives  conformable  to  his.  Every  afflic- 
tion, how  small  soever,  is  a  token  of 
divine  love,  commissioned  to  visit  us 
for  our  good.  And  the  united  malice 
of  earth  and  hell  cannot  do  the  least 
hurt  to  a  devout  man  trained  up  in 
sufferings,  and  in  obedience  to  the  dis- 
cipline of  the  cross.  The  more  his 
enemies  assault,  the  higher  is  he  ex- 
alted by  God.  And  though  he  should 
be  thrust  down  into  hell,  yet  even 
there  would  he  meet  his  God,  and  hell 
itself  should  be  a  heaven  and  blessed- 
ness to  him. 

3.  When  God  sees  a  man  too  weak 
for  a  temptation,  he  refreshes  him  a 
little  with  his  consolations,  that  he 
may  not  entirely  sink  under  it:  but  he 
should  know,  that  these  intermissions 
are  only  allowed  him  in  order  to  re- 
cover his  strength,  that  he  may  the 
better  bear  up  against  a  fresh  assault. 
So  it  pleases  the  divine  love  to  exercise 
men,  that  by  various^  trials  and  temp- 
tations, they  may  be  brought  to  de- 
spise all  worldly  enjoyments,  and,  like 
the  panting  hart  (Ps.  42  :  1),  may  long 
for  the  fountains  of  divine  peace  and 
joy,  the  refreshing  streams  of  life  and 
glory.  There  the  weary  soul  may 
drink  and  be  satisfied,  and  quench  its 
thirst  in  those  rivers  of  pleasure  which 
are  ever  flowing  from  the  tender  and 
paternal  love  of  God.  This  is  what 
the  wise  men  of  this  world  neither 
know  nor  understand.  For  the  natu- 
ral man  cannot  discern  the  things  of 


the  Spirit  of  God.  If  the  children  of 
a  familj'  should  plunder  the  wine- 
cellar,  and  be  intoxicated,  whilst  the 
father  is  asleep  in  his  bed,  how  would 
he  bear  it  when  informed  of  the  mat- 
ter Would  he  not  correct  their  ex- 
travagance by  wholesome  severities? 
Thus  God  deals  with  his  children.  He 
allows  them  plentiful  draughts  of  spir- 
itual comfort,  and  refreshes  them  with 
his  mercies,  as  with  new  wine;  but 
when  he  sees  that  they  are  immoder- 
ately fond  of  it,  he  withdraws  it  from 
them,  and  corrects  their  extravagant 
joy,  by  mixtures  of  gall  and  worm- 
wood, bringing  them  thereby  to  a 
sense  of  their  fault,  and  of  their  ne- 
cessary dependence  upon  him.  They 
then  begin  to  think  meanly  of  them- 
selves, and  to  bewail  their  vain  pre- 
sumption, which  made  them  fancy  that 
the}^  could  do  and  suffer  anything  for 
God's  sake,  whereas  now  they  are 
ready  to  sink  under  a  very  small  bur- 
den. We  know  that  Christ  led  the 
way  for  us  in  misery,  poverty,  and 
contempt,  even  unto  death;  and  we 
must  follow  him  in  the  same  way  if 
we  desire  to  enter  into  heaven  with 
him.  So  great  is  our  pride,  that  God 
sometimes  cannot  break  it,  but  by 
some  exemplary  shame,  which  quickly 
brings  us  to  our  senses,  and  shows  us 
our  own  unworthiness.  This  is  the 
only  means  of  bringing  us  to  a  true 
knowledge  of  ourselves.  Many  a  man 
has  gone  astray  for  want  of  these 
wholesome  trials.  He  that  considers 
this  as  he  ought,  will  certainly  rejoice 
in  shame  and  reproaches  for  God's 
sake.  For  whom  the  Lord  loveth,  he 
chasteneth  in  this  manner,  in  order  to 
cure  him  of  his  arrogance  and  pride, 
and  brinff  him  to  humble  thou^-hts  of 

o  o 

himself 

4.  Whosoever  will  follow  the  blessed 
Jesus,  must  "  deny  himself,  and  take 


422 


TEUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


[Book  III. 


up  bis  cross."  Many  would  freely  fol- 
low him,  if  they  could  do  it  without 
difficulties  atid  sufferings;  but  these, 
aiming  chiefly  at  their  own  ease,  whilst 
they  pretend  to  follow  Christ,  will  find 
themselves  deceived  at  the  last.  For 
it  behooved  Christ  to  die,  and  to  suffer, 
and  to  enter  into  his  kingdom  (Luke 
24:  26,  4G) :  and  if  we  intend  to  share 
wdth  him  in  the  glories  of  his  king- 
dom, we  must  also  be  content  to  share 
in  his  sufferings;  for  unless  we  suffer 
with  him  here,  we  shall  never  reign 
with  him  hereafter.  So,  then,  if  we 
intend  to  follow  him,  we  must  cheer- 
fully and  contentedly'  submit  to  every 
cross,  whether  inward  or  outward,  and 
by  this  means  we  shall  at  length  ar- 
rive at  the  glories  which  he  himself 
attained  by  the  cross.  How  many  do 
w^e  see  every  day  drudging  in  the  ser- 
vice of  the  world;  they  venture  body 
and  soul;  go  into  foreign  countries; 
rush  through  fire  and  sword;  and  all 
for  the  sake  of  a  little  uncertain  honor; 
and  shall  not  we  do  as  much  to  pur- 
chase the  everlasting  glories  of  heaven, 
as  they  do  for  the  trifling  riches  and 
glories  of  this  world  ?  God  manifests 
himself  to  us  under  the  cross,  as  much 
as  in  the  most  cheerful  spiritual  visi- 
tations; 3'ea,  we  then  receive  greater 
communications  of  heavenly  joy,  when 
we  are  most  empty  of  worldly  com- 
forts. For  as  salt  pi-eserves  flesh  from 
putrefaction ;  so  afflictions  and  temp- 
tations keep  the  soul  from  falling  into 
sin  and  misery.  And  the  deeper  a 
man  sinks  into  the  centre  of  humility 
by  the  cross,  the  deeper  does  he  pene- 
trate into  the  heart  of  God,  which  is 
al way's  open  to  receive  and  embrace 
the  mortified  and  humble  soul.  This 
is  the  great  end  proposed  by  God,  in 
all  his  various  methods  of  humbling  us ; 


that,  being  sensible  of  our  own  great 
corruption^  we  may  die  to  ourselves, 
and  live  entirely  unto  him.  The  saints 
of  old,  when  under  heavy  tribulations, 
could  no  otherwise  possess  their  soiila 
in  patience'  and  liberty,  than  by  a  total 
abandonment  and  denial  of  themselves, 
being  ready  to  submit  to  every  cross 
which  God  should  lay  upon  them,  even 
though  it  should  last  during  their 
whole  life.  B}'  this  humility,  obe- 
dience, and  self  denial,  they  were  at 
last  delivered.  For  the  end  designed 
by  God  in  sending  crosses  upon  them, 
being  answered,  he  was  pleased  imme- 
diately to  release  them. 

5.  The  last  comfort  under  the  cross 
is,  that  thou  canst  not  be  hurt  by  it, 
unless  it  be  by  thine  own  fault,  by  be- 
ing fretful  and  impatient  under  it. 
Thou  art  very  much  in  the  wrong,  if 
thou  thinkest  thyself  injured  by  this 
or  that  man ;  they  cannot  hurt  thee  if 
thou  keep  thy  mind  steady  and  even 
under  its  burden.  Be  assured,  that  so 
long  as  thou  art  master  of  thy'self  and 
thy  passions,  the  whole  world  can  do 
thee  no  harm.  If  thou  wouldst  bo 
safe,  then,  against  the  assaults  of  thine 
enemy,  answer  not  again;  be  silent, 
even  as  a  dead  man,  in  his  grave. 
Every  calumny  and  reproach  which 
the  world  shall  cast  upon  thee,  shall 
be  as  rays  of  light,  encircling  thy  head 
with  a  crown  of  glory.  How  gloi-ioLis 
are  the  three  degrees  of  patience,  in 
which  true  victory  consists !  The  first 
is,  to  suffer  without  murmuring.  The 
second  is,  not  only  to  suffer  patiently, 
but  even  to  wish  for  suffering  for 
Christ's  sake,  from  a  pure  love  of  him. 
The  third  is,  to  rejoice  in  suffering; 
and  this  is  the  most  powerful  and  the 
greatest  victory  of  all. 


PREFACE  TO  THE  FOURTH  BOOK. 


ALL  CREATURES  ARE  MESSENGERS  OF  GOD,  INTENDED  TO  LEAD  US  TO  GOD. 

By  him  were  all  things  created,  that  are  in  hea.ven,  and  that  are  in  earthy  visible  and  invisible, 
whet/ier  they  be  thrones,  or  dominions,  or  p7-incipa/.ities,  or  powers:  all  things  were  created 
by  him,  and  for  Jam;  and  lie  is  bejore  all  things,  and  by  him  all  things  consist. — COL. 
1  :  IG,  17. 


THE  eminent  propliet  Moses  ex- 
hibits to  ns  two  powerful  wit- 
nesses of  God,  in  the  book  of  Crea- 
tion. The  first  is  the  universe;  the 
second  is  the  inferior  world,  that  is, 
Man.  Both  of  them,  the  universe  and 
the  heart  of  man,  furnish  glorious  tes- 
timony in  the  Scriptures,  by  which 
the  Creator  and  Preserver  of  all 
things  is  revealed,  and  also  formed  in 
our  hearts. 

2.  We  shall;  therefore,  introduce  in 
this  Book  the  testimony  of  both,  that 
is,  first,  of  the  universe,  and  secondly, 
of  the  inferior  world.  Thus  we  shall 
learn  that  all  creatures  are,  as  it  were, 
the  guides  and  messengers  of  God, 
whereby  we  are  to  be  brought  to 
Christian  knowledge,  and  also  to  God 
in  Christ. 

3.  It  is  therefore  unnecessary  to  at- 
tempt to  prove  that  this  Book  also  be- 
longs to  True  Christianity^,  although 
there  are  some  who  might  entertain  a 
different  opinion.  If  they  desire  addi- 
tional evidence,  ihey  may  find  it  in  the 
passage  quoted  above  (Col.  1  :  16,  17), 
and  also  in  the  Introduction  of  the 
Gospel  according  to  St.  John,  and  in 
very  many  passages  of  the  Old  and 
the  New  Testaments.  Let  them  con- 
eider  specially  Psalms  19;  104;  139; 


and  the  words  of  St.  Paul  in  Pom.  8: 
22,  concerning  the  groaning  of  the 
whole  creation,  and  in  1  Cor.  1.5 : 
42-52,  concerning  the  resurrection  of 
the  dead  ;  in  that  case  they  will  judge 
me  with  more  gentleness  and  favor. 
And  they  will  also  assent  to  the  Sa- 
viour's own  method  of  teaching,  who 
used  to  explain  and  demonstrate  to 
his  disciples  and  followers  the  mys- 
teries of  his  kino-dom  and  of  true 

o 

Christianity,  by  beautiful  illustrations 
taken  from  the  book  of  nature.  But 
if  they  oppose  the  very  Sacraments 
themselves,  which  are  so  many  wit- 
nesses and  seals  of  divine  grace  taken 
from  the  great  book  of  nature,  then 
I  refer  them  to  St.  Ambrose,  Basil, 
Theodoret,  and  others,  who  have  writ- 
ten largely  and  learnedly  upon  the  six 
days'  creation. 

4.  Thus  much  may  suflfice  in  de- 
fence of  my  method  and  design ;  to 
which  I  beg  leave  to  subjoin  only  this 
admonition,  as  the  great  argument  of 
the  whole,  namel}^,  that  it  is  the  duty 
of  a  true  Christian  to  use  God's  crea- 
tures to  his  honor  and  glorv,  so  that 
God  in  all  things  may  be  glorified, 
through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord. 

5.  Observe  the  method  by  which 
the  creatures  lead  us  unto  God.  An 

(  423  ) 


424 


PREFACE  TO  THE  FOURTH  BOOK. 


indulgent  father  invites  his  children 
to  come  to  him;  and  if  they  are  back- 
ward, offers  them  an  apple  or  some 
other  engaging  present.  This  he  gives, 
not  that  the  child  should  be  in  love 
with  the  present,  but  be  induced  by  it 
to  be  more  fond  of  the  giver.  Just  so 
God  deals  with  us;  he  invites  us  by 
all  the  engaging  invitations  and  prom- 
ises of  the  Gospel;  and  not  content 
with  that,  he  offers  us  many  great 
and  noble  gifts,  ^' doing  us  good,  and 
giving  us  rain  from  heaven,  and  fruit- 
ful seasons,  filling  our  hearts  with 
food  and  gladness."  Acts  14:17.  All 
these  blessings  are  so  many  messen- 
gers sent  from  God  to  draw  us  to  him- 
self, and  to  instruct  us  how  to  taste 
the  goodness  of  the  Giver  and  Creator 
in  that  of  the  creature. 

6.  But  so  perverse  is  man,  that  his 
heart  is  set  upon  his  gold  and  silver, 
his  houses,  estates,  honors,  and  pleas- 
ures, which,  however  good  in  their 
kind,  are  yet  in  the  sight  of  God  of 
no  value;  they  are  only  given  us  by 
God,  to  draw  us  to  himself.  For  this 
reason  it  was,  that  God  made  man  so 
needy  and  helpless  a  creature,  that 
by  the  variety  of  his  blessings  and 
multitude  of  his  benefits,  he  might 
draw  him  to  himself,  and  teach  him 
by  these  various  instances  of  his  love 


and  goodness,  that  all  the  comfort  and 
sweetness  which  he  tastes  in  the  crea- 
ture, really  proceeds  from  the  Cre- 
ator; and  that  he  alone  is  able  to 
comfort,  relieve,  and  support  us,  when 
these  perishing  worldly  comforts  for- 
sake and  leave  us. 

7.  But  the  greatest  of  all  God's 
messengers,  the  most  excellent  of  all 
his  gifts,  is  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the 
only  begotten  Son  of  God,  in  whom 
are  all  the  fulness  and  jierfection  of 
divine  love  and  goodness.  His  mercy 
is  over  all  his  works,  and  "by  him  all 
things  were  made."  John  1  :3.  "By 
him  all  things  consist."  Col.  1:17. 
"  He  upholdeth  all  things  by  the  word 
of  his  power."  Heb.  1 :  8. 

8.  Having  said  thus  much  by  way 
of  preface,  I  begin  the  First  Part  of 
this  Book,  treating  in  general  of  the 
six  days  of  creation,  to  promote  the 
knowledge,  glory,  and  praise  of  God, 

9.  Of  man,  we  shall  speak  more 
particularly  in  the  Second  Part;  and 
1  intreat  my  readers  to  read  the  Con- 
clusion to  my  Second  Book,  before 
they  begin  to  judge  me.  For  I  again 
protest  and  declare  that  I  desire  my 
writings  to  be  understood  in  accord- 
ance with  the  Symbolical  Books  of 
the  Church  of  the  Augsburg  Confes- 
sion, and  in  no  other  sense. 


BOOK  IV. 


PAKT  I. 

TREATING  OF  THE  WORKS  OF  THE  SIX  DAYS  OF  CREATION,  IN  GENERAL. 


CHAPTER  I. 

OF  LIGHT,  THE  WORK  OF  THE  FIRST  DAY. 

God  said,  Let  there  be  light;  and  there  was  light. — He  covereth  himself  with  light  os  with  a  gar- 
ment. —  God  is  light,  a7id  in  him  is  no  darkness  at  all. — Gen.  1:3;  Ps.  104:2;  1 
John  1 :  5. 


1^^  those  words  in  Job  38  :  19 — 
"  Where  is  the  way  where  light 
dwelleth?  and  as  for  darkness,  where 
is  the  place  thereof?"  it  is  intimated 
that  the  nature  of  light  is  very  diffi- 
cult to  be  explained,  and  that  its 
original  is  not  to  be  comprehended 
by  finite  understandings.  For  though 
we  know  something  of  it  by  means 
of  sight,  yet  it  is  but  little;  however, 
let  us  employ  that  little  to  promote 
the  glory  of  God. 

2.  First,  then,  we  say  that  light  is 
a  noble,  subtle,  and  pure  princij)le, 
separated  from  the  darkness  in  the 
morning  of  the  creation,  when  God 
"  commanded  the  light  to  shine  out  of 
darkness."  2  Cor.  4 :  6.  By  this  the 
world  is  enlightened  and  comforted, 
and  all  its  beautiful  variety  is  dis- 
tinctly known  and  apprehended.  By 
this,  as  some  think,  the  light  of  life 
was  conve^^ed  into  the  great  world, 
incorporating  itself  with  every  crea- 
ture. From  this  pure  brightness  and 
glorious  splendor,  light  and  beauty 
flowed  into  the  sun,  constituting  it 


thereby  the  great  luminary  of  the 
day,  w^hich  it  governs  and  directs. 
Jer.  31  : 35.  Whence,  also,  the  Cre- 
ator himself  calls  the  light  day.  Gen. 
1 :  5,  14. 

3.  But  as  it  is  the  duty  of  a  Chris- 
tian to  contemplate  the  works  of  God 
with  spiritual  eyes,  so  as  therein  to 
see  the  Creator,  and  by  the  work  be 
led  to  praise  the  Maker;  let  us  take  a 
nearer  view  of  this  subject,  and  see 
how  the  light  and  the  sun  bear  wit- 
ness of  God  and  Christ. 

4.  And  the  first  conclusion  that  nat- 
urally presents  itself  is  this :  If  God 
created  so  beautiful,  refreshing,  en- 
livening, clear,  and  shining  a  light; 
how  much  more  lovely,  comfortable, 
and  refreshing  a  light  must  He  be 
himself?  Therefore,  the  commentator 
upon  St.  Dionysius,  to  the  question^ 

Why  God  first  of  all  created  light?''' 
answers — Because  from  his  own  essen- 
tial light,  the  visible  light  almost  nat- 
urally proceeds,  as  that  which  bears 
the  nearest  resemblance  to  his  own 
nature;  and  therefore  he  calls  light,  a 

(  425  ) 


426 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY.  [Book  IY.  Part  I. 


little  after,  ^'the  image  of  the  good- 
ness of  God  adding,  that  the  light 
in  God  was  transcendent  and  ahove 
comprehension;  in  angels  and  men, 
intelligible;  in  the  sun,  visible. 

5.  And,  whereas  God  made  the  light, 
in  order  that  the  true  external  form 
and  beauty  of  the  creatures  might  be 
distinctly  seen  and  apprehended,  it 
follows  that  there  is  also  another  se- 
cret or  concealed  light,  by  which  the 
internal  form  of  the  creatures  may 
be  likewise  known,  and  from  which 
nothing  can  be  hidden.  And  this 
light  is  the  eternal  wisdom  of  God, 
which,  being  compared  with  the  nat- 
ural and  created  light,  has  been  fitlj- 
called  the  brightness  of  the  everlast- 
ing light. 

6.  Of  this  St.  Dionysius  w^rites  in 
these  words.  '^As  the  visible  light 
directs,  governs,  and  fills  the  visible 
world;  so  the  incomprehensible  and 
heavenly  light,  fills  and  enlightens  all 
heavenly  spirits.  It  also  purifies  the 
soul  from  darkness  and  error,  and 
brings  it  into  communion  wnth  the 
light  of  God.  It  is  at  first  no  more 
than  a  twilight,  or  faint  glimmering 
of  light;  but  when  it  is  tasted,  loved, 
and  desired,  then,  in  proportion  to  our 
love,  it  increases  more  and  more  unto 
the  perfect  day.  Wherefore  this  tran- 
scendent light  exceeds  all  lights,  being, 
as  it  were,  the  centre  and  fountain  of 
them  all.  From  its  fulness  it  enlight- 
ens all  spirits;  and,  being  the  original 
of  all  light,  it  comprehends  under  it 
all  the  degrees  of  spiritual,  angelical, 
rational,  and  natural  light.  And  as 
ignorance  separates  deluded  souls  from 
the  light ;  so  the  presence  of  this  divine 
light,  collects,  unites,  perfects,  and  de- 
livers from  ignorance  and  error,  all 
that  are  enlightened  by  it :  it  converts 
them  to  the  truth,  reducing  their  va- 
rious imaginations  to  the  standard  of 


pure  and  simple  truth,  and  fills  their 
souls  with  pure  and  uniform  light." 
Thus  far  St.  Dionysius. 

7.  In  the  light  of  the  sun,  also,  shines 
forth  the  pure,  deep,  and  ardent  love 
of  God.  For  whom  did  lie  create  the 
sun?  Certainly  not  for  himself,  for 
he  needeth  not  the  sun,  nor  any  other 
created  light,  being  himself  a  light 
infinite  and  eternal.  It  was  for  our 
sakes,  therefore,  that  he  created  it;  so 
that  every  ray  of  light  proceeding 
from  the  sun,  is  indeed  a  ray  of  divine 
love  towards  mankind. 

8.  And  as  the  eternal  wisdom  of 
God  is  likewise  a  bright  sun,  clearly 
discovering  his  mercy  and-beueficence; 
therefore,  according  to  the  nature  and 
properties  of  the  visible  sun  and  light, 
it  may  also  be  called,  an  image  of  the 
divine  goodness. 

9.  The  created  light  determines  the 
order,  figures,  and  distinctions  of  all 
created  things;  for  without  it,  the 
whole  w^orld  would  be  nothing  but 
darkness  and  confusion.  So  that  upon 
this  account  also,  the  light  is  an  image 
of  the  divine  wisdom. 

10.  The  created  light,  by  its  bright- 
ness and  splendor,  causes  everything 
to  turn  to  it;  so  the  goodness  of  God 
draws  all  things  to  itself,  as  the  centre 
and  principle  of  all  things. 

11.  The  light  of  the  sun  is  pure  and 
spotless ;  so  is  the  love  of  God  towards 
mankind.  Hence  also  the  divine  wis- 
dom, being  a  spotless  light,  is.  agree- 
ably to  this  property  of  the  sun,  the 
spotless  mirror  of  the  divine  majesty. 

12.  As  the  light  flows  plentifully 
and  freely  from  the  sun ;  so  the  love 
of  God  descends  plentifully  upon  us. 
As  the  sun  shines  freely  upon  all,  with- 
out respect  of  persons;  so  the  divine 
love  overflows  upon  all  mankind.  As 
the  light  proceeds  from  the  nature  and 
essence  of  the  sun;  so  does  the  love 


Chap.  I.] 


TEUE  CIIEISTIANITY. 


427 


of  God  flow  from  his  very  nature  and 
essence. 

18.  ^lorcovcr,  as  God  created  the 
external  light  for  the  world  and  visi- 
ble bodies;  so  it  is  worth  inquiring^ 
whether  he  did  not  at  the  same  time 
provide  an  inward  and  spiritual  light 
for  the  soul.  For  God  took  not  less 
care  of  the  soul,  than  he  did  of  the 
bod}'.  Now  this  light  of  the  soul  is 
God  the  Father,  Jesus  Christ,  and  the 
H0I3'  Ghost,  the  ever  blessed  and  un- 
divided Trinity,  by  whom  our  under- 
standings are  enlightened  through 
faith.  ''Arise,  shine;  for  thy  light  is 
come,  and  the  glory  of  tlie  Lord  is 
risen  upon  thee."  Isa.  60  :  1. 

14.  Now  as  the  sun  enlightens  the 
world,  so  does  Christ  enlighten  the 
soul.  ^'  That  was  the  true  Light,  which 
lighteth  every  man  that  cometh  into 
the  world"  (John  1:9);  and  is,  there- 
fore, called  by  the  prophet  Malachi, 
"  The  Sun  of  righteousness."  Mai.  4  :  2. 
St.  James  calls  God,  "  the  Father  of 
lights."  James  1  :  17.  The  Holy  Ghost 
appeared  upon  the  Apostles  in  the  form 
of  fiery  tongues  (Acts  2:3);  and  from 
this  eternal  light  proceeds  the  light  of 
grace,  the  light  of  wisdom  and  divine 
knowledge,  the  light  of  truth  and  life, 
the  light  of  joy  and  consolation,  the 
hght  of  God's  countenance,  the  light 
of  faith  and  all  Christian  virtues. 

15.  This  light  is  the  chief  beauty 
and  glory  of  the  creatures.  God  is  said 
to  be  clothed  "with  light  as  with  a 
garment."  Ps.  104  :  2.  The  glory  of 
the  Lord"  (Luke  2:9),  is  also  the 
beauty  of  the  blessed  saints  and  holy 
angels.  The  highest  majesty  and  glory 
of  the  elect  in  the  other  world,  will 
consist  in  light  and  splendor.  "The 
righteous  shall  shine  forth  as  the  sun 
in  the  kingdom  of  their  Father"  (Matt. 
13:43;  Dan.  12:3);  which  is  also 
expressed  in  the  appearance  of  the 


woman  clothed  with  the  sun.  Eev.  12  : 
1.  Lastly,  as  the  light  is  the  greatest 
ornament  of  this  visible  world  ;  so  the 
everlasting  light  shall  be  the  chief 
glory  of  the  heavenly  Jerusalem.  Rev. 
21  :11. 

16.  The  more  light  any  creature  has, 
the  more  noble  it  is.  This  appears 
fi'om  the  angels,  the  sun,  moon,  stars, 
and  precious  stones.  So  virtue  itself 
is  a  most  glorious  light,  and  all  the 
redeemed  in  the  next  woi'ld,  shall  be 
full  of  light  and  glory,  and  accordingly 
shall  be  distinguished,  as  "one  star 
ditfereth  from  another  star  in  glory." 
1  Cor.  15  :41. 

17.  Light  is  refreshing :  and  who  can 
doubt  but,  when  the  day  of  eternal  light 
arrives,  the  blessed  saints  shall  be  re- 
freshed with  joy  unspeakable  ?  With- 
out question,  the  light  of  the  everlast- 
ing Sun  of  righteousness  shall  give  us 
infinitely  more  delight  and  joy,  than 
this  created  sun,  which  only  gives 
light  to  a  world  of  misery  and  sorrow. 

18.  The  light  awakens  those  that 
sleep ;  so  Christ,  our  light,  rouses  us 
from  the  sleep  of  sin.  "Awake,  thou 
that  sleepest,  and  Christ  shall  give  thee 
light."  Eph.  5:  14. 

19.  The  light  directs  the  traveller 
in  his  way:  so  saith  Christ — "I  am 
the  light  of  the  world  ;  he  that  follow- 
eth  me,  shall  not  walk  in  darkness, 
but  shall  have  the  light  of  life."  John 
8:  12;  13:  46. 

20.  Moreover,  as  light  has  a  vital 
power  in  it;  so  in  Christ,  our  light, 
"  was  life;  and  the  life  was  the  light  of 
men."  John  1:4.  "  The  Lord  is  my 
light  and  my  salvation;  he  is  the 
strength  of  my  life."  Ps.  27  :  1. 

21.  As  the  light  cannot  be  seen  but 
by  itself;  so  God  cannot  be  known 
but  by  Himself :  "  In  thy  light  shall 
we  see  light."  Ps.  36  :  9. 

22.  As  the  external  light  chases 


428 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY.  [Book  IY.  Part  I 


away  the  darkness,  and  the  spirits  of 
darkness;  so  Christ,  who  is  the  light 
of  God  in  us,  chases  away  unbelief, 
and  all  the  works  of  darkness  and 
Satan.  God  must  speak  the  word 
in  us,  as  he  did  at  the  first  creation, 
''Let  there  be  light!"  or  we  shall  for 
ever  remain  in  darkness.  This  made 
the  Psalmist  say,  "  Thou  wilt  light  my 
candle;  the  Lord  will  enlighten  my 
darkness."  Ps.  18  :  28.  "  To  give  light 
to  them  that  sit  in  darkness,  and  in 
the  shadow  of  death."  Luke  1  :  79. 
"I  saw  an  angel  come  down  from 
heaven  ;  and  the  earth  was  lightened 
with  his  glory."  Rev.  18  :  1. 

23.  When  the  daylight  is  gone,  the 
moon,  regent  of  the  nighty  arises  with 
a  pale  lustre  :  so,  without  the  light  of 
Christ,  man  is  nothing  but  darkness; 
and  the  boasted  light  of  reason  is  but 
dim  obscurit3\ 

24.  ArA  as  he  would  be  called  fool- 
ish, who  preferred  being  enlightened 
by  the  moon,  rather  than  by  the  sun ; 
so  are  they  much  more  foolish,  who 
prefer  the  wisdom  of  this  world,  to  the 
eternal  wisdom  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus. 
And  as  none  but  a  madman  would 
make  use  of  the  light  of  a  candle  in  sun- 
shine; so  no  man  in  his  senses  would 
think  himself  more  enlightened  by 
worldly  wisdom,  than  by  the  divine 
wisdom.  Strange  madness!  that  a 
man  should  expect  more  light  from 
the  creature,  than  from  the  Creator, 
the  Father  of  lights,  God  blessed  for 
ever !  W hosoever  duly  apprehends  my 
meaning,  has  in  him  the  beginning  of 
the  divine,  eternal,  and  heavenly  wis- 
dom, which  is  the  subject  of  the  whole 
119th  Psalm. 

25.  As  the  sun  is  the  ornament  of 
heaven,  so  Christ  is  the  ornament  of 
his  church,  and  of  the  new  heaven, 
and  new  earth  in  their  future  glory, 
where  it  will  be  manifested  to  all  the 


elect,  that  he  is  "  the  brightness  of  his 
Father's  glory,  and  the  express  image 
of  his  person."  Heb.  1:3;  Col.  1  :  15. 

26.  As  dwellings  are  pleasant,  in 
proportion  as  they  receive  the  light, 
so  "God  dwelleth  in  light."  1  Tim. 6: 
16.  And  the  heavenly  Jerusalem  is 
described  as  full  of  sweet  and  refresh- 
ing light.  "It  hath  no  need  of  the 
sun,  neither  of  the  moon,  to  shine  in 
it:  for  the  glory  of  God  enlightens  it, 
and  the  Lamb  is  the  light  thereof" 
Rev.  21  :  23. 

27.  As  the  light  makes  all  things  | 
clear  and  plain;  so  there  is  nothing  in 
heaven  or  in  earth,  no  spirit,  no  being, 
nor  the  very  thoughts  of  the  heart, 
that  can  be  hidden  from  the  light  of 
divine  wisdom.  Heb.  4:  12  13.  Hence 
the  Psalmist  says,  "Thou  hast  set  our 
iniquities  before  thee,  our  secret  sins  i 
in  the  light  of  th}'  countenance."  Ps. 
90  :  8.  And  "  Thou  understandest  my 
thought  afar  off."  Ps.  139:  2. 

28.  As  the  light  communicates  itself 
to  all  creatures,  and  diffuses  itself  over  | 
the  world;  so  God  communicates  him-  ' 
self  to  all  creatures,  particularly  to 
men,  delighting  most  of  all  in  doing  ' 
them  good. 

29.  Lastly,  the  light  and  sun  are  a 
witness  of  the  glorification  of  our  souls 
and  bodies  at  the  resurrection.  The 
glorification  of  our  souls  is,  indeed,  in 
some  degree  accomplished  in  this  life 
by  the  Holy  Spirit,  according  to  the 
words  of  St.  Paul,  "  We  all,  with  open 
face  beholding  as  in  a  glass  the  glory  , 
of  the  Lord,  are  changed  into  the  same  ! 
image  from  glory  to  glory,  even  as  by 
the  Spirit  of  the  Lord."  2  Cor.  3  :  18.  , 
These,  however,  are  but  the  imperfect  ' 
beginnings,  and  first  glimpses  of  eter- 
nal happiness;  but  hereafter  both  soul 
and  body  shall  be  clothed  with  ever- 
lasting light  and  glory.    Hence  St.  | 
Paul  saySj  "There  is  one  glory  of  the 


Chap.  TL] 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


429 


sun,  and  another  glory  of  the  moon, 
and  another  glory  of  the  stars  :  so 
also  is  the  resurrection  of  the  dead." 
1  Cor.  15  :  41,  42.  "  They  that  be  wise 
shall  shine  as  the  brightness  of  the 
firmament;  and  they  that  turn  many 
to  righteousness,  as  the  stars  forever 
and  ever."  Dan.  12  : 13. 

30.  Of  this  we  find  an  image  in  the 
transfiguration  of  our  Lord,  when  his 
face  did  shine  as  the  sun,  and  his  rai- 
ment was  white  as  the  light."  Matt. 
17  :  2.  This  was  the  heavenly  bright- 
ness, the  splendor  of  the  everlasting 
Sun.  So  the  face  of  Moses  shone  like 
the  brightness  of  the  sun,  so  that  the 
children  of  Israel  could  not  look  upon 


him.  Exod.  34  :  29;  2  Cor.  3  :  7.  And 
this  was  the  consequence  of  only  a 
few  days  passed  in  the  divine  presence. 
How  great  then  must  that  glory  be, 
which  will  be  the  result  of  our  eternal 
union  and  converse  with  him!  The 
lustre  of  the  face  of  Moses  was  terrible 
to  look  on,  but  the  glory  of  Christ  was 
refreshing  and  comfortable. 

31.  Rev.  1 :  14,  16.  The  eyes  of  him 
that  had  the  seven  stars  in  his  hand, 
were  "  as  a  flame  of  fire."  And  the 
same  Jesus  Christ,  who  is  the  eternal 
light,  shall  so  glorify  us  at  the  last 
day,  that  our  whole  bodies  shall  shine 
like  lightning.  Matt.  6:22;  Luke  11: 
36. 


CHAPTER  11. 


i 


OF  HEAVEN,  THE  WORK  OF  THE  SECOND  DAY. 


See  Gen.  1:6-8;  Ps.  104:  6;  Ps.  19  :  1. 


WHO  can  douht  that  the  admira- 
ble and  pure  structure  of  heav- 
en, with  all  its  wonderful  properties,  is 
a  strong  evidence  and  witness  of  God  ? 

What  are  heaven  and  all  the  beauty 
of  nature  "  (says  one  of  the  ancients), 
"  but  an  illustrious  mirror,  in  which 
we  view  the  wonders  of  their  Maker." 
For  if  God  created  all  so  pure,  so  glo- 
rious, and  so  firm,  that  our  weak  un- 
derstandings cannot  comprehend  or 
explain  it;  how  pure,  how  glorious, 
eternal,  spiritual,  unutterable  a  Being 
must  that  God  be  who  created  all  ?  And 
if  He  has  made  so  glorious  a  heaven 
over  men,  during  their  short  abode 
here;  how  much  more  illustrious  a 
mansion  has  he  not  reserved  for  us 
hereafter  in  the  region  of  life  and  im- 
mortality?   Hence  St.  Paul  tells  us. 


We  know  that  if  our  earthly  house 
of  this  tabernacle  were  dissolved,  wo 
have  a  building  of  God,  a  house  not 
made  with  hands,  eternal  in  the  heav- 
ens. For  in  this  we  groan,  earnestly 
desiring  to  be  clothed  upon  with  our 
house  w^hich  is  from  heaven."  2  Cor. 
5:  1,  2. 

2.  As  to  the  stupendous  height  and 
compass  of  heaven,  to  which  the  earth 
is  in  comparison  no  more  than  a  single 
point ;  how  does  it  suggest  to  us  the 
immense  and  unsearchable  power  and 
wisdom  of  God  ?  "  For  as  the  heaventr 
are  higher  than  the  earth,  so  are  my 
ways  higher  than  your  ways,  and  my 
thoughts,  than  your  thoughts,  saith 
the  Lord."  Isa.  55  :  8,  9.  Does  not  its 
circular  roundness  remind  us  of  the 
eternity  of  God  ?    For  of  both  there 


TEUE  CHEISTIANITY.        [Book  IY.  Part  I. 


430 


is  neither  beginning  nor  end.  Does 
it  not  also  tell  us  of  his  omnipresence? 
For  as  the  heaven  surrounds  and  en- 
compasses all  things,  so  does  the  God 
of  heaven  support  and  comprehend  all 
his  creatures.  "Who  hath  measured 
the  waters  in  the  hollow  of  his  hand, 
and  meted  out  heaven  with  the  span, 
and  comprehended  the  dust  of  the  earth 
in  a  measure,  and  weighed  the  moun- 
tains in  scales,  and  the  hills  in  a  bal- 
ance ?"  lsa..40  :  12. 

3.  And  as,  in  a  circle,  no  part  can  be 
called  upper  and  lower;  so  God  fills 
all  things  equally.  Heaven  and  earth 
are  full  of  the  majesty  of  his  glory; 
"He  is  not  far  from  every  one  of  us; 
for  in  him  we  live,  and  move,  and 
have  our  being."  Acts  17  :  27,  28.  For 
though  there  are  antipodes  and  many 
other  creatures  under  us,  as  is  demon- 
strable from  the  figure  of  the  earth ; 
yet  by  the  wonderful  power  of  God 
the  heaven  is  everywhere  over  our 
heads,  and  we  look  up  directly  towards 
it,  by  reason  of  its  immensit}^ 

4.  Does  not  also  the  firmament  of 
heaven  remind  us  of  the  constant, 
eternal,  and  immutable  truth  of  God 
and  his  Word?  For  who  is  it  that 
supports  the  heaven  ?  Where  are  the 
pillars  that  sustain  it?  Or  how  does 
it  hang,  but  upon  the  word  of  God? 
"The  pillars  of  heaven  tremble,"  saith 
Job,  "and  are  astonished  at  his  re- 
proof He  holdeth  back  the  face  of 
his  throne,  and  spreadeth  his  cloud 
upon  it."  Job  26  :  9,  11.  And  if  by 
his  word  he  has  so  strongly  fixed  the 
heavens,  who  can  doubt  that  he  will 
keep  his  word  and  promise  to  us  for- 
ever and  ever?  If  he  support  the 
heavens  by  the  word  of  his  power, 
doubt  not  but  he  will  also  support, 
protect,  and  preserve  thee  forever. 

5.  But,  from  this  created  heaven, 
learn  to  raise  thy  thoughts  to  the 


spiritual  heaven  (1  Kings  8:27), 
"  where  are  fulness  of  jo}^  and  pleas- 
ures forever  more."  Ps.  16  :  11.  This 
St.  Paul  calls  "paradise,  and  the  third 
heaven"  (2  Cor.  12:2,4);  and  "the 
glory  into  which  Jesus  Christ  was  re- 
ceived." 1  Tim.  3  :  16.  This  our  Lord 
himself  calls  "his  Father's  house, 
where  he  prepares  a  place  for  us" 
(John  14:  2);  and  lastly,  it  is  called, 
"  the  heaven  of  heavens."  1  Kings 
8:27. 

6.  Moreover,  by  meditation  upon 
this  external,  transient  heaven,  thou 
mayest  learn  to  descend  into  thyself, 
into  thine  own  heart  and  soul;  for 
there  also  is  heaven,  and  the  habita- 
tion of  God.  "For  thus  saith  the 
high  and  lofty  One  that  inhabiteth 
eternity,  I  dwell  with  him  that  is  of  a 
contrite  and  humble  spirit,  to  revive 
the  spirit  of  the  humble,  and  to  revive 
the  heart  of  the  contrite  ones."  Isaiah 
57  :  15. 

7.  Let  this  external  heaven  lead 
thee  to  the  new  heaven,  of  which  St. 
Peter  speaks:  "We,  according  to  his 
promise,  look  for  new  heavens,  and  a 
new  earth,  wherein  dwelleth  right- 
eousness." 2  Peter  3  :  13.  For  though 
this  visible  heaven  was  created  in 
such  purity,  by  God,  as  not  to  be 
subject  to  corruption ;  yet  "  the  heav- 
ens are  not  clean  in  his  sight."  Job 
15:15.  Therefore,  "they  shall  pass 
away,"  as  St.  Peter  tells  us.  2  Pet.  3 : 
10.  And  "they  shall  perish,  and  wax 
old  like  a  garment,  and  as  a  vesture 
shalt  thou  change  them,  and  they  shall 
be  changed."  Ps.  102  :  27.  "I  saw  a 
new  heaven  and  a  new  earth :  for  the 
first  heaven  and  the  first  earth  were 
passed  away.  And  he  that  sat  upon 
the  throne  said,  Behold,  I  make  all 
things  new."  Eev.  21 :  1,  5.  "Behold, 
I  create  new  heavens,  and  a  new 
earth:  and  the  former  shall  not  be 


Chap.  III.] 


TEUE  CIIEISTIANITY. 


431 


remembered,  nor  come  into  mind." 
Isa.  65  :  17.  How  beautiful,  how  il- 
lustrious will  be  this  city  of  God,  this 
heavenly  Jerusalem,  whose  builder 
and  maker  is  God !  Or  who  can  de- 
clare the  glory  of  that  happy  place? 
"Eye  hath  not  seen,  nor  ear  heard, 
neither  have  entered  into  the  heart 
of  man,  the  things  which  God  hath 


prepared  for  them  that  love  him." 
1  Cor.  2  :  9.  Hence  the  Evangelist 
St.  John  describes  the  new  and  heav- 
enly city  by  all  the  precious  and  costly 
things  in  nature.  See  Eev.  21  :  11.  18- 
21.  In  a  word,  this  is  that  heaven  in 
which  "God  will  be  all  in  all."  1  Cor. 
15  :  28. 


CHAPTER  III. 


OP  THE  SEPARATION  OF  THE  WATERS  FROM  THE  DRY  LAND,  THE  WORK  OF  THE 

THIRD  DAY. 

God  said,  Let  the  waters  under  the  heaven  he  gathered  together  unto  one  place,  and  let  the  dry 
land  appear.  And  God  called  the  dry  land,  earth. — Gen.  1  :  9,  10.  The  earth  is  jull  of  the 
goodness  of  the  Lord. — Ps.  33  :  5 ;  104  :  24. 


THE  earth  is  a  heavy  and  gross 
substance,  separated  from  the 
waters,  and  fixed  by  the  power  of 
God  to  be  the  receptacle  of  all  the 
heavenly  influences.  This  globe  hangs 
in  the  air  by  the  power  of  the  Al- 
mighty, and  is  replenished  with  the 
vital  seeds  of  all  trees,  plants,  and 
vegetables. 

2.  The  stupendous  structure  and 
foundation  of  the  earth  is  a  most 
wonderful  witness  of  the  power  of 
God.  For  by  what  pillars  is  the  earth 
supported?  Or  where  are  its  founda- 
tions ? 

3.  Some  have  disputed  whether  the 
dry  land  be  founded  in  the  waters;  or 
whether,  as  being  the  heavier  sub- 
stance, it  sink  to  the  lowest  place  so 
as  to  be  the  foundation  of  the  waters. 

4.  The  patrons  of  the  first  opinion 
build  upon  these  testimonies:  "He 
hath  founded  it  upon  the  seas,  and  es- 
tablished it  upon  the  floods."  Ps.  24 : 


2.  And,  "  He  stretched  out  the  earth 
above  the  w-aters."  Ps.  136  :  6.  To 
which  may  be  added  the  testimony  of 
St.  Chrysostom,  that  "  God  laid  the 
foundation  of  the  earth  upon  the 
water." 

5.  Others  assert  the  contrary,  1. 
Because  the  earth  is  heaviest,  and 
therefore  sinks  to  the  lowest  place, 
where  it  naturally  remains  fixed  and 
immovable;  for  if  the  earth  should 
move  out  of  its  place,  it  must  move 
upwards,  which  is  contrary-  to  nature. 
And  for  this  they  quote,  \yho  laid 
the  foundations  of  the  earth,  that  it 
should  not  be  removed  for  ever." 
Ps.  104:5.  2.  They  allege  the  ex- 
perience of  seamen,  who  sound  the 
bottom  of  the  sea;  and  explain  those 
passages  of  the  Psalms  which  men- 
tion the  separation  of  the  waters  of 
the  dry  land,  as  Moses  describes  it. 
Gen.  1  : 9. 

6.  But  on  what  does  this  vast  ter- 


432 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY.         [Book  IY.  Part  I. 


raqiicoiis  globe  depend  ?  AYho  bears  it 
up  ?  \Yhcre  are  the  pillars  of  it  ? 
"  He  bangeth  the  earth  upon  noth- 
ing/' (Job  26  :  7),  saith  Job.  For  it 
hangs  in  the  midst  of  heaven,  borne 
up  in  the  air,  begirt  with  the  waters, 
Thou  eoveredst  it  with  the  deep  as 
with  a  garment."  Ps.  104  : 6.  The 
air  and  water  support  one  another; 
the  clouds,  though  vast  masses  of  wa- 
ter, are  jet  supported  by  the  air  from 
falling;  for  the  power  of  sustaining  is 
a  propertj^  of  the  air.  "He  bindeth 
up  the  waters  in  his  thick  clouds,  and 
the  cloud  is  not  rent  under  them." 
Job  26  :  8. 

7.  The  stability  of  the  earth  in  the 
waters,  and  in  the  centre  of  the  vast 
expanse  of  air,  is  a  very  clear  argu- 
ment of  the    divine   omnipotence ; 

Where  wast  thou  (saith  the  Lord  to 
Job),  when  I  laid  the  foundations  of 
the  earth  ?  Who  hath  laid  the  meas- 
ures thereof?  Who  laid  the  corner- 
stone thereof  ?"  Job  38:  4-6.  Thence, 
we  learn,  that  the  foundation  of  the 
earth  could  not  be  comprehended  by 
human  understanding,  but  must  be 
counted  among  the  infinite  wonders 
of  Omnipotence.  "  Therefore,"  saith 
the  Psalmist,  "w^ill  not  we  fear, 
though  the  earth  be  removed,  and 
though  the  mountains  be  carried  into 
the  midst  of  the  sea;  though  the 
waters  thereof  roar  and  be  troubled; 
though  the  mountains  shake  with  the 
swelling  thereof?"  Ps.  46  :  2,  3.  And 
that  this  is  an  argument  of  the  wis- 
dom of  God  is  plain  from  Prov.  8  : 
29,  30;  where  wisdom  says  of  herself, 
"  When  he  appointed  the  foundations 
of  the  earth,  I  was  with  him,  etc." 

8.  And  this  is  the  earth  of  which 
the  Psalmist  says,  "  God  hath  given 
it  to  the  children  of  men."  Ps.  115  : 
16.  Eut  though,  as  to  its  external 
form,  it  appear  to  be  a  hard,  dead. 


dry,  and  cold  mass,  yet  is  it  in  truth, 
enriched  by  God  with  a  wonderful 
variety  of  blessings,  fruitful  energy, 
and  seminal  virtues.  These  never 
rest;  but  are  always  active  to  pro- 
duce fruits,  adorned  with  agreeable 
forms,  odors,  tastes,  and  colors,  with 
external  signatures  of  their  inward 
virtues  and  qualities. 

9.  So,  then,  from  the  earth  proceed 
all  the  varieties  of  plants  and  vegeta- 
bles, having  exchanged  their  old  at- 
tire for  a  new  and  delicate  dress.  The 
tattered  garments  of  the  preceding 
year  being  decayed  and  dead,  they 
come  forth  with  exquisite  beauty, 
odor^  and  color,  and,  as  it  were,  preach 
to  mankind  in  words  such  as  these  : 
"Look  upon  us,  ye  unbelieving  sons 
of  men;  we  were  dead,  and  are  now 
alive  again.  We  have  laid  aside  our 
old  garments  and  bodies,  and  are  now 
renewed.  Do  ye  also  imitate  us; 
'  put  off  the  old  man,  and  put  on  the 
new '  (Eph.  4  :  22-24) ;  being  renewed 
in  your  eternal  fountain  and  original, 
which  is  God,  your  Creator,  in  whose 
image  ye  were  created.  If  ye  do  this, 
then  in  the  day  of  the  righteous 
judgment  of  God,  when  ye  have  lost 
your  old  bodies,  ye  shall,  like  us, 
come  forth  out  of  the  earth  (1  Cor. 
15  :  42),  with  new  bodies,  clothed 
with  immortal  glory,  of  which  our 
new^-born  beauty  is  but  a  faint  re- 
semblance. And  whilst  ye  are  in  this 
world,  take  not  too  much  thought  for 
the  body.  Matt.  6  :  25,  etc.  Consider 
us,  whom  the  God  of  nature  has  an- 
nually, for  so  many  thousands  of 
years  since  the  first  creation  to  this 
time,  provided  with  beautiful  clothing, 
as  an  argument  of  his  bounty  and 
goodness.  Consider  our  virtues  and 
qualities,  which  are  given  not  for  our, 
but  for  your  benefit;  w^e  bloom  and 
blossom,  not  for  our  good,  but  yours ; 


Chap.  III.] 


TEUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


433 


yea,  the  blessing  of  God  blossoms 
through  us." 

10.  Among  the  vegetables,  also,  a 
man  may  discern  many  thousands  of 
witnesses  of  the  goodness  and  omnipo- 
tence of  God.  Here  we  have  a  per- 
fect collection  of  drugs  and  simples, 
an  admirable  and  complete  herbal; 
yea.  a  living  one,  not  furnished  with 
faint  draughts  and  dead  pictures;  but 
graved  with  living  characters  and  im- 
pressions, to  be  read  by  every  curious 
spectator,  but  not  to  be  fully  under- 
stood by  an}',  except  by  Him  that 
made  them.  And  till  we  come  fully 
to  understand  their  divine  signatures, 
we  cannot  so  perfectly  know  the  won- 
ders of  Providence  contained  under  | 
them. 

11.  Every  herb  and  plant  has  its 
proper  signature,  which  is  nothing 
less  than  the  inscription  and  hand- 
writing of  God,  whereby  he  has  most 
wonderfully  and  beautifully  distin- 
guished them  all  according  to  their 
virtues  and  qualities  ;  and  in  many  of 

^them,  the  outward  form  is  a  token  of 
their  inward  virtues.  The  turf  we 
tread  upon  is  furnished  both  with  food 
and  medicine.  Yea,  in  the  smallest 
grain  or  seed  is  manifested  the  un- 
searchable wisdom  of  God.  He  has 
created  nothing  in  vain,  and  the 
minutest  part  of  the  creation  is  not 
to  be  overlooked  or  despised,  since  we 
know  not  the  thousandth  part  of  its 
virtues. 

12.  But  if  from  their  external  forms 
we  descend  to  their  internal^  and  ex- 
tract their  spirit  by  chemical  pro- 
cesses, separating  that  pure  essence, 
which  being  full  of  high  medicinal  vir- 
tue, is  lodged  by  God  in  the  outward 
body,  as  a  diamond  in  a  casket,  then, 
indeed,  we  shall  truly  taste  the  good- 
ness of  God  in  the  virtues  of  his  crea- 
tures, and  bless  him  with  a  grateful 

28 


heart,  for  the  many  comfortable  medi- 
cines which  he  has  provided  for  miser- 
able man. 

13.  Consider,  moreover,  how  the 
bountiful  Creator  has  provided  not 
onlj^  for  man,  but  also  furnished 
"  food  for  all  flesh.''  Ps.  136  :  25;  145  : 
15.  He  causeth  the  grass  to  grow  for 
the  cattle,  and  herb  for  the  service  of 
men,  "  that  he  may  bring  forth  food 
out  of  the  earth,  and  wine  that  mak- 
eth  glad  the  heart  of  man."  Ps.  104  : 
14,  15.  So  that  we  may  properly  call 
the  earth  the  treasury  or  storehouse 
of  God,  in  which  are  laid  up  a  variety 
of  blessings  both  for  man  and  beast: 
upon  which  account  the  Psalmist  says, 

the  earth  is  full  of  the  goodness  of 
the  Lord."  Ps.  33  :  5. 

14.  A  very  wonderful  effect  of  this 
divine  goodness  is,  that  bread  sustains 
the  whole  body,  so  that  in  one  single 
morsel  is  contained  the  nourishment 
of  all  the  members  of  the  body.  And 
because  of  this  nutritive  quality  that 
is  in  bread,  therefore,  the  eternal  Son 
of  God  calls  himself  the  "  bread  of 
life"  (John  6  :  35);  denoting  his  pow- 
er of  nourishing  and  sustaining  the 
whole  man,  body,  soul,  and  spirit. 

15.  It  is  no  less  wonderful,  that  the 
greatest  tree,  with  its  root,  trunk, 
boughs,  leaves,  seed,  flowers,  and  fruit, 
should  be  contained  in  a  very  small 
seed ;  and  that  every  year  the  same 
plants  and  trees,  with  their  respective 
fruits  and  seeds,  should  appear  in  their 
proper  order  and  season.  All  this  must 
be  resolved  into  the  principle  of  the 
seed,  containing  in  it  all  those  powers, 
which  successively  display  themselves 
in  so  great  a  variety  of  size,  thickness, 
height,  and  breadth. 

16.  Notice  also,  how  the  grass,  upon 
which  the  cattle  feed,  becomes  food 
for  man;  being  converted  into  the 
milk  and  flesh  of  the  creatures  that 


434 


TEUE  CHEISTIANITY.  [Book  1Y,  Part  I. 


eat  tbeni.  Even  our  beds  and  clothes 
grow  out  of  the  earth,  since  both  sheep 
and  birds  live  upon  the  fruits  of  it. 

17.  I  slmll  not  in  this  place  speak 
particulai'ly  of  trees  and  plants:  other- 
wise, perhaps,  I  should  have  taken  no- 
tice of  the  fig-tree  which  was  accursed 
b}^  our  blessed  Saviour  (Matt.  21  : 
19);  of  the  olive-tree,  whose  leaf  the 
dove  brought  into  Noah's  ark  (Gen.  8  : 
11);  of  the  palm-tree,  to  which  the 
flourishing  state  of  the  righteous  is 
compared  (Ps.  92  :  12) ;  of  the  cedars, 
and  of  the  spices,  of  which  Moses  made 
the  holy  ointment  (Exod.  30  :  23);  of 
the  generous  spikenard,  which  is  a 
type  of  the  Holy  Sjni-it,  and  of  the 
resurrection  of  the  dead,  being  used  in 
embalming  bodies,  in  order  to  preserve 
them  from  putrefaction  ;  of  the  vine, 
and  various  vegetables;  from  which 
the  Holy  Ghost  draws  beautiful  simil- 
itudes, designed  to  illustrate  and  ex- 
plain to  us  the  mysteries  of  the  king- 
dom of  God. 

18.  Of  the  fruitfulness  of  the  earth, 
Bavid  speaks  thus  :  "  Thou  visitest  the 
earth,  and  waterest  it:  thou  greatly 
enrichest  it  with  the  river  of  God 
which  is  full  of  water:  thou  preparest 
them  corn,  when  thou  hast  so  provided 
for  it.  Thoii  waterest  the  ridges  there- 
of abundantly ;  thoQ  scttlest  the  fur- 
rows thereof:  thou  makest  it  soft  with 
showers:  thou  blcssest  the  springing 
thereof:  thou  crownest  the  year  with 
thy  goodness,  and  thy  paths  drop  fat- 
ness." Ps.  65  :  9-11.  That  is,  every 
month  produces  its  peculiar  fruit  out 
of  its  treasury,  the  bosom  of  the  earth. 

19.  This  natural  fertility  of  the 
earth  has  been  very  much  restrained 
by  the  curse  of  the  Almighty ;  hence 
the  tares  which  choke  the  good  corn. 
"  Cursed  is  the  ground,"  saith  God, 
"  thorns  and  thistles  shall  it  bring 
forth  to  thee."  Gen.  3  :  17,  18.  Fruit- 


fulness,  therefore,  must  be  regarded 
and  prayed  for,  as  the  gift  and  bless- 
ing of  God,  without  which,  a  man  can 
neither  plough,  sow,  nor  plant  with 
success :  "  for  it  is  God  that  giveth  the 
increase."  1  Cor.  3  :  6.  Thus  we  are 
to  understand  the  words,  "  A  fruitful 
land  turneth  he  into  barrenness,  for 
the  wickedness  of  them  that  dwell 
therein."  Ps.  107  :  34. 

20.  Let  our  meditations  on  the  fruit- 
fulness  of  the  earth,  carry  our  thoughts 
to  that  new  earth  which  we  expect, 
"wherein  dwelleth  righteousness."  2 
Pet.  3  :  13.  There  the  curse,  to  which 
the  present  earth  is  in  bondage,  shall 
have  no  place;  it  shall  be  the  region 
of  perfect  blessedness  and  life  eternal. 
This  is  the  new  paradise,  full  of  celes- 
tial sweetness,  joy,  and  pleasure  :  then 
shall  we  truly  sing  this  song,  "  the 
flowers  appear  on  the  earth."  Cant.  2  : 
12. 

21.  I  come  next  to  the  mountains, 
which  by  their  height  and  beauty  are 
no  small  ornament  to  the  earth.  The 
mountains  are,  in  a  more  particular 
sense,  the  treasury  of  God,  in  which 
all  kinds  of  metals  are  prepared.  They 
are,  as  it  were,  so  many  chemical  fur- 
naces, in  which  the  matter  of  all  metala. 
and  minerals  is  separated  and  ma- 
tured. It  has  been  observed,  that  the 
best  simples  grow  upon  high  moun- 
tains; and  whensoever  they  are  trans- 
planted into  gardens,  they  degenerate 
and  lose  their  virtue.  Hence  it  wa8 
said  of  Hippocrates  that  the  herbs 
which  he  used  in  the  practice  of  med- 
icine, were  generally  gathered  from 
hills  and  mountainous  places. 

22.  The  mountains  ought  to  remind 
us  both  of  the  protection  of  God  (and 
so  the  expression  is  used  in  Scripture 
— I  will  lift  up  mine  eyes  unto  the 
hills,  from  whence  cometh  my  help;" 
Ps.  121 :  1) ;  and  also  of  the  Church 


Chap.  III.] 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


435 


of  God.  "The  mountains  shall  bring 
peace,  and  the  little  bills  by  righteous- 
ness." Ps.  72  :  3. 

23.  Under  this  head,  also,  we  may 
consider  the  springs  and  rivers  of 
waters  that  run  through  the  valleys, 
adorning,  enriching,  and  beautifying 
the  earth.  For  though,  in  strict  pro- 
priety, the  fountains  belong  to  the 
work  of  the  fifth  day ;  yet  the  royal 
Prophet  couples  the  mountains  and 
f^prings  together,  because  the  rivers 
arise  from  the  hills.  Ps.  104  :  10. 

24.  Solomon  tells  us,  "  All  the  rivers 
run  into  the  sea ;  yet  the  sea  is  not 
full;  unto  the  place  from  whence  the 
rivers  come,  thither  they  return  agai  n." 
Eccles.  1 :  7.  Though  the  waters,  pass- 
ing out  of  the  sea  through  the  earth, 
are  sweetened  by  percolation ;  yet  they 
do  not  everywhere  break  forth,  nor 
form  springs  in  all  places,  but  accord- 
ing to  the  order  and  appointment  of 
God.  So  saith  the  Psalmist,  "He 
sendeth  the  springs  into  the  valleys." 
Ps.  104  :  10.  And  their  continual 
streams  are  not  only  a  great  blessing, 
and  a  miracle  of  divine  power,  but  are 
also  an  apt  representation  of  eternal 
life. 

25.  If  God  take  so  much  care  of  the 
beasts  of  the  earth,  shall  he  not  much 
more  take  care  of  us?  If  "the  beasts 
of  the  field  cry  unto  him,  when  the 
rivers  of  waters  are  dried  up"  (Joel  1  : 
20),  how  much  more  ought  we  to  call 
upon  him  in  all  our  distresses?  And, 
whereas,  those  places  arc  generall^^ 
most  pleasant,  where  there  is  the 
greatest  plenty  of  springs  and  rivulets : 
so  thither  the  birds  generally  resort, 
and  "  sing  among  the  branches."  Ps. 
104  :  12.  It  is  as  if  God  had  taken 
care  to  fill  even  the  forests  with  their 
music,  that  so  every  place  might  re- 
sound with  his  praises,  and  that  man 
might  learn,  even  from  the  animals. 


that  not  only  himself,  but  all  creatures 
were  made  to  praise  and  glorify  God. 

26.  Natural  fountains,  of  which  some 
are  well  known  as  possessing  lu'aling 
virtues,  should  remind  us  of  the  foun- 
tain of  grace  and  salvation,  the  water 
of  life,  even  Jesus  Christ.  "  With  joy 
shall  ye  draw  water  out  of  the  wells  of 
salvation."  Isa.  12:3.  "With  thee  is 
the  fountain  of  life ;  in  thy  light  shall  we 
see  light."  Ps.  '66  :  9.  "Ho !  every  one 
that  thirsteth,  come  ye  to  the  waters." 
Isa.  55  :  1.  "  The  Lamb  which  is  in  the 
midst  of  the  throne  shall  feed  them,  and 
shall  lead  them  unto  living  fountains 
of  waters,  and  God  shall  wipe  away  all 
tears  from  their  eyes."  Rev.  7  : 17. 

27.  The  101th  Psalm,  which  gives 
us  a  beautiful  account  of  the  work  of 
the  third  day,  takes  particular  notice 
of  seven  illustrious  creatures  of  God, 
all  proceeding  from  the  earth,  and  all 
capable  of  a  spiritual  sense.  First,  he 
speaks  of  the  earth  in  general;  that 
God  laid  its  foundations,  divided  it 
from  the  waters,  adorned  it  with 
mountains,  and  watered  it  with 
springs.  Thence  descending  to  par- 
ticulars, he  takes  notice  of  its  remark- 
able productions.  1.  The  dew,  where- 
with He  waters  the  mountains.  2.  The 
grass.  3.  Bread.  4.  Wine.  5.  Oil, 
or  balsam.  6.  The  fruits  of  trees. 
7.  Birds  and  beasts:  all  which  are 
plainly  expressed  in  the  104th  Psalm. 

28.  Thus  he  speaks:  "He  watereth 
the  hills  from  his  chambers:  the  earth 
is  satisfied  with  the  fruit  of  thy  works." 
Ps.  104 :  13.  Thus  we  often  see  with 
admiration,  the  clouds  hovering  upon 
the  mountains,  and  dropping  showers 
of  plenty  upon  the  hills,  as  "  the  bot- 
tles of  heaven  "  (Job  38  :  37) ;  and 
then  God  doth  truly  water  the  hills 
from  above.  Sometimes,  also,  he 
sends  his  dew,  refreshing  them  with 
great  plenty.    Thus  w^ere  continually 


436 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY.  [Book  IY,  Part  I. 


watered  little  Ilerraon,  in  Judea,  and 
the  mountains  of  Gilboa,  where  Saul 
and  Jonathan,  his  son,  were  slain. 
Therefore  David  said,  "Ye  mountains 
of  Gilboa,  let  there  be  no  dew,  neither 
let  there  be  rain  upon  you.'^  2  Sam. 
1  :  21. 

29.  It  is  the  property  of  dew  to 
make  the  ground  rich  and  fruitful, 
and  to  refresh  the  flowers  scorched 
with  excessive  heat;  whence,  at  last, 
the  bees  by  wonderful  art  draw  their 
honey.  Sometimes  we  see  a  sort  of 
honey-dew  lying  upon  the  leaves,  as 
did  the  manna  heretofore.  Just  so 
the  Gospel  is  like  a  spiritual  honey, 
the  dew  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 

30.  It  is  not  without  reason  that 
peace  is  compared  to  dew.  Ps.  133  : 
1,  3.  For  as  the  dew  is  generated  by 
the  morning,  so  peace  proceeds  from 
Jesus  Christ,  who  is  himself  the 
morning  star,  and  the  Prince  of  peace. 
Where  Christ  liveth,  reigneth,  and 
worketh,  there  is  perpetual  peace. 
''The  kingdom  of  God  is  righteous- 
ness, and  peace,  and  joy  in  the  Holy 
Ghost."  Eom.  14:17.  "Blessed  are 
the  peacemakers,  for  they  shall  be 
called  the  children  of  God."  Matt.  5  : 
9.  Such  are  begotten  of  God,  as  the 
dew  is  of  the  morning;  and  as  the 
dew  makes  all  things  lively,  fresh,  and 
flourishing,  so  also  does  peace;  which, 
therefore,  every  good  man  ought  to 
beg  of  God,  the  Father  of  peace. 

31.  And  whereas,  in  the  last  place, 
it  is  said  that  "  the  earth  is  satisfied 
with  the  fruit  of  God's  works,"  it 
suggests  that  the  Word  of  God  the 
Creator,  is  still  as  powerful  and  effi- 
cacious as  formerly  it  was,  when  he 
spake  the  word,  saying,  "  Let  the 
earth  bring  forth  grass,  the  herb 
yielding  seed,  and  the  fruit  tree  yield- 
ing fruit."  So  that  all  things,  from 
the  beginning  of  the  would  to  this 


day,  spring  from  the  Word  of  God, 
as  from  an  eternal  root  of  divine 
blessing. 

32.  Secondly,  the  Psalmist  says, 
"  He  causeth  the  grass  to  grow  for 
the  cattle."  Yerse  14.  Nor  is  that 
the  least  of  God's  blessings ;  for  how 
could  so  many  wild  as  well  as  tame 
beasts,  that  minister  to  the  necessi- 
ties of  man,  subsist,  were  the  grass  to 
fail?  And  it  is  wonderful  that  when, 
in  very  dry  weather,  one  would  not 
think  there  could  be  grass  enough  to 
support  the  beasts  that  are  to  eat  it, 
yet  they  still  live  upon  it.  Thus  it 
seems  to  grow  as  much  by  night  as  it 
is  eaten  by  day. 

33.  Hence,  we  learn  how  merciful 
God  is  to  mankind,  and  how  liberally 
he  provides  for  our  necessities;  and, 
though  the  grass  may  seem  to  be  the 
least  and  meanest  of  all  the  blessings 
of  God,  yet  we  cannot  be  sufficiently 
thankful  for  it.  So  true  is  it  that  the 
least  of  God's  blessings  exceeds  our 
highest  gratitude. 

34.  The  grass  may  also  furnish  us 
with  proofs  of  the  Divine  Providence, 
1.  He  that  considers  that  God  takes 
care  of  the  grass  of  the  ground,  can- 
not question,  but  that  he  takes  much 
more  care  of  him  and  his  aff'airs,  ac- 
cording to  Matt.  6  :  30.  2.  It  may 
put  us  in  mind  of  our  own  vanity. 
For  "  all  flesh  is  grass,  and  all  the  good- 
liness  thereof  is  as  the  flower  of  the 
field."  Isa.  40:6.  3.  It  may  also  min- 
ister comfort  under  affiictions  and 
persecutions,  according  to  Psalm  37  : 
1,  2.  "  Fret  not  thyself  because  of 
evil-doers,  neither  be  thou  envious 
against  the  workers  of  iniquity ;  for 
they  shall  soon  be  cut  down  like  the 
grass,  and  wither  as  the  green  herb." 

35.  Thirdly,  "Herb  for  the  service 
of  man :  that  he  may  bring  forth  food 
out  of  the  earth :  and  bread,  which 


Chap.  III.] 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


437 


strengtheneth  man's  heart."  Ps.  104: 
14,  15.  Now  the  very  notion  of  bread 
implies  in  it  a  great  variety  of  divine 
blessings.  First,  it  reminds  us  of 
God's  paternal  affection  towards  us; 
for  a  father  naturally  cares  and  pro- 
vides for  his  children.  So  Matt.  7  :  9, 
What  man  is  there  of  you,  whom  if 
his  son  ask  bread  will  he  give  him  a 
stone  ?"  Let  us  remember,  then,  that 
God  is  our  Father;  and  that  we  are 
needy  and  indigent  creatures,  subject 
to  infirmities  and  necessities.  So 
that  our  very  hunger  and  thirst  are 
80  many  monitors  to  lead  us  unto- 
God;  and  every  morsel  of  bread  we 
eat,  should  put  us  in  mind  of  the  pa- 
ternal alfection  and  goodness  of  God. 

36.  (2)  Let  us  admire  and  rever- 
ence the  wise  dispensation  of  Provi- 
dence^ which  assigns  to  every  man  his 
convenient  portion  of  bread,  so  that 
no  man  has  reason  to  complain  that 
he  is  I'orgotten  before  God.  Ileb.  13  :  5. 

37.  (3)  From  bread  we  may  learn 
the  wisdom  of  God.  In  Psalm  104  : 
14,  God  is  said  to  bring  forth  herb 
for  the  service  of  man,  that  he  may 
bring  forth  food  (or  bread)  out  of  the 
earth."  The  bread  which  we  eat  is, 
at  first,  nothing  but  grass,  which, 
growing  up  into  ears,  and  into  the 
perfect  grain,  supplies  us  with  bread, 
which  at  last  is  converted  into  our 
body  and  blood.  This  miraculous 
operation  gives  us  an  image  of  our 
creation  ;  forasmuch  as  even  to  this 
day  he  makes  the  flesh  and  blood  of 
man  out  of  the  earth  ;  so  that  we  may 
properly  call  it  our  mother,  and  say 
that  "  in  God  we  live,  and  move,  and 
have  our  being."  Acts  17  :  28.  The 
nutritive  virtue  of  bread  is  the  Word 
of  God.  If  God  should  withdraw  it, 
then  all  flesh  and  blood  would  wither 
and  decay  as  a  flower,  or  as  the  grass 
of  the  field.    Therefore,  man  doth  not 


live  by  bread  alone.  Matt.  4:4;  Deut. 
8:3. 

38.  The  specific  property  of  bread  is 
indicated  in  these  words;  "Bread, 
which  strengtheneth  man's  heart."  Ps. 
104  :  17.  Every  other  kind  of  food,  by 
being  daily  eaten,  becomes  unwelcome 
to  us;  but  bread  never  does.  So  that 
bread  is  a  universal  food,  and  seems  to 
contain  in  it  all  the  nutritive  qualities 
of  every  other  sort  of  food,  all  of  which 
borrow  their  virtues  from  it;  as  the 
planets  derive  their  light  from  the 
universal  luminary,  the  sun.  And  this 
we  may  conceive  to  be  the  reason  of 
the  great  virtue  there  is  in  bread,  that, 
being  the  most  common  and  ordinary 
food,  every  man  might  find  in  it  where- 
withal to  support  life,  though  he  should 
have  nothing  else.  In  a  word,  what- 
ever we  eat  or  drink,  ought  to  be 
looked  upon  as  a  miracle  of  divine 
wisdom  and  goodness. 

39.  Lastly,  the  strengthening  faculty 
of  bread,  puts  us  in  mind  of  "  the  bread 
of  life,"  which  is  Christ.  So  we  read 
in  John  6  :  35.  "  I  am  the  bread  of 
life  :  he  that  cometh  to  me  shall  never 
hunger ;  and  he  that  believeth  on  me 
shall  never  thirst."  For  in  this  bread 
of  life,  all  the  power  of  God  is  con- 
tained; because  "it  pleased  God  that 
in  him  all  fulness  should  dwell"  (CoL 
1 : 19) ;  "and  that  of  his  fulness  have  all 
we  received,  and  grace  for  grace  "  (John 
1:16);  and  by  him,  "we  might  be 
filled  with  all  the  fulness  of  God."  Eph. 
3  : 19.  Blessed  is  he  that  eateth  this 
bread  !  Earthly  bread  cannot  save  us 
from  death,  but  he  that  eateth  of 
Christ,  the  bread  of  life,  shall  never  die. 

40.  The  fourth  thing  mentioned  is 
"  wine,  that  maketh  glad  the  heart  of 
man."  Ps.  104  :  15.  How  wonderful  is 
the  love  of  God  towards  us,  who  is  so 
far  from  desiring  to  have  us  oppressed 
with  sorrow,  that  he  has  provided  even 


438 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  IV.  Part  I. 


natural  means  to  refresh  and  comfort 
us!  And  as  for  the  dejected  and 
broken  spirit,  he  refreshes  that  by  the 
generous  wine  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
drawn  from  the  living  vine,  the  Lord 
Jesus  Ciirist.  This  is  the  wine  men- 
tioned in  the  Song  of  Solomon,  "  He 
brought  me  to  the  banqueting-house  " 
(Cant.  2:5);  (or  house  of  wine,  as  the 
margin  reads  it.)  This  was  the  spiritual 
wine  the  holj-  prophets  drank  of  (Isa. 
12:2;  61:10;  and  Ps.  34  : 1 ;  63:11), 
which  made  them  break  forth  into 
songs  of  joy  and  exultation. 

41.  Wine  again  \vas  given  by  God 
to  strengthen  the  sick.  For  wine  has 
a  spirit  in  it  adapted  to  quicken  the 
vital  motions  of  the  heart.  This  is 
another  instance  of  the  wonderful  love 
of  God  ;  yet  it  serves  to  put  us  in  mind 
of  a  greater;  namely,  of  that  most 
generous  wine  which  was  pressed  from 
the  bloody  w^ounds  of  the  true  vine, 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  w^hich  is 
the  only  sovereign  remedy  for  the  dis- 
eased soul.  "  He  washed  his  garments 
in  wnne,  and  his  clothes  in  the  blood 
of  grapes."  Gen.  49  :  11. 

42.  Lastly,  it  was  also  given  that 
the  aged,  whose  lamp  of  life  is  almost 
spent,  might  invigorate  the  languid 
flame,  and  make  it  burn  the  brighter. 
This  may  put  us  in  mind  of  the  spir- 
itual old  a<^e  of  the  Church.  For  as 
the  sight,  hearing,  and  all  the  other 
powers  of  nature,  arc  broken  by  age ; 
so  now  faith  is  extinguished,  charity  is 
cold,  hope  languishes,  and  the  whole 
spiritual  body  of  Christ  decays  every 
day  more  and  more.  "  When  the  Son 
of  man  coraeth,  shall  he  find  faith  on 
the  earth?"  Luke  18:8.  But  God 
promises  the  faithful,  that  he  will 
"renew  their  strength,  that  they  may 
mount  up  as  eagles"  (Isa.  40:31): 
and  he  declares,  that  he  will  "  carry 
them  even  to  old  age."  Isa.  46  : 4.  To 


which  also  belongs  that  promise, 
"They  shall  still  bring  forth  fruit  in 
old  age  ;  they  shall  be  fat  and  flourish- 
ing." Ps.  92  :  14. 

43.  The  fifth  thing  is,  "  Oil  to  make 
his  face  to  shine."  Verse  15.  By  this 
we  are  to  understand,  the  precious 
ointment  used  among  the  Jews,  and 
other  Eastern  nations,  when  they  were 
more  than  commonly  joyful,  or  in- 
tended to  treat  their  guests  after  the 
best  fashion;  and  which  ditfused  a 
wonderl'ul  vigor  through  their  whole 
bodies.  In  this  sense  we  are  to  under- 
stand Psalm  23  :  5.  "  Thou  anointest 
my  head  with  oil."  So  our  blessed 
Saviour,  w'hen  he  v."as  entertained  by 
Simon,  was  anointed  with  oil.  Matt. 
26  :  7.  He  upbraids  another  of  that 
name,  a  Pharisee,  that  he  had  not 
shown  him  the  same  respect.  "  My 
head  with  oil  (saith  he)  thou  didst  not 
anoint;  but  this  woman  hath  anointed 
my  feet  with  ointment."  Luke  7  : 46. 

44.  So  great  was  the  virtue  of  these 
Eastern  unguents,  that  they  used  them 
in  embalming  the  dead;  and  by  that 
means  preserved  them  many  hundred 
years  from  corruption  :  as  appeared  in 
the  body  of  Alexander  the  Great,  which 
w^as  Ibund  in  the  time  of  Augustus,  as 
fresh  as  if  it  had  been  interred  but 
3'esterday,  though  it  had  lain  above 
three  hundred  years.  And  this  balsam 
is  a  j^roper  representation  of  that  oil, 
with  which  the  Son  of  God,  according 
to  his  human  nature,  w^as  anointed 
without  measure.  Hence  the  Psalmist 
says,  "  Therefore  God,  thy  God,  hath 
anointed  thee  with  the  oil  of  ghidnCwSS 
above  thy  fellows  "  (Ps.  45  :  7)  :  and 
"  Of  his  fulness  have  all  we  received" 
(John  1  :  16) ;  which  is  nothing  else 
but  that  unction  by  which  he  teacheth 
us  all  things  (1  John  2 :  20),  and  by 
which  our  souls  shall  be  presented  be- 
fore God  wholly  beautiful,  and  adorned 


Chap.  IIT.] 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


439 


with  the  gifts  of  the  Holy  Spirit : 
"when  this  corruptible  shall  put  on 
incorruption,  and  this  mortal  shall  put 
on  immortality."  1  Cor.  15  :  53. 

45.  The  sixth  thing  mentioned  is 
this,  "  The  trees  of  the  Lord  are  full  of 
sap:  the  cedars  of  Lebanon  which  he 
hath  planted."  Ps.  104  :  16.  Tliere  are 
many  remarkable  things  to  be  consid- 
ered in  trees;  of  which,  two  are  more 
particularly  noticed  in  Holy  Scripture. 
The  first  is,  that,  whereas,  thc}^  seem 
to  be  dead  all  the  winter,  yet  upon  the 
return  of  the  spring,  they  are  full  of 
sap,  and  produce,  first,  leaves,  and 
afterwards,  fruit,  in  a  manner  truly 
wonderful,  and  such  as  no  art  can 
imitate.  For  where  is  the  artist,  who 
from  the  juice  of  any  vine,  can  ibrm  a 
grape?  The  birch-trees  so  ovei-flow 
with  sap  in  spring-time,  that  men  can 
tap  them  like  a  cask.  In  Ferro,  one 
of  the  Canary  Islands,  as  it  is  said, 
there  is  no  spring,  river,  or  rain  ;  but 
there  are  certain  trees,  from  the  leaves 
of  which  there  drops  so  great  a  quan- 
tity of  water,  as  is  sufficient  for  the 
inhabitants. 

46.  And  whereas  it  is  said  that  "the 
Lord  hath  planted  them,"  we  must 
understand  it  of  his  creating  word 
(Gen.  1  :  12),  b}'  the  power  of  which 
new  trees  daily  arise  to  supply  the 
place  of  those  that  die  or  are  cut 
down.  This  blessing  will  abide  in  the 
earth  as  long  as  it  lasts,  because  the 
power  of  the  Lord  is  the  universal 
source  of  all  things  that  arise  out  of 
the  earth.  Now  the  trees,  with  their 
fruits,  may  remind  us  of  that  divine 
charity  which  ought  to  be  in  us.  For 
as  these  freely  bestow  their  several 
fruits  upon  man;  so  ought  we  to  be 
affected  towards  God  and  towards  one 
another;  "that  we  may  be  trees  of 
righteousness,  the  planting  of  the 
Lord,  that  he  may  be  glorified."  Ps. 


92  :  13.  Lastly,  they  remind  us  of  the 
tree  of  life,  wilh  its  fruits,  even  Jesus 
Christ  crucified;  of  which,  whosoever 
eateth,  shall  live  forever.  Ptev.  22  :  2. 

47.  Seventhly,  the  birds  are  a  very 
great  ornament  of  the  earth.  They 
build  upon  the  trees  and  help  to  fur- 
nish our  tables.  "There  the  birds  make 
their  nests;  as  for  the  stork,  the  fir- 
trees  are  her  house."  Psalm  104:17. 
And  "Knowest  thou  the  time  when 
the  wild  goats  of  the  rock  bring  forth? 
Who  hath  sent  out  the  wild  ass  free? 
or  who  hath  loosed  the  bands  of  the 
Avild  ass?  Gavest  thou  wini^s  and 
feathers  unto  the  ostrich  ?  what  time 
she  lifteth  up  herself  on  high,  she 
scorneth  the  horse  and  his  rider.  Doth 
the  hawk  fly  b}- thy  wisdom  ?  Doth 
the  eagle  mount  up  at  th}^  command, 
and  make  her  nest  on  high  Job  39  : 
1,  5,  13,  18,  26,  27. 

48.  From  all  this  we  may  learn  that 
God  made  not  the  earth  to  be  desolate, 
but  has  allotted  its  deserts  and  wilder- 
nesses to  be  inhabited  by  birds  and 
wild  beasts,  that  his  bounty  to  man, 
and  his  magnificence  might  be  made 
known  by  the  multitude  of  his  crea- 
tures; his  omnipotence,  by  his  works; 
and  his  wisdom,  by  that  infinite  variety 
of  distinct  properties  which  he  has  be- 
stowed upon  the  creatures.  "Every 
beast  of  the  forest  is  mine,  and  the 
cattle  upon  a  thousand  hills.  I  know 
all  the  fowls  of  the  mountains;  and 
the  wild  beasts  of  the  field  are  mine. 
If  I  were  hungry  1  would  not  tell 
thee;  for  the  world  is  mine,  and  the 
fulness  thereof  Will  I  eat  the  flesh 
of  bulls,  or  drink  the  blood  of  goats?" 
Ps.  50  :  10-13.  What  then  is  the  sac- 
rifice that  God  expects?  "Oifer  unto 
God  thanksgiving;  and  pay  thy  vows 
unto  the  3Iost  High ;  and  call  upon  me 
in  the  day  of  trouble;  I  will  deliverthee, 
and  thou  shalt  glorify  me."  Ver.  14,  15. 


440 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY.  [Book  IV.  Part  I. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

OF  THE  SUN,  MOON,  AND  STARS,  THE  WORK  OF  THE  FOURTH  DAY. 
See  Gen.  1  :  14;  Ps.  104  :  19. 


THE  stars  are  bright  heavenly  bo- 
dies, fixed  in  the  firmament  of 
heaven  by  the  word  of  the  Most  High. 
They  enh"ghten  the  earth,  distingnish 
the  night  from  the  day,  and  adorn  the 
heavens;  and  they  are  signs  and  tokens 
of  nature,  of  judgment,  of  mercy,  of 
seasons,  days,  and  years.  1  Cor.  15  : 
41;  Gen.  1  Tm. 

2.  "Lift  up  your  eyes  on  high,"  saith 
God,  "and  behold  who  hath  created 
these  things,  that  bringeth  out  their 
host  by  number:  he  calieth  them  all 
by  names."  Isa.  41  :  26.  We  ought, 
therefore,  according  to  his  command, 
to  contemplate  these  glorious  works 
of  his  hands,  and  learn  thence  to  ad- 
mire and  adore  the  power  and  wisdom 
of  him  who  made  them.  For  "the 
heavens  declare  the  glory  of  God  ;  and 
the  firmament  showeth  his  handy- 
work."  Ps.  19  : 1. 

3.  With  regard  to  the  magnitude  of 
the  sun  and  moon,  St.  Basil  thus 
speaks  in  his  sixth  Homily  upon  the 
works  of  the  six  days:  "I  conceive 
that  the  sun  and  moon  are  styled  by 
Moses  great  lights,  not  only  because 
they  exceed  the  lesser  stars  in  magni- 
tude;- but  because  they  are  so  exceed- 
ingly large  that  they  can  fill  not  only 
the  whole  heaven,  but  even  the  earth 
and  seas  with  their  light.  And  as 
they  always  appear  equally  large, 
both  in  their  rising  and  setting,  it  fol- 
lows that  they  must  be  incredibly 
large ;  because  notwithstanding  the 
whole  breadth  of  the  earth,  they  al- 
ways appear  of  equal  size." 


4.  If  a  man  were  to  see  a  globe  of 
fire  as  large  as  a  vast  mountain,  or  a 
large  city  in  flames,  moving  to  and 
fro  in  the  air,  he  would  look  upon  it 
with  astonishment  and  terror.  Now 
it  is  demonstrable  that  the  globe  of 
the  sun  is  many  times  greater  than 
the  earth;  whence  we  may  conjecture 
how  great  and  inconceivable  a  space 
in  the  heavens  the  sun  must  take  up. 
Yea,  the  least  of  the  stars  in  the  firma- 
ment of  heaven  are  very  vast  in  com- 
pass, and  are  greater  than  the  earth; 
and  yet  in  the  firmament  there  are 
many  thousands  of  these  stars,  which 
by  reason  of  their  vast  distance  can- 
not be  discerned  by  us  with  the  naked 
eye. 

5.  Here  human  reason  is  at  a  stand; 
for  no  created  mind  can  conceive  of 
the  dimensions  of  heaven.  Hence  it 
is  that  the  Holy  Scripture,  speaking 
of  God's  infinite  compassion,  compares 
it  to  the  greatness  of  heaven.  "  For 
as  the  heaven  is  high  above  the  earth, 
so  great  is  his  mercy  toward  them 
that  fear  hira.  As  far  as  the  east  is 
from  the  west,  so  far  hath  he  removed 
our  transgressions  from  us."  Ps.  103  : 
11,  12.  For  though  "the  earth  is  full 
of  the  goodness  of  the  Lord"  (Ps.  33  : 
5),  yet  is  the  compass  of  it  too  small 
to  be  compared  with  the  infinite  good- 
ness of  God.  Hence  the  Holy  Spirit 
bids  us  look  up  to  the  height  of  heaven, 
furnished  with  innumerable  glorious 
bodies,  all  full  of  the  goodness  of  God, 
and  vastly  larger  than  this  lower 
world. 


Chap.  IY.] 


TEUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


441 


6.  Moreover,  the  incomprehensible 
greatness  of  the  divine  power  is  mani- 
fested, not  only  in  the  bulk  of  the 
heavenly  bodies,  but  also  in  their  con- 
stant and  regular  revolutions;  for  who 
can  observe  without  wonder  and  ad- 
miration, such  prodigious  bodies,  not 
only  pendent  in  the  air,  but  moving 
up  and  down  in  it  with  constant  regu- 
larity? And  how  great  and  incom- 
prehensible a  space  must  they  have  to 
perform  their  courses  in,  and  at  the 
same  time  so  determined  and  settled, 
that  they  never  exceed  their  appoint- 
ed limits,  nor  interfere  with  each  other 
in  their  revolutions  ?  David  truly 
pronounces,  that  God  "  by  wisdom 
made  the  heavens."  Ps.  136  :  5.  How 
excellent,  how  transcendently  excel- 
lent must  that  wisdom  be,  which  can 
guide  and  govern  the  infinite  host  of 
heaven  with  such  admirable  order, and 
call  them  all  by  their  names  r' 

7.  It  is  wonderful  also,  that  these 
vast  shining  bodies  should  have,  as  it 
were,  a  motion  in  themselves,  so  that 
they  cannot  for  one  moment,  stand 
still  in  their  courses;  for  the  whole 
heavenly  order  would  then  be  dis- 
turbed, and  the  stars  themselves,  to- 
gether with  their  motion,  would  lose 
their  vital  power,  even  as  men  die, 
when  the  motion  of  their  lungs  fails. 
The  least  star  never  stands  still,  but 
is  perpetually  in  quick  and  inconceiv- 
able motion. 

8.  If , the  motion  of  one  planet  only 
be  so  stupendous,  what  shall  we  say 
of  that  innumerable  multitude  of  stars, 
each  of  which  has  its  particular  course 
and  revolution And  if  any  man  could 
but  for  an  hour  take  a  view  of  all  their 
distinct  motions,  he  would  be  able  to 
unfold  to  us  very  surprising  things. 

9.  The  consideration  of  the  motions 
and  multitude  of  these  stars  may  re- 
mind us  of  those  bright  and  invisible 


stars,  the  angels  of  God.  This  seems 
to  be  hinted  in  the  Eevelation  of  St. 
John,  where  the  Son  of  God  appears 
with  seven  stars  in  his  hand  (Rev. 
1  :  16),  which  are  the  seven  spirits  or 
angels  sent  forth  into  all  the  earth. 
To  this  the  Book  of  Job  alludes, 
"When  the  morning  stars  sang  to- 
gether, and  all  the  sons  of  God  shout- 
ed for  joy  "  (Job  38:  7):  by  which  the 
writer  leads  us  from  the  natural  stars 
to  the  holy  angels.  For  if  God  has 
created  so  great  a  multitude  of  stars, 
who  can  doubt  that  he  has  a  much 
greater  multitude  of  celestial  spirits, 
who  praise  him  without  ceasirig? — 
"  Praise  ye  him,  sun  and  moon  ;  praise 
him,  all  ye  stars  of  light."  Ps.  148  :  3. 

10.  The  revolution  of  the  heavens 
is,  by  the  all-wise  Creator,  appointed 
as  the  measure  of  time;  in  which  ap- 
pear the  stupendous  providence,  econ- 
omy, and  wisdom  of  God.  To  this 
head  we  are  to  refer  the  ages  of  the 
world,  and  their  distinct  epochs,  the 
ending  of  monarchies,  the  seventy 
years  of  the  Babylonish  captivity, 
Daniel's  seventy  weeks,  the  periods  of 
kingdoms,  and  the  times  of  xintichrist, 
both  in  the  book  of  Daniel  and  the 
Eevelation,  with  other  things  of  the 
same  nature,  which  wonderfully  con- 
firm and  illustrate  the  providence  and 
wisdom  of  God.  And  whereas  our 
Saviour  tells  us,  that  "  it  is  not  for  us 
to  know  the  times  or  the  seasons  which 
the  Father  hath  put  in  his  own  power" 
(Acts  1:7);  this  is  to  be  understood 
of  such  a  knowledge  only  as  was  for- 
eign to  the  duty  of  an  apostle,  not 
serving  either  to  the  edification  of  the 
church,  or  the  propagation  of  the  Gos- 
pel. The  words  also  may  mean  that 
no  time  or  place  ought  to  be  prescribed 
to  our  blessed  Lord  for  the  erecting 
and  establishing  of  his  kingdom;  of 
which  he  himself  is  the  only  proper 


442 


TEUE  CHEISTIANITY.  [Book  IY.  Part  I. 


judge.  Our  business  is  onl}^  to  be 
witnesses  of  his  kingdom,  and  to  do 
our  best  to  promote  it,  leaving  the 
times  and  seasons  to  God  alone.  More- 
over, the  disciples  at  that  time,  had 
wrong  views  of  the  nature  and  design 
of  his  kingdom,  and  those  words  may 
be  looked  upon  as  a  proper  rebuke  of 
their  erroneous  opinions  about  a  tem- 
poral kingdom. 

11.  And  as  for  the  times  and  sea- 
sons of  our  worldly  affairs,  even  these 
are  under  the  disposal  and  direction 
of  God,  whensoever  we  devoutlj^  sub- 
mit our  concerns  to  him,  begging  his 
direction  and  assistance;  as  plainly 
appears  in  the  case  of  Abraham's  ser- 
vant, who  praj'cd  to  God,  that  he 
w^ould  "send  him  good  speed  that 
da3^"  Gen.  24  :  12. 

12.  Our  blessed  Saviour  argues  with 
the  Jews  Irom  those  signs  in  the  heav- 
ens, which  the  common  experience  of 
the  times  had  remarked  (Matt.  IG  :  2, 
3;  Luke  12:  54-56),  thereby  leading 
them  to  observations  of  a  higher  na- 
ture, and  putting  them  in  mind  of 
those  signs  which  were  to  usher  in 
and  attend  the  appearance  of  the  Mes- 
siah. The  words  in  St.  Matthew  are 
these:  "When  it  is  evening,  ye  say, 
It  will  be  fair  weather;  for  the  sky  is 
red.  And  in  the  morning,  It  will  be 
foul  weather  to-daj^,  for  the  sky  is  red 
and  lowering.  O  ye  hj'pocrites,  ye 
can  discern  the  face  of  the  sky;  but 
can  ye  not  discern  the  signs  of  the 
times?"  So  that  our  Saviour's  con- 
clusion runs  thus:  If  ye  attend  to  the 
natural  signs,  and  by  the  face  of  the 
sky  can  judge  rightly  of  the  weather, 
why  do  ye  not  attend  to  the  signs  of 
the  present  period,  and  conclude  that 
the  times  of  the  Messiah  are  come  ? 

13.  The  words  in  St.  Luke  run  thus: 
"When  ye  see  a  cloud  rise  out  of 
the  west,  straightway  ye  say,  There 


Cometh  a  shower;  and  so  it  is.  And 
when  3'e  see  the  south  wind  blow,  ye 
say.  There  will  be  heat;  and  it  cometh 
to  pass.  Ye  hypocrites,  ye  can  discern 
the  face  of  the  sky  and  of  the  earth ; 
but  how  is  it  that  ye  do  not  discern 
this  time?"  So  that  our  Lord  con- 
cludes thus:  As  by  the  natural  signs 
of  heaven,  ye  judge  rightly  of  the 
weather,  because  ye  see  the  effect  fol- 
low; so  by  the  signs  and  miracles 
which  ye  see,  ye  ought  to  be  con- 
vinced, that  the  Messiah  is  really 
come.  But,  hypocrites  as  ye  are,  ye 
retain  the  one.  and  neglect  the  other, 
though  of  the  highest  importance  to 
you. 

14.  As  to  the  operations  of  heaven, 
we  must  first  observe,  that  they  have 
nothing  in  their  own  nature  hurtful  to 
mankind,  as  some  pretenders  would 
persuade  us ;  but  that  our  sins  and 
wickedness  are  the  true  cause  why 
God  arms  the  creatures  unto  ven- 
geance, and  makes  use  of  them  to  pun- 
ish a  rebellious  world.  Thus  he  pun- 
ished the  sins  of  the  old  world  by  a 
rain  of  forty  days,  which  caused  the 
flood.  Gen.  7  :  12.  And  thus  the  sin 
of  Sodom  drew  down  fire  and  brim- 
stone from  heaven.  Gen.  19  :  24. 

15.  In  the  same  manner  we  are  pun- 
ished even  at  this  day;  sometimes  by 
excessive  heats;  at  other  times  by  vio- 
lent cold,  rains,  or  drought;  at  other 
times  by  thunder,  hail,  fire,  insects,  or 
infected  air,  which  like  the  fire  that 
destroyed  Sodom  and  Gomorrah,  fall 
from  heaven.  But  as  the  Egyptian 
plagues  had  no  power  over  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel  (Exod.  8 :  22),  so  these 
punishments  never  hurt  the  children 
of  God,  if  they  live  in  his  faith  and 
fear.  Thus  it  is  said,  "  The  Lord  is 
thy  shade  upon  thy  right  hand;  the 
sun  shall  not  smite  thee  by  day,  nor 
the  moon  by  night."  Ps.  121 :  5,  6. 


Chap.  IY.] 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


443 


The  same  Psalm  advises  us,  to  "lift 
up  our  eyes  unto  the  hills,  from  whence 
Cometh  our  help,"  that  by  the  grace 
and  favor  of  God  we  may  escape  these 
evils. 

16.  And  as  God  makes  use  of  the 
heavens  and  heavenly  bodies,  as  in- 
struments of  vengeance  against  the 
wicked,  so  he  employs  them  some- 
times as  means  of  protection  and 
blessing  to  the  righteous.  Thus  we 
read,  "  They  fought  from  heaven  ;  the 
stars  in  their  courses  fouo'ht  ao;ainst 
Sisera"  (Judg.  5:  20):  not  unlike  to 
which,  is  the  story  of  the  Emperor 
Theodosiiis,  whose  enemies  were  rout- 
ed by  a  sudden  tempest  of  wind  and 
rain. 

17.  The  productions  of  heaven  God 
in  his  due  time  dispenses  out  of  his 
treasures,  for  the  benefit  and  advan- 
tage of  this  lower  world;  God  so  dis- 
posing and  ordering  things,  that  the 
inferior  creatures  receive  of  the  su- 
jDerior,  and  all  nature  hangs  together, 
as  it  were,  in  one  chain.  And  this  con- 
nection of  nature  and  providence  is 
finely  described  by  the  prophet  Ho- 
sca,  '^It  shall  come  to  pass  in  that 
day,  saith  the  Lord,  I  will  hear  the 
heavens,  and  they  shall  hear  the  earth ; 
and  the  earth  shall  hear  the  corn,  and 
the  wine,  and  the  oil,  and  they  shall 
hear  Jezreel."  llosea  2  :  21,  22.  In 
this  place  the  prophet  presents  us 
with  the  entire  order  of  nature,  be- 
ginning at  the  first  cause,  which  is 
God.  "  I  (saith  he)  will  hear  the 
heavens,"  namely,  when,  in  the  great 
drought,  the  heaven  shall  scorch  with 
excessive  heat,  and  the  channel  of  the 
heavenly  influences  shall,  as  it  were, 
be  dried  up,  so  that  they  cannot  con- 
vey fruitful  seasons  to  the  earth:  then 
I  will  hear  the  distress  of  the  heavens, 
I  will  cover  them  with  clouds. 

18.  And  whereas  the  prophet  adds, 


"The  heavens  shall  hear  the  earth," 
that  has  relation  to  tho  secondary 
causes.  For  as  the  earth  depends  on 
the  heavens,  it  follows,  that  when  the 
operations  of  the  heavens  are,  as  it 
were,  hindered,  the  earth  can  produce 
nothing  that  is  good.  And  when  tho 
earth  is  broken  or  chapped  by  exces- 
sive heat,  it,  as  it  were,  opens  its 
mouth  and  entreats  for  rain.  "  And 
the  earth  shall  hear  the  corn,  and 
wine,  and  oil that  is^  forasmuch  as 
the  vegetables  depend  upon  the  earth 
for  their  moisture;  therefore,  whenso- 
ever the  earth  is  dry  and  cannot  sup- 
ply them  with  nourishment,  the  vege- 
tables solicit  moisture  of  it,  as  a 
thirsty  infant  would  appeal  to  its 
mother. 

19.  I  proceed,  next,  to  the  benefits 
which  God  bestows  upon  us  by  the 
light  of  the  sun  and  moon.  And 
these  we  must  consider  in  the  fear  of 
God,  and  show  how  we  may  enjoy 
and  use  them,  both  in  a  natural  and 
spiritual  sense.  "Tell  me  (saith  God 
to  Job),  where  is  the  way  where  light 
dwelleth?  and  as  for  darkness,  where 
is  the  place  thereof?  Canst  thou  bind 
the  sweet  influences  of  Pleiades,  or 
loose  the  bands  of  Orion  ?  Canst 
thou  bring  forth  Mazzaroth  in  his 
season,  or  canst  thou  guide  Arcturus 
with  his  sons?  Knowestthou  the  or- 
dinances of  heaven?  Canst  thou  set 
the  dominion  thereof  in  tho  earth  ? 
Canst  thou  lift  up  th}^  voice  to  the 
clouds,  that  abundance  of  waters  may 
cover  thee?"  Job  38  : 19,  31-34.  In 
these  words  God  represents  to  us  his 
infinite  power  and  wisdom,  such  as  no 
mortal  can  search  out  or  account  for, 
much  less  imitate.  For  so  unable  is 
the  wisest  man  to  form  light  or  dark- 
ness, that  he  cannot  so  much  as  pro- 
duce a  blade  of  grass.  "Not  unto  us 
(then),  O  Lord,  not  unto  us,  but  unto 


444 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY.  [Book  IY.  Part  I. 


tby  name  give  glory"  (Ps.  115:1); 
for  thou  hast  made  all  these  things, 
and    thy  hand  hath   formed  them. 

He  appointed  the  moon  for  seasons; 
the  sun  knoweth  his  going  down" 
(Ps.  104  : 19) ;  alluding  to  the  work  of 
the  fourth  day,  when  God  said,  "  Let 
there  be  lights  in  the  firmament  of 
heaven,  to  divide  the  day  from  the 
niojht:  and  let  them  be  for  sio;ns,  and 
for  seasons,  and  for  days,  and  for 
years.  And  God  made  two  great 
lights;  the  greater  light  to  rule  the 
day,  and  the  lesser  light  to  rule  the 
night;  he  made  the  stars  also."  Gen. 
1  :  14-16. 

20.  How  wonderful  is  the  increase 
and  decrease  of  the  moon;  sometimes 
it  seems  to  be  shut  up  in  darkness, 
and  again,  in  its  season,  to  emerge  by 
degrees  into  a  fulness  of  light.  And 
these  varieties  God  hath  appointed  for 
a  regular  distinction  of  the  times  and 
seasons  of  the  ycixr,  and  of  the  affairs 
and  business  of  mankind.  Wit  bout 
this  distinction  of  the  months  and 
other  divisions  of  time,  there  could 
be  no  order  in  the  church  of  God,  or 
in  civil  governments,  or  in  the  econo- 
my of  private  families;  but  all  would 
be  disorder  and  confusion. 

21.  And  how  abundantly  is  the  wis- 
dom of  God  displayed,  even  in  this 
certain  course  of  the  moon,  and  dis- 
tinction of  seasons!  In  all  states  and 
conditions,  the  chief  part  of  prudence 
is  to  preserve  good  order,  and  to  ob- 
serve the  pi'oper  02")portunities  of  act- 
ing; these  are  the  distinguishing  ac- 
complishments of  a  wise  ruler,  and 
of  a  prudent  head  of  a  family.  This, 
indeed,  is  the  principal  thing  to  be  re- 
garded in  every  action;  he  that  acts 
unseasonably,  acts  to  little  or  no  pur- 
pose. God  himself  hath  ordered  all 
things  in  measure,  and  number,  and 
weight;   and  every  season   has  its 


proper  opportunities  and  blessings  at- 
tending it.  "  To  every  thing  there  is 
a  season,  and  a  time  to  every  purpose 
under  the  heaven."  Eccles.  3  :  1.  And 
as  the  choosing  of  the  proper  season 
is  truly  a  happiness,  so  it  is  also  a 
blessing  from  God,  of  whom,  there- 
fore, we  ought  to  ask  it  by  prayer. 

22.  By  the  words,  "The  sun  know- 
eth his  going  down"  (Ps.  104:19); 
the  royal  prophet  suggests  to  us  the 
seasons  of  the  year,  spring,  summer, 
autumn,  winter,  and  the  distinguish- 
ing of  days,  being  some  longer,  and 
some  shorter;  all  which  are  of  very 
great  use  to  mankind. 

23.  And  who  can  consider  these 
amazing  acts  of  divine  power  and 
wisdom,  without  admiration  and  praise 
to  the  Author  of  nature?  This  aston- 
ishing order  of  nature  appeared  so 
glorious  to  the  ancient  heathens,  that 
they  worshipped  even  the  sun  for 
their  God,  as  being  the  greatest  and 
most  splendid  of  all  objects,  and  as 
enlightening  all  the  world.  This  was 
a  conclusion  for  blind,  corrupt  reason 
to  draw^  though  every  part  of  the 
creation,  to  pure  and  right  reason, 
fully  manifests  and  discovers  the  being 
and  excellencies  of  the  Creator.  A 
certain  Indian  kino:  havint^  heard  of 
Jesus  Christ,  and  the  necessity  of  be- 
lieving in  him,  because  he  died  for  us, 
gave  this  answer :  "  For  my  part,  I 
had  rather  believe  in  the  sun  that 
never  dies,  than  in  a  mortal  God." 
This  was  the  effect  of  human  blind- 
ness, against  the  corrupt  influences 
and  prej  udices  of  which,  God  has  taken 
particular  care  to  warn  us :  "  Lest 
thou  lift  up  thine  eyes  unto  heaven, 
and  when  thou  seest  the  sun,  and  the 
moon,  and  the  stars,  even  all  the  host 
of  heaven,  shouldest  be  driven  to  wor- 
ship them,  and  serve  them,  which  the 
Lord  thy  God  hath  divided  unto  all 


Chap.  IYJ 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


445 


nations  under  the  whole  hea,ven." 
Deut.  4:  19. 

24.  As  to  the  magnitude  of  the  sun, 
moon,  and  stars,  it  is  an  error  to  im- 
agine that  they  are  really  no  larger 
than  they  appear  to  us.  For  though 
the  moon  and  some  of  tjie  planets  are 
less  than  the  earth,  yet  the  sun  may 
be  plainly  and  infallibly  demonstrated 
to  be  many  times  larger^  and  that  it 
appears  so  small  to  us,  is  owing  to  the 
immensity  of  its  distance.  Ocular 
demonstration  convinces  every  man 
of  this,  that  the  more  remote  any  ob- 
ject is,  the  less  it  appears.  A  nice 
disquisition  of  these  matters  the  un- 
learned must  leave  to  astronomers, 
and  be  content  religiously  to  admire 
what  they  do  not  understand. 

25.  And,  here,  how  ought  we  to 
magnify  and  adore  the  omnipotence 
and  wisdom  of  God,  who  appointed 
the  sun  to  be  the  light  and  ornament 
of  the  day,  and  the  moon  of  the  night. 
For  light  is  the  highest  beauty  of  all 
things.  If  we  highly  admire  a  well-built 
house  with  a  fair  prospect,  furnished 
with  good  statues  and  pictures,  and 
painted  with  great  variety  of  colors, 
how  much  more  ought  we  to  look  up 
with  gratitude  and  astonishment  to 
heaven,  adorned  with  lights  so  many, 
and  so  stupendous. 

26.  How  profound  is  the  wisdom  of 
God,  who  "telleth  the  number  of  the 
stars,  and  calleth  them  all  by  their 
names"  (Ps.  147:  4,  5);  to  w^iich  is 
immediately  subjoined,  "  Great  is  our 
Lord,  and  of  great  power;  his  under- 
standing is  infinite."  How  ought  we 
then  to  depend  upon  this  wisdom,  and 
be  satisfied  with  all  its  determinations 
concerning  us,  and  not  charge  him 
with  folly,  by  pretending  to  be  wiser 
than  He  is  !  "  For  the  foolishness  of 
God  is  wiser  than  men."  1  Cor.  1  :  25. 

27.  The  certain  and  regular  course 


of  the  sun  and  moon,  reminds  us  of 
the  truth  of  God,  and  the  certainty  of 
his  promises:  such  are  those  of  send- 
ing the  Messiah,  of  the  revolutions  of 
certain  states  and  kingdoms,  and  other 
deliverances  of  mankind;  all  which  ap- 
peared in  their  time.  Thus  paith  the 
Lord  by  the  prophet  Jeremiah,  If 
my  covenant  be  not  with  day  and 
night,  and  if  I  have  not  ap})ointed  the 
ordinances  of  heaven  and  eailh;  and 
if  ye  can  break  my  covenant,  that 
there  should  not  be  day  and  night  in 
their  season;  then  may  also  my  cove- 
nant be  broken  with  David  my  ser- 
vant." Jer.  83  :  20,  21,  25. 

28.  At  our  blessed  Saviour's  passion, 
the  darkness  that  overspread  the  world 
did,  as  it  were,  represent  the  terrors 
of  his  death,  and  all  those  barbarous 
impieties  that  were  acted  against  him 
(Matt.  27  :  45);  for  the  sun  and  moon 
were  then  as  mirrors,  in  which  might 
be  read  the  sins  and  iniquities  of 
mankind;  which,  like  the  sin  of  Sod- 
om, mounted  up  to  heaven,  and  drew 
down  vengeance  upon  the  world.  Gen. 
18  :  20.  So  every  eclipse  of  the  sun 
points  out  to  us  that  internal  and 
spiritual  blindness  of  heart  which 
reigns  in  every  one  of  us;  and  that  as 
plainly  as  if  a  voice  should  call  to  us, 
saying,  "  Look  upon  me,  for  you  your- 
selves are  in  the  same  condition."  And 
when  the  heaven  is  red  as  blood,  and 
seems  to  be  on  fire,  it  appears  to  speak 
to  us  in  words  like  these:  "Look  up 
to  me,  and  think  on  that  day  when  I 
shall  burn  with  real  flames."  So,  in 
short,  we  may  consider  all  things  as 
upbraiding  us  with  our  iniquities,  and 
warning  us  to  repent.  What  is  the 
thunder,  but  the  terrible  voice  of 
heaven,  at  which  the  earth  trembles, 
and  by  which  God  speaks  to  the  im- 
penitent world?  What  is  an  earth- 
quake, but  a  lecture  of  repentance? 


446 


TEUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


[Book  IY.  Pari  I. 


The  same  may  be  said  of  storms  and 
tempests  at  sea,  and  of  all  disorders 
in  the  inanimate  creation. 

29.  The  sun,  moon,  and  stars,  are 
witnesses  of  the  divine  goodness,  and 
of  that  eternal  light  which  enlightens, 
comforts,  and  refreshes  every  man  that 
Cometh  into  the  world.  For  as  God  is 
in  himself  invisible  and  incomprehen- 
sible, we  should,  by  the  direction  of  the 
natural  light,  aspire  to  the  knowledge 
of  Ilim  that  made  it;  and  by  the 
beauty  of  the  created,  be  drawn  to 
the  love  of  the  uncreated  light.  And 
as  we  naturally  take  pleasure  in  the 
outward  light,  as  the  most  beautiful 
object  in  the  creation ;  so  ought  we, 
with  our  whole  hearts,  to  love  Ilim 
who  is  light  eternal,  and  to  walk  and 


rejoice  in  his  light,  by  withdrawing 
ourselves  from  the  darkness  of  sin. 
"For  what  fellowship  hath  righteous- 
ness with  unrighteousness?  and  what 
communion  hath  light  with  darkness? 
and  what  concord  hath  Christ  with 
Belial?"  2  Cor.  6:14,  15. 

26.  Lastly,  the  visible  sun  should 
put  us  in  mind  of  Jesus  Christ,  the 
spiritual  and  eternal  "Sun  of  right- 
eousness." Mai.  4  :  2.  For  as  that 
shines  equally  upon  all  men  ;  so  Christ 
freely  bestows  himself,  and  the  light 
of  his  grace,  upon  all  that  will  receive 
him.  Thus  he  saith,  "1  am  the  light 
of  the  world;  he  that  foUoweth  me 
shall  not  walk  in  darkness,  but  shall 
have  the  light  of  life."  John  8  :  12.  ■ 


CHAPTER  y. 

OF  THE  WATERS,  AND  THEIR  PRODUCTIONS,  THE  WORK  OF  THE  FIFTH  DAY. 
See  Gen.  1  :  20-22 ;  Ps.  104  :  25. 


THAT  is  unquestionably  the  best 
philosophy  which  gives  the  best 
account  of  the  works  of  God.  And 
this  knowledge  every  true  lover  of 
God  ought  to  seek,  that  he  may  there- 
by know  how  many  glorious  creatures 
God  has  created  for  our  use  and  bene- 
fit. Let  the  pretenders  to  philosophy 
look  to  it,  that  they  spend  not  their 
time  in  inquiries,  which,  instead  of 
teaching  them  true  knowledge,  lead 
them  into  ignorance  and  forgetfulness 
of  God  and  his  creatures. 

2.  The  first  thing  to  be  observed 
and  admired,  is  the  mutual  relation 
subsisting  between  the  different  parts 
of  created  nature.  Thus  the  heavens 
generate  rains,  dews,  winds  and  cool- 


ing breezes  in  the  air;  and  then  send 
them  down  to  us.  So  the  earth  pro- 
duces its  fruits  in  the  air;  and  they 
bud,  blossom,  and  ripen,  and  are  nour- 
ished by  the  air,  without  which  they 
would  quickly  languish  and  die. 

3.  Among  the  productions  of  the 
w^atery  element,  are  the  rivers.  In 
one  place  springs  up  the  Khine,  in  an- 
other the  Danube;  here  is  the  Elbe, 
there  the  Nile.  As  from  one  bough 
of  a  great  and  fruitful  tree,  spring 
many  little  branches,  and  much  fruit; 
so  one  great  branch  of  the  world  of 
waters,  as  the  Rhine  or  the  Danube, 
is  connected  with  rivulets,  lakes,  and 
fountains,  which  all  flow  into  it. 

4.  As  for  the  living  creatures  that 


Chap.  Y.] 


TRUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


447 


arise  from  the  sea,  they  are  without 
number,  God  having  blessed  it  with  so 
great  fruitfulness,  both  for  its  vast  ex- 
tent, and  the  use  and  benefit  of  man- 
kind, that  out  of  this  vast  repository 
there  arise,  at  certain  seasons,  prodig- 
ious quantities  of  fish,  varying  in  their 
kinds  every  month.  For  such 'is  the 
nature  of  sea-fish,  that  they  are  not  to 
be  caught  except  at  certain  seasons. 

5.  And  here  it  is  observable,  that 
the  sea  and  all  its  productions,  have 
their  proper  order,  time,  and  motion, 
appointed  to  them  b}^  God.  So  in  the 
heavens,  the  stars  have  their  stated 
times,  regular  order,  motion,  rising, 
and  setting.  The  earth  at  certain  sea- 
sons produces  different  fruits  and  vege- 
tables; and,  in  that  sense,  is  in  perpet- 
ual motion,  and  never  rests  until  it 
has  brought  forth  all  its  fruits.  So 
likewise  the  sea  has  its  laws  of  motion, 
flux  and  reflux,  and  produces  all  its 
fruits  at  such  appointed  seasons  as 
may  best  serve  the  use  and  benefit  of 
man. 

6.  Let  us  now  take  a  survey  of  the 
wonderful  power  and  wisdom  of  God 
in  the  sea,  and  inquire  what  spiritual 
inferences  may  be  drawn  from  it. 
"Who  hath  shut  up  the  sea  with 
doors,"  saith  God  to  Job,  "when  it 
brake  forth,  as  if  it  had  issued  out  of 
the  womb?  When  I  made  the  cloud 
the  garment  thereof,  and  thick  dark- 
ness a  swaddling  band  for  it,  and  brake 
up  for  it  my  decreed  place,  and  set 
bars  and  doors,  and  said.  Hitherto  shalt 
thou  come,  and  no  further;  and  here 
shall  thy  proud  waves  be  stayed? 
Hast  thou  entered  into  the  springs  of 
the  sea?  or  hast  thou  walked  in  the 
search  of  the  depth?"  Job  38:8-11, 
16.  In  these  words,  God  points  out 
the  great  and  dreadful  ocean  as  an  ob- 
scure image  and  resemblance  of  his 
unsearchable    and  incomprehensible 


power.  For  it  is  a  very  surprising 
miracle,  that  God  should  by  his  word 
alone,  as  with  bars  and  doors,  inclose 
the  sea  so  strongly,  that  it  should  not 
be  able  to  overflow  its  bounds.  No 
less  wonderful  is  its  ebbing  and  flow- 
ing ;  so  that  the  sea,  being,  as  it  were, 
conscious  and  mindful  of  the  divine 
command,  so  soon  as  it  touches  the 
earth,  seems  to  fly  back  and  retire  in 
a  fright,  as  at  the  presence  of  God 
himself,  like  Jordan  and  the  Red  Sea. 
Josh.  3:16;  Ps.  114  :  3.  "  lie  gather- 
eth  the  waters  of  the  sea  together,  as 
a  heap;  he  layeth  up  the  deep  in 
storehouses."  Ps.  33  :  7. 

7.  God  tells  Job,  that  he  has  "  made 
the  clouds  to  be  the  garment  thereof, 
and  thick  darkness  a  swaddling  band 
for  it"  (Job  38  :  9)  ;  which  plainly  ap- 
pears, when  its  waves  roll  and  toss 
themselves  up  to  the  clouds,  that,  as  it 
were,  receive  them  into  their  embraces, 
and  cover  them  with  darkness  and 
horror,  so  that  they  seem  to  be  blended 
with  each  other.  Then  appear  the 
mighty  wonders  of  God,  which  a  man 
cannot  behold  without  fear  and  aston- 
ishment, as  it  is  described  in  Psahn 
107  :  25,  etc. 

8.  To  this  work  of  the  fifth  day,  be- 
longs also  that  passage  of  the  Psalmist: 
"  So  is  this  great  and  wide  sea,  wherein 
are  things  creeping  innumerable,  both 
small  and  great  beasts.  There  go  the 
ships ;  there  is  that  leviathan  whom 
thou  hast  made  to  play  therein."  Ps. 
104 :  25,  26. 

9.  As  for  the  greatness  of  the  sea, 
who  can  but  admire  the  power  of  God, 
which,  notwithstanding  that  so  much 
water  flows  into  the  sea  every  day, 
and  has,  from  the  beginning,  yet  suf- 
fers not  its  waters  to  exceed  their  ap- 
pointed quantity?  And  though  its 
waves  sometimes  rage  and  swell,  and 
lift  themselves  like  mountains ;  yet  are 


448 


TEUE  CHEISTIANITY.         [Book  IY.  Part  I. 


they  quickly  put  at  rest,  and  settled 
within  tlieir  proper  bounds.  These 
are  clear  demonstrations  of  the  mighty 
power  of  God. 

10.  Here  too  we  may  not  improperly 
speak  of  the  islands.  Who  can  behold, 
without  wonder,  several  large  and 
populous  countries,  and  entire  king- 
doms, lying  in  the  midst  of  the  sea,,  as 
if  they  had  been  planted  there  ?  Who 
can  tell  on  what  foundations  they  are 
built,  and  what  it  is  that  keeps  them 
immovable  in  the  midst  of  violent 
storms  and  tempests  ?  Some  of  them, 
encompassed  with  vast  rocks  growing 
out  of  the  sea,  seem  to  be  built  and 
founded  on  them.  Upon  the  whole, 
their  fruitfulness,  tillage,  and  the  oc- 
casion and  manner  of  their  being  peo- 
pled, are  what  we  may  rather  admire 
than  understand.  So  that  the  sea  is 
as  populous  as  the  earth.  For  as  the 
earth  is  much  less  than  the  sea,  it  is 
probable  that  God  would  not  suifer  the 
greatest  part  of  the  globe  to  be  unin- 
habited, and  therefore  he  planted  it 
with  islands :  so  that  none  of  the 
miracles  and  blessings  which  he  works 
in  the  sea,  might  escape  the  observa- 
tion of  mankind.  Therefore,  to  these 
islanders  also  did  he  send  the  Gospel 
of  truth,  by  his  holy  Apostles,  "shak- 
ing both  the  sea  and  the  dry  land,  after 
the  Desire  of  all  nations  was  come." 
Hag.  2  :  6,  7. 

11.  No  less  wonderful  is  the  vast 
multitude  of  creatures  that  inhabit  the 
sea;  for  some  affirm  that  there  is  as 
great  abundance  and  variety  of  them 
in  the  sea,  as  on  the  land.  Who  can 
behold  without  astonishment,  prodig- 
ious shoals  of  fish  rising  from  the 
depths  of  the  sea,  like  a  flock  of  sheep, 
and  offering  themselves  to  the  use  and 
necessities  of  mankind?  So  that  the 
sea  is  a  great  storehouse  of  God,  out 
of  which  he  feeds  the  greatest  part  of 


mankind,  and  out  of  which,  too,  he 
produces  many  other  excellent  works, 
such  as  pearls,  amber,  and  coral. 

12.  I  might  here  mention  the  many 
bold  voyages  that  have  been  perform- 
ed within  the  memory  of  us  and  our 
fathers,  to  the  most  distant  parts  of 
the  East  and  West ;  and  all  this  chiefly 
by  the  assistance  of  the  magnet,  which 
seems  to  have  nothing  in  it  either  of 
beauty  or  use,  and  yet  the  greatest 
things  are  performed  by  it.  By  this 
the  pilot  steers  his  ship,  and  keeps  his 
way  in  the  pathless  waters;  and  by 
constantly  pointing  to  the  pole,  it 
guides  the  mariner  to  his  intended 
port.  Of  these  voyages,  and  of  the 
islands,  countries,  people,  and  other 
useful  discoveries,  there  are  many 
volumes  extant,  to  which  I  refer  the 
reader. 

13.  The  huge  whales,  mentioned  by 
David  (Ps.  104  :  26),  give  us  a  great 
idea  of  the  mighty  power  of  God. 
Of  this  God  himself  takes  notice 
when  he  talks  with  Job :  "  His  bones 
are  as  strong  pieces  of  brass;  his 
bones  are  like  bars  of  iron.  He  is  the 
chief  of  the  ways  of  God.  He  drink- 
eth  up  a  river  and  hasteth  not :  he 
trusteth  that  he  can  draw  up  Jordan 
into  his  mouth.  By  his  neesings  a 
light  doth  shine,  and  his  eyes  are  like 
the  eyelids  of  the  morning.  Out  of 
his  mouth  go  burning  lamps,  and 
sparks  of  fire  leap  out.  Out  of  his 
nostrils  goeth  smoke,  and  a  flame  go- 
eth  out  of  his  mouth.  When  he  rais- 
eth  up  himself,  the  mighty  are  afraid; 
by  reason  of  breakings  they  purify 
themselves.  He  maketh  the  deep  to 
boil  like  a  pot:  he  maketh  the  sea  like 
a  pot  of  ointment."  Job  40  :  18,  19, 
23;  41  :  18-21,  25,  31. 

14.  Thus  much  for  the  greatness  of 
the  sea;  which  is  a  very  striking 
illustration   of  the  power    of  God. 


Chap.  Y  ] 


TEUE  CIIEISTIANITY. 


449 


"  lYho  hath  measured  the  waters  in 
the  hollow  of  hi.s  hand?"  saith  Isaiah. 
Isa.  40:12.  To  which  the  Psalmist 
answers,  "  AYhatsoever  the  Lord  pleas- 
ed, that  did  he  in  heaven  and  in  the 
earth,  in  the  seas  and  all  deep  places." 
Ps.  135  ;  6.  All  that  remains  is,  to 
praise,  honor,  and  glorify  the  wisdom 
of  God,  which  is  so  wonderfully  man- 
ifested in  the  deep;  the  riches  of  his 
goodness  in  that  vast  variety  of  fishes, 
and  other  productions  of  the  sea,  for 
the  use  and  benefit  of  man;  and  in  a 
word,  to  adore  and  magnify  him  in  all 
his  works. 

15.  Let  us  consider  how  this  doc- 
trine of  the  sea  may  bring  to  our 
remembrance  that  twofold  sea  men- 
tioned in  Scripture  :  the  sea  of  afflic- 
tion and  miseiy,  and  the  sea  of  grace 
and  comfort;  the  depths  of  misery, 
and  the  abyss  of  divine  mercy.  For 
what  is  this  life  and  world  of  ours  but 
a  troublesome  and  tempestuous  sea? 
As  the  sea  is  never  at  rest,  but  is  per- 
petually ruffled  with  winds  and  waves, 
so  is  the  life  of  man.  Sometimes  we 
fancy  ourselves  safe  and  out  of  danger, 
when  suddenly  a  stormy  wind  arises, 
and  the  floods  swell,  to  the  great  dan- 
ger both  of  body  and  soul.  As  the 
sea  has  its  ebb  and  flow,  so  has  the 
life  of  man.  Hence  we  read  that  the 
Lord  dries  the  sea,  the  waters  of  the 
great  deep.  Isa.  51:10;  Jer.  31:35; 
Ps.  107  :  25.  Moreover,  as  the  freshest 
waters  when  they  come  into  the  sea 
grow  salt,  so  all  the  pleasures,  glories, 
honors,  and  riches  of  this  mortal  life, 
however  sweet  and  pleasant  at  first, 
soon  grow  bitter  and  unsavory.  And 
all  that  cleave  to  them,  thereby  for- 
feit the  sweet  consolations  of  heaven, 
and  are  drowned  and  overwhelmed  in 
bitter  fears  and  perplexing  sorrows. 

16.  As  the  sea  has  man}^  rocks  and 
quicksands,  on  which  vessels  split  and 


are  lost,  so  in  human  life,  many  there 
are  who  split  upon  the  rocks  of  cov- 
etousness,  and  run  foul  of  the  quick- 
sands of  worldl}^  pleasures,  and  arc 
lost  to  all  eternity.  As  the  sea.  after 
some  days,  throws  up  the  carcasses 
that  have  been  cast  into  it,  so  the 
world  vomits  us  out,  after  it  has  en- 
tertained us  a  little  while;  so  that  it 
is  our  highest  wisdom  to  look  out  be- 
times for  a  haven  of  salvation  in  the 
land  of  the  living.  As  the  mariner 
sails  at  random  without  his  compass, 
and  has  no  certain  guide  but  his 
needle,  which  is  continually  pointing 
to  the  pole,  so  Jesus  Christ  is  our 
loadstone,  continually  drawing  our 
hearts  towards  him  and  heaven,  that 
we  may  not  float  up  and  down  at 
random,  or  be  lost  in  the  sea  of  this 
world.  As  the  depth  of  the  sea  is 
unsearchable,  according  to  Job,  "Ilast 
thou  entered  into  the  springs  of  the 
sea?  or  hast  thou  walked  in  the  search 
of  the  depth  ?"  (Job  38  :  16)  ;  so  is 
our  life  an  unsearchable  abyss  of  mis- 
ery and  sorrow.  AVhence  the  Psalm- 
ist says,  ''Out  of  the  depths  have  I 
cried  unto  thee,  O  Lord."  Ps.  130  :  1. 
And,  "  Deep  calleth  unto  deep  at  the 
noise  of  thy  waterspouts;  all  thy 
waves  and  th}^  billows  are  gone  over 
me."  Ps.  42:7.  So  that  our  life  is 
nothing  but  a  vast  sea  of  calamity 
and  sorrow. 

17.  To  this  abyss  of  misery  and  sin 
we  must  oppose  the  abyss  of  grace 
and  consolation.  And  the  first  com- 
fort is  the  boundless  mercy  of  God, 
which  is  higher  than  the  heavens,  and 
deeper  than  the  sea.  Of  this  the 
prophet  Micah  speaks,  "He  will  have 
compassion  on  us,  and  cast  all  our  sins 
into  the  depths  of  the  sea."  Micah  7  : 
19.  As  the  Egyptians  were  drowned 
in  the  Red  S^ea  (Exod.  14  :  28),  so 
must  all  our  sins  be  drowned  and 


450 


TEUE  CHRTSTIAOTTY. 


[Book  IY.  Part  I. 


washed  avva}^  in  the  blood  of  Christ. 
And  though  the  abyss  of  our  misery 
be  ever  so  great,  yet  the  merits  of  Je- 
sus Christ  are  greater. 

18.  A  second  comfort  is,  the  consid- 
eration of  the  many  wonders  that 
God  has  wrought  in  the  water;  and 
that  the  blessed  Jesus  assisted  his  dis- 
ciples when  they  were  in  danger  by 
sea.  Matt.  8:26.  He  stretched  out 
his  hand  to  Peter  when  he  was  afraid 
of  sinking.  Matt.  14  :31.  So,  at  this 
day,  he  is  never  nearer  to  us.  than 
when  we  are  sinking  in  the  floods  of 
affliction;  and  we  never  so  fully  ex- 
perience his  presence  and  assistance, 
as  when  we  are  under  the  cross. 
"  When  thou  passest  through  the  wa- 
ters, I  will  be  with  thee;  and  through 
th-.e  rivers,  they  shall  not  overflow 
thee.^  Isa.  43  : 2. 

19.  A  third  consolation  is  contained 
in  these  words  of  the  prophet  Zecha- 
riah  :  "  It  shall  be  in  that  day,  that 
living  waters  .shall  go  out  from  Jeru- 
salem ;  half  of  them  toward  the  for- 
mer sea,  and  half  of  them  toward 
the  hinder  sea."  Zech.  14:  8.  So  also 
the  prophet  EzeJiiel  (Ezekiel  47  :  8) 


saw  a  stream  of  water  flowing  out  of 
the  temple  near  the  altar  into  the  sea, 
healing  and  quickening  everything 
that  was  touched  by  it.  This  signi- 
fies the  fountain  of  grace  and  consola- 
tion opened  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  by 
the  preaching  of  the  Gospel,  whereby 
the  bitter  waters  of  affliction  are  to 
be  refreshed  and  sweetened;  so  that 
the  cross  shall  be  no  longer  a  Dead 
Sea,  but  a  water  of  life,  and  a  well  of 
salvation.  According  as  it  is  said, 
"  In  the  multitude  of  my  thoughts 
within  me,  thy  comforts  delight  my 
soul."  Ps.  94:  19. 

20.  A  fourth  consolation  against  the 
stormy  sea  of  this  world,  is  contained 
in  Psalm  65  :  7.  "  God  stilleth  the 
noise  of  the  seas,  the  noise  of  their 
waves,  and  the  tumult  of  the  people." 
As  if  he  had  said,  When  all  things 
threaten  ruin  and  destruction,  when 
wars  rage,  and  desolation  seems  to  be 
at  hand;  then  can  God  easily  still  the 
waves.  So  did  the  blessed  Jesus, 
Matt.  8:26.  "The  Lord  on  high  is 
mightier  than  the  noise  of  many  wa- 
ters." Ps.  93  : 4. 


CHAPTER  YI. 

'G^  THE  LIVING  CREATURES,  THE  WORK  OE  THE  SIXTH  DAY. 

And  out  of  the  ground  the  Lord  formed  every  beast  of  the  field,  and  every  fowl  of  the  air;  and 
bi'ought  them  unto  Adam,  to  see  what  he  would  call  them:  and  whatsoever  Adam  called  every 
living  creature,  that  was  the  name  thereof.  And  Adam  gave  names  to  all  cattle,  and  to  the 
fowl  of  the  air, 'and  to  every  beast  of  ihe  field. — G-EN.  1  :  24;  2  :  19,  20. 


HERE  Adam  gave  an  dllustnious 
proof  of  the  divine  wisdom  im- 
planted in  him  by  God,  to  the  honor 
and  praise  of  Him  that  gave  it.  He 
beheld  His  wisdom  and  goodness  in 


the  variety  of  his  creatures;  he  consid- 
ered the  distinct  forms,  figures,  pro- 
portions, and  colors  of  them  all;  he 
distinctly  viewed,  and  understood  the 
nature  of  the  living  animals  by  the 


Chap.  VI.] 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


451 


light  of  divine  wisdom;  and,  upon  a 
full  survey  of  the  properties  of  every 
creature,  he  gave  them  proper  and 
significant  names,  expressing  their 
several  natures.  From  this  natural 
knowledge  of  all  creatures,  he  called 
her  that  was  made  out  of  his  rib, 
Woman,  because  she  was  taken  out  of 
man;  afterward,  Eve,  as  being  '-the 
mother  of  all  living."  Gen.  2:23; 
3  :  20. 

2.  So,  even  at  this  day,  God  shows 
to  us  the  natures  and  properties  of  all 
creatures  in  his  holy  Word,  that  we 
may  thereby  be  led  to  praise  and  mag- 
nify the  wisdom  and  goodness  of  llim 
that  made  them.  Thus  Job  says  (12  : 
7,  8),  "  Ask  now  the  beasts,  and  they 
shall  teach  thee ;  and  the  fowls  of  the 
air,  and  they  shall  tell  thee;  or  speak 
to  the  earth,  and  it  shall  teach  thee; 
and  the  fishes  of  the  sea  shall  declare 
unto  thee."  See  also  Chap.  39.  He 
leads  us,  as  it  were,  into  every  part  of 
the  brute  creation,  putting  us  in  mind 
of  the  many  wonders  of  divine  power 
and  mercy  manifested  in  every  one  of 
them.  So  Jeremiah  sends  us  "to  the 
stork  and  the  crane,  the  turtle,  and 
the  swallow,  who  know  the  appointed 
time  of  their  comino;."  Jer.  8 : 7.  Isaiah 
sends  us  "to  the  ox  and  the  ass,  who 
know  their  master's  crib"  (Isa.  1:3); 
David  and  Job,  "to  the  j^oung  ravens 
that  call  upon  God  "  (Ps.  147  :  9 ;  Job 
38 :  41);  David  again,  "to  the  deaf  ad- 
der that  stoppeth  her  ear  "  (Ps.  58  :  4) ; 
Isaiah,  "to  the  cockatrice'  eggs  and 
vipers  "  (Isa.  59  :  5) ;  Jeremiah,  "  to  the 
sea  monsters,  that  draw  out  the  breast, 
and  give  suck  to  their  young  ones;" 
adding,  "the  daughter  of  my  people  is 
become  cruel  like  the  ostriches  in  the 
wilderness."  Lam.  4:3.  So  the  Song 
of  Solomon  speaks  of  the  "j^oung  hart, 
the  dove,  and  the  foxes"  (Song  of  Sol- 
omon 2  :-9,  14, 15);  David,  "  of  the  hart 


panting  after  the  water-brooks"  (Ps. 
42  :  1);  Solomon,  "of  the  ant"  (Prov. 
6  :  6);  David  and  Isaiah,  "of  the 
eagles."  Ps.  103  :  5.  "  They  that  wait 
upon  the  Lord  shall  renew  their 
strength,"  like  the  eagles.  Isa.  40  :  3L 
Lastly, Ilabakkuk  and  Jeremiah  speak 
of  the  wolves,  leopards,  and  lions,  sent 
to  be  executioners  of  divine  vengeance. 
Hab.  1:8;  Jer.  5  :  6. 

3.  So  also  in  the  New  Testament, 
the  blessed  Jesus  speaks  of  the  spar- 
rows, not  one  of  which  falleth  to  the 
ground  without  the  knowledge  of  our 
heavenly  Father.  Matt.  10  :  29.  Thus 
he  speaks  "of  the  wisdom  of  serpents, 
and  the  harmlessness  of  doves  "  (Matt. 
10:  16);  of  "the  hen  gathering  her 
chickens  under  her  wings  "  (Matt.  23  : 
37);  of  "the  eagles'  following  the  car- 
cass" (Matt.  24  :  28);  of  "the  dogs 
that  eat  the  crumbs  that  fall  from 
their  masters'  table."  Matt.  15  :  27. 
So  he  describes  his  own  sheep,  with 
their  several  properties.  John  10  :  27, 
28.  Lastly,  he  talks  of  the  scorpion 
and  serpent^  which  no  father  would 
give  to  his  children  when  they  ask  for 
an  egg  or  a  fish.  Luke  11 :  11,  12. 

4.  Here  it  may  be  considered  why 
the  blessed  Jesus  himself  is  compared 
to  a  lamb  (Isa.  53  :  7),  to  express  his 
exemplary  meekness  and  patience. 
Why  did  the  blessed  Spirit  light  upon 
the  Son  of  God  in  the  form  of  a  dove 
(Matt.  3  :  16),  but  because  the  mourn- 
ing of  a  dove  (Isa.  38  :  14)  resembles 
the  mourning  of  the  spirit  in  the 
hearts  of  the  faithful.  Hence  Heze- 
kiah  says  of  himself:  "I  did  mouVn  as 
a  dove."  Isa.  38  :  14.  Why  had  "  the 
four  living  creatures  the  faces  of  a 
man,  an  ox,  a  lion,  and  an  eagle"? 
Ezek.  1:10;  Rev.  4  :  7.  They  express 
to  us  the  four  mediatorial  offices  of 
Christ:  his  incarnation,  sacrifice,  res- 
urrection, and  ascension. 


452 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY.  [Book  lY.  Part  L 


5.  Here  also  we  may  consider  the 
wonderful  providence  of  God,  where- 
by he  protects,  sustains,  and  nourishes 
all  his  creatures.  Thus  in  Psalm  65 
David  celebrates  the  paternal  mei'cies 
of  God  towards  all  creatures.  Again, 
"O  Lord,  thou  preservest  man  and 
beast."  Ps.  36  :  6.  This  consideration 
should  strengthen  our  faith  and  secure 
our  perseverance  in  prayer,  under  all 
the  wants  and  necessities  of  soul  and 
body.  And  whereas  David  mentions 
the  word  flesh,  "to  thee  shall  all  flesh 
come  "  (Ps.  65  :  2);  this  seems  to  have 
a  particular  regard  to  our  bodily 
wants  and  sufferings  (as  we  are  flesh 
and  blood),  such  as  hunger,  cold,  na- 
kedness, etc.;  and  should,  at  the  same 
time,  put  us  in  mind  of  our  own  vile- 
ness  and  corruption,  which  is  frequent- 
ly in  Scripture  expressed  by  the  word 
flesh.  Isa.  40  :  6.  The  prophet  gives  us 
further  comfort,  by  adding,  that  there 
is  no  man  so  vile  and  contemptible  as 
to  be  despised  or  forgotten  before  God. 
This  is  expressed  to  us  in  these  words: 
"Thou  who  art  the  confidence  of  all 
the  ends  of  the  earth,  and  of  them  that 
are  afar  off  upon  the  sea."  Ps.  65  :  5. 
As  if  he  had  said  :  So  great  is  the  love 
of  God  to  mankind,  that  wheresoever 
they  are,  whether  by  land  or  sea,  he 
still  takes  care  to  protect  and  defend 
them.  And  whereas  he  adds,  "Thou 
makest  the  outgoings  of  the  morning 
and  evening  to  rejoice"  (ver.  8);  his 
meaning  is,  that,  as  God  feeds  and 
nourishes  all  creatures,  so  he  comforts 
and  refreshes  them,  too,  according  to 
the  words  of  St.  Paul,  '^filling  our 
hearts  with  food  and  gladness."  Acts 
14  :  17.  For  it  is  no  small  blessing  to 
feed  upon  his  creatures  with  a  cheer- 
ful mind,  to  begin  the  labors  of  the 
day  with  devout  prayers  and  praises, 
and  to  conclude  them  with  thanks- 
giving.   Lastly,  he  assigns  the  cause, 


in  these  words  :  "  The  river  of  God  is 
full  of  water"  (ver.  9);  that  is,  the 
fountain  of  divine  bounty,  mercy,  and 
goodness,  overflows  to  all  his  crea- 
tures, upon  which  our  being  and  com- 
forts entirely  depend. 

6.  To  this  also  may  be  referred  that 
passage  of  the  Psalmist,  "  All  wait 
upon  thee,  that  thou  mayest  give 
them  their  meat  in  due  season."  Ps. 
104  :  27.  And  not  only  so,  but  he  rep- 
resents also  the  brute  creatures  as 
sensible  of  this  dependence  upon  God, 
"The  young  lions  roar  after  their 
prey,  and  seek  their  meat  from  God  " 
(Ps.  104:  21);  intimating  therebj^, that 
God,  the  Preserver  of  nature,  is  moved 
to  pity  and  to  assist  the  distresses  and 
suff'erings  of  every  creature ;  and  that 
the  wants  of  every  part  of  his  crea- 
tion, whether  animate  or  inanimate, 
are  a  sort  of  silent  prayer  to  the  great 
author  and  preserver  of  their  being. 
And  this  is  called  by  St.  Paul,  "  the 
earnest  expectation  of  the  creature." 
Eom.  8  : 19.  Here  let  us  consider  like- 
wise what  an  infinite  variety  of  crea- 
tures there  are  contained  in  the  air, 
earth,  and  sea,  and  that  God  has  mer- 
cifully provided  for  the  comfortable 
subsistence  of  every  one,  in  a  way 
suitable  to  their  proper  natures.  And 
if  God  takes  such  care  of  the  meanest 
of  his  creatures,  it  would  be  wrong  to 
imagine,  that  man,  created  in  his  own 
image,  should  be  neglected  or  forgotten 
by  him. 

7.  And  since  there  are  more  crea- 
tures in  the  earth,  air,  and  sea,  than 
there  are  men  in  the  whole  world ;  and 
the  providence  of  God  is  extended  to 
the  meanest  and  smallest  of  his  crea- 
tures, how  is  it  possible  that  man 
should  be  forgotten, — man,  that  lives, 
moves,  and  has  his  being  in  him  ;  "  for 
in  him  we  live,  and  move,  and  have 
our  being,"  saith  St.  Paul  (Acts  17 : 


Chap.  VI.] 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


453 


28), — 7nan,  that  is  sustained  by  his 
power:  for  "he  upholdeth  all  things 
by  the  word  of  his  power"  (Eleb.  1: 
3) — man,  whom  he  has  made  with  his 
own  hand ;  according  to  Isaiah  64  :  8. 

O  Lord,  thou  art  our  Father;  we  are 
the  clay,  and  thou  art  the  potter,  and 
we  all  are  the  work  of  thy  hand — 
man,  whom  he  has  redeemed  by  the 
blood  of  his  only  begotten  Son,  and 
sealed  with  his  Holy  Spirit?  In  a 
word,  God  can  no  more  forget  man, 
than  he  can  forget  Himself.  So  that 
we  have  all  the  reason  in  the  world  to 
depend  upon  him,  that  he  will  give  us 
meat  in  due  season. 

8.  The  Psalmist  goes  on:  "That 
thou  givest  them,  they  gather:  thou 
openest  thy  hand,  they  are  filled  with 
good."  Ps,  104:  28.  In  these  words  is 
expressed  that  power,  whereby  the 
creatures  are  preserved.  And  this  con- 
sists in  a  certain  natural  sagacity  or 
instinct  implanted  in  them  by  God, 
by  wliich  every  one  of  them  is  prompt- 
ed to  look  out,  and  procure  such  things 
as  are  proper  for  the  support  of  life 
and  being.  And  the  pleasure  which 
they  receive  in  this  exercise,  is  a  sort 
of  gratitude  and  acknowledgment  to 
God  whom  they  seem  to  look  upon 
and  rejoice  in,  as  their  Maker,  Pre- 
server, and  Benefactor. 

9.  Now  if  God  takes  so  much  care 
for  the  comfortable  subsistence  of  all 
his  creatures,  we  cannot  think  that  he 
made  man  for  perpetual  anguish  and 
sorrow,  but  must  conclude  that  he  is 
pleased  to  see  us  innocently  cheerful 
in  the  fear  of  God.  So,  in  Psalm  90  : 
15,  we  are  directed  to  pray,  that  God 
would  make  us  glad  according  to  the 
days  wherein  he  afflicted  us;  and  the 
years  in  which  we  saw  evil.  He  prom- 
ises his  servants  that  they  shall  eat, 
drink,  and  rejoice  (Isai.  65  :  13);  and 
from  the  words  of  David,  it  plainly 


appears  that  he  intends  to  feed  his 
servants,  not  sparingly,  but  plentifully 
and  bountifully;  to  v;hich  end,  he  ma- 
keth  his  paths  drop  fatness.  Ps.  65: 
11.  Experience  itself  also  teaches  us, 
that  all  creatures  are  so  plentifully  fed 
by  God,  that,  at  proper  seasons,  the 
birds  of  the  air,  the  wild  beasts  of  the 
forest,  the  cattle  in  the  fields,  and  the 
fish  of  the  sea,  offer  themselves,  fat- 
tened and  prepared,  for  the  use  and 
nourishment  of  man;  and  in  that 
sense  also  "  his  paths  drop  fatness." 
So  wonderful  is  the  providence,  so 
transcendent  is  the  wisdom,  so  great 
is  the  concern  of  God,  to  provide  for 
all  the  necessities  of  his  children. 

10.  And  then  the  Psalmist  adds, 
"Thou  hidest  thy  face,  they  are  trou- 
bled ;  thou  takest  away  their  breath, 
they  die,  and  return  to  their  dust. 
Thou  sendest  forth  thy  spirit,  they  are 
created ;  and  thou  renewest  the  face 
of  the  earth."  Ps.  104  :  29,  30.  His 
meaning  is,  that  the  life  of  all  crea- 
tures is  nothing  else  but  the  breath 
of  God.  This  quickening  virtue  and 
power  of  God,  is  that  word  by  which 
all  things  were  made.  "  By  the  word 
of  the  Lord  were  the  heavens  made; 
and  all  the  host  of  them  by  the  breath 
of  his  mouth."  Ps.  33  :  6.  And  this 
word  was  not  an  empty  sound,  but  be- 
came the  life  of  all  creatures,  resting 
upon  them  as  a  principle  of  life  and 
power;  as  St.  Paul  tells  us,  "  the  Lord 
upholdeth  all  things  by  the  word  of 
his  power."  Heb.  1:3.  So  that  the 
life  and  being  of  all  things  as  much 
depend  on  God,  as  the  shadow  of  a 
tree  does  upon  the  substance. 

11.  Thus  when  God  withdraws  this 
word  of  life,  or  vital  power,  from  the 
creatures,  they  immediately  sink  into 
their  primitive  nothingness.  The  whole 
w^orld  is  full  of  God,  "of  whom,  and 
through  whom,  and  to  whom  are  all 


454 


TEUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


[Book  IY.  Part  1, 


things."  Eom.  11  :  36.  lie  is  said  to 
be  above  all,  and  through  all,  and 
in  us  all "  (Eph.  4:6):  so  that  "  the 
Lord  is  the  strength  of  our  life."  Ps. 
27  :  1  ;  Deut.  30  :  20.  For  as  men  of 
sorrowful  and  distressed  spirits  per- 
ceive a  true  and  vital  power  in  the 
word  of  God;  so  there  is  in  all  crea- 
tures a  sort  of  natural  and  vital  power, 
which  is  nothing  else  but  the  Word  of 
Creation.  By  virtue  of  this  AVord 
also,  all  the  creatures  are  blessed  and 
do  multiply.  By  this,  the  face  of  the 
earth  is  every  year  renewed  by  a  suc- 
cession of  plants,  fruits,  and  living 
creatures,  as  if  there  were  a  new  world 
every  year.  "  While  the  earth  re- 
maineth,"  saith  God  to  Noah,  "seed- 
time and  harvest,  and  cold  and  heat, 
and  summer  and  winter,  and  day  and 
night,  shall  not  cease."  Gen.  8  :  22. 
By  the  same  blessing,  the  world  is  pre- 
served to  this  day. 

12.  This  wonderful  and  universal 
Providence  of  God,  consists  chiefly  in 
three  things.  First,  in  his  knowledge. 
"  Xnown  unto  God  are  all  his  works 
from  the  beginning  of  the  world." 
Acts  15:  18.  By  this  infinite  and  in- 
comprehensible wisdom,  he  knows, 
sees, and  hears  all  things;  therefore  he 
is  called  in  Scripture,  "the  God  that 
liveth  and  seeth."  Gen.  16  :  14  (mar- 
gin). No  creature  is  hidden  from  him, 
but  all  things  are  naked  and  open  in 
his  sight.  Ilcb.  4  :  13.  And  he  is  called 
^'the  Living,"  not  only  because  he 
himself  liveth  forever,  but  also  because 
he  is  the  life  of  all  things. 

13.  The  second  headof  divine  Provi- 
dence, is  the  fatherly  goodness  of  God 
(Matt.  6  :  26),  by  which  He  taketh 
care  of  all  things:  "He  maketh  his 
sun  to  rise  on  the  evil,  and  on  the 
good."  Matt.  5  :  45.  So,  then,  if  his 
mercy  be  not  only  extended  to  the 
least,  but  even  to  the  undeserving 


parts  of  his  creation  ;  how  ungrateful 
are  we,  if  we  entertain  any  suspicions 
of  so  indulgent  a  Father.  And  if 
nothing  be  done  upon  earth  but  by 
his  appointment  and  direction,  we  may 
hence  learn  to  submit  with  patience 
to  everything  that  befalls  us,  without 
repining  or  murmuring  against  God; 
firmly  believing  that  he  careth  for  us, 
and  by  his  unsearchable  wisdom  or- 
dereth  all  things  for  our  good  and  his 
own  glory.  On  the  other  hand,  if  he 
take  from  us  our  riches,  honors,  health, 
and  other  worldly  blessings,  we  must 
resign  them  with  cheerfulness,  and 
say  with  Job,  "The  Lord  gave,  and 
the  Lord  hath  taken  away."  Job  1 : 
21.  That  good  man  gave  thanks  to 
God  for  his  adversity,  as  well  as  for 
his  prosperity;  and  the  foi-mer  very 
often  proves  the  greater  blessing  of 
the  two. 

14.  The  third  head  of  God's  univer- 
sal providence  over  all  his  creatures 
is,  his  omnipotence.  By  this  ho  is  al- 
ways present  to  his  creatures,  govern- 
ing and  preserving  them;  by  this  he 
governs  the  hearts  of  all  men,  and 
turneth  them  which  way  he  pleases. 
Ps.  33  :  15.  Whence  it  follows,  that 
in  all  our  thoughts,  w^ords,  and  actions, 
we  ought  to  hav^e  a  lively  and  devout 
sense  of  the  divine  omnipresence,  and 
dread  to  do  anything  that  is  hateful 
in  his  sight.  For  as  is  the  clay  in 
the  hand  of  the  potter,  so  are  men  in 
the  hand  of  God,  even  as  we  read  in 
Jeremiah,  "  Arise  and  go  down  to  the 
potter's  house  :  and  I  went  down,  and 
behold,  he  wrought  a  work  on  the 
wheels.  And  the  vessel  that  he  made 
of  clay  was  marred  in  the  hand  of 
the  potter;  so  he  made  it  again  anoth- 
er vessel,  etc."  Jer.  18:2.  The  prophet 
intimates  thereby  that  God,  who  af- 
flicteth  and  breaketh  us  to  pieces,  can 
also  heal  and  restore  us  again. 


Chap.  YL] 


TKUE  CnmSTIANITY. 


455 


15.  Moreover,  as  we  are  assured 
that  God  is  everywhere  present,  and 
preserves  and  governs  ever3'tl)ing,  it 
follows  that  he  is  so  careful  of  his  own 
servants,  that  not  a  hair  of  their  heads 
can  fall  to  the  ground  (Matt.  10:^0; 
Luke  21:18;  Acts  27:34)  without 
his  permission;  and  that  he  preserv- 
eth  and  keepeth  us  in  the  midst  of 
our  enemies,  as  we  have  it  frequently 
expressed  in  the  Psalms.  Ps.  23:4; 
27:1;  121:5.  So  when  we  are  in 
distress,  and  there  are  no  apparent 
hopes  of  relief,  we  should  support 
ourselves  with  this  consideration : 
that  the  Loi-d  himself,  "great  in  coun- 
sel, and  mighty  in  work''  (Jer.  32  : 
19),  who  laid  our  cross  upon  us,  can 
easily  lighten  it,  or  strengthen  us  to 
bear  it.  Let  us  "commit  our  way 
unto  the  Lord  "  (Ps.  37  : 5),  like  Abra- 
ham, who  was  ready  to  olfer  up  his 
only  son,  without  questioning  how 
God  could  perform  his  promise  to  him, 
but  cast  all  his  care  upon  God.  Gen. 
22:8;  Rom.  4:18;  Ileb.  11:  19. 

16.  And  then,  the  consideration  of 
God's  providence  raises  in  us  faith, 
hope,  and  patience,  of  which  we  have 
examples  in  Job,  David,  and  Christ 
himself.  The  blessed  Jesus,  knowing 
that  he  was  appointed  by  God  to  die, 
preserved  his  meekness  and  patience 
all  the  days  of  his  life,  yea,  even  in 
the  very  agonies  of  death.  Phil.  2  :  8. 
Thus  David  patiently  endured  banish- 
ment for  years,  attended  with  injuries, 
reproaches,  poverty,  and  contempt; 
knowing  assuredly  that  it  was  God 
that  laid  it  upon  him.  This  makes  him 
cry  out,  "Thou,  O  Lord,  art  a  shield 
forme;  my  glory,  and  the  lifter  up 
of  mine  head."  Ps.  3:3.  To  which 
may  be  referred  that  passage,  "  The 
Lord  killeth,  and  maketh  alive;  he 
bringeth  down  to  the  grave,  and 
briugeth  up.    The  Lord  maketh  poor, 


and  maketh  rich;  he  bringeth  low, 
and  lifteth  up."  1  Sam.  2  :  0,  7. 

17.  But  before  we  conclude  this  sub- 
ject, we  must  say  something  ])articu- 
larl}^  of  man,  the  crown  and  master- 
])iece  of  the  creation,  of  his  excelienco 
and  prerogatives,  which  must  he  very 
great,  forasmuch  as  God  himself  has 
declared,  that  "  his  delights  are  with 
the  sons  of  men."  Prov.  8:31.  For 
if  all  things  were  created  for  the  use 
of  man,  and  he  is  the  end  of  this  visi- 
ble creation,  it  follows  that  he  is  the 
perfection  of  it.  Reason  itself  con- 
vinces us,  that  whatsoever  is  the  end 
and  perfection  of  all  things,  must  be 
more  excellent  than  all  others.  So, 
then,  all  the  beauty  of  fountains,  fields, 
flowers,  trees,  fruits,  and  woods,  yea, 
and  all  the  glittering  brightness  of 
heaven,  the  sun,  moon,  antl  stars,  are 
not  to  be  compared  with  the  native 
and  original  excellence  of  man,  for 
whose  sake  and  benefit  they  were  all 
created.  For  as  Solomon  in  all  his 
glory  was  not  to  be  compared  with 
the  flowers  of  the  field  (Matt.  6  :  29); 
so  the  excellence  of  man,  especially  as 
to  his  soul,  far  transcends  not  only  the 
external  glory  of  Solomon,  but  all  the 
beauties  of  this  lower  world,  yea,  and 
of  the  sun  itself 

18.  And  as  for  the  soul,  we  may 
judge  of  its  excellency  and  beauty  by 
the  form  and  comeliness  of  the  body 
which  God  has  prepared  for  its  recep- 
tion and  residence.  He  provided  a 
comely  mansion  for  so  excellent  a 
guest.  So,  if  we  should  see  the  spot- 
less beauty  of  the  original  human 
body,  we  should  easily  judge  of  the 
beauty  of  its  divine  inhabitant.  Even 
now,  in  this  corrupt  and  depraved 
state  of  nature,  we  see  what  attractive 
charms  there  are  in  beauty.  More- 
over, we  may  judge  yet  farther  of  the 
beauty  of  human  nature,  by  the  glories 


456 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  IY.  Part  I. 


of  the  place  in  which  God  at  first 
placed  man ;  which  was  Paradise  itself, 
a  garden  full  of  joy  and  celestial  pleas- 
ures, infinitely  exceeding  all  the  glory 
and  heaiity  of  the  present  world.  For 
if  the  place  were  so  glorious,  what 
must  the  owner  of  it  be,  for  whose 
sake  it  was  created? 

19.  Another  great  argument  of  the 
dignity  of  human  nature  is,  that  the 
angels  themselves  are  appointed  to 
minister  unto  us  (Heb.  1:14);  and 
that  we  were  created,  as  it  were,  hy  a 
particular  decree  of  the  ever-blessed 
Trinity.  "Let  us  make  man,"  saith 
God,  "in  our  image,  after  our  like- 
ness." Gen.  1 :  26.  So  that  how  great 
soever  our  dignity  may  be,  by  that 
singular  decree  and  counsel  by  which 
we  were  made,  yet  that  which  arises 
from  the  image  of  God,  in  which  we 
were  created,  is  much  greater.  There- 
fore, when  he  created  the  sun,  moon, 
and  all  the  host  of  heaven,  he  but 
spake  the  word,  and  they  were  made. 
But  when  he  was  about  to  make  man, 
the  greatest  and  noblest  of  all  his 
works,  he  ushers  it  in  with  a  kind  of 
solemnity, saying,  "Let  us  make  man." 
How  wonderful  is  that  counsel !  How 
solemn  is  that  decree !  How  trans- 
cendent is  the  dignity  of  human  na- 
ture ! 

20.  For  though  the  sun,  moon,  and 
stars,  and  all  the  lower  world,  were 
made  with  wonderful  wisdom  and 
power;  yet  that  deliberation  does  not 
seem  to  have  been  used  there  as  in  the 
creation  of  7nan  ;  forasmuch  as  in  him, 
the  glory  and  majesty  of  God  were  more 
particularly  and  gloriously  to  be  man- 
ifested. All  the  other  creatures  bear 
upon  them  certain  marks  and  signa- 
tures of  divine  goodness  and  power, 
but  man  is  the  very  image  and  like- 
ness of  God.  For  it  is  not  said,  Let 
us  make  man  in  the  image  of  the  sun, 


or  of  the  moon,  or  of  the  angels;  but 
"  in  our  likeness,"  that  our  own  image 
may  be  clearly  represented  in  him. 

2L  Consider,  therefore,  the  beauty 
and  dignitj'  of  thy  soul,  which  is  cre- 
ated in  the  image  and  likeness  of  God, 
so  that  the  glories  of  the  divine  ma- 
jesty are,  in  a  certain  proportion, 
transferred  to  thee.  How  much  rea- 
son have  we  then  to  avoid  all  impurity 
and  uncleanness,  that  we  defile  not 
the  beauty  of  the  divine  image.  For 
if  we  are  thereby  exalted  to  the  high- 
est glory  and  honor  that  our  nature 
is  capable  of,  how  unworthy  and  un- 
grateful would  it  be,  to  pollute  it  by 
any  uncleanness,  and  so  forfeit  that 
glory  which  God  has  bestowed  on  us. 

22.  How  highly  is  a  picture  or  statue 
prized,  that  is  well  executed  by  an 
eminent  hand  !  Could  such  a  picture 
or  statue  be  endued  with  understand- 
ing, how  would  it  esteem  its  maker, 
and  take  all  opportunities  of  showing 
its  own  gratitude,  and  its  maker's 
glory!  How  senseless  then,  how  un- 
grateful is  man,  to  forget  the  hand  that 
formed  him  1  to  despise  that  excellent 
beauty  with  which  his  Maker  endued 
him!  to  pollute  it  with  all  kinds  of 
impurity !  Plato,  himself,  a  pagan, 
has  told  us,  that  "  the  beauty  of  the 
soul  consists  in  virtue  and  piety." 
But  did  we  only  consider  the  union  of 
our  souls  with  God  and  Christ,  the 
righteousness  of  Christ  wherewith  our 
souls  are  clothed,  as  with  a  garment 
of  glory  and  immortality  (Isa.  61  :  10), 
we  should  more  easily  understand 
what  the  true  and  inward  beauty  of 
our  souls  is,  which  depends  entirely 
upon  that  of  Jesus  Christ.  And  if  it 
be  so,  who  can  question  but  that  the 
soul  is  most  exquisitely  beautiful,  since 
it  derives  its  beauty  from  Him  who  is 
beauty  itself? 

23.  To  this  belongs  that  passage  of 


Chap.  YI.] 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


457 


the  prophet  Ezekiel,  '^Thy  renown 
went  forth  among  the  heathen  for  thy 
beauty^  for  it  was  perfect  tlirough 
my  comeliness  which  I  had  put  upon 
thee,  saith  the  Lord  God."  Ezek.  16  : 
14.  If  children  partake  of  the  beauty 
of  their  parents  according  to  the  flesh  ; 
it  is  reasonable  to  believe,  that  our 
souls,  by  spiritual  regeneration,  re- 
ceive a  s])iritual  beauty  from  God. 
Moreover,  it  cannot  be  doubted  that 
they  are  the  most  beautiful  of  all  crea- 
tures, since  the  Son  of  God  himself 
does  not  disdain  to  betroth  himself 
unto  them,  and  to  adorn  them  with 
his  own  light  and  beauty.  Upon  this 
account,  the  faithful  soul  is  called,  "  a 
king's  daughter,  all  glorious  within, 
whose  clothing  is  of  wrought  gold." 
Ps.  45  :  15.  If  a  plebeian  woman  be 
ennobled  by  marriage  with  a  husband 
of  quality^  can  we  doubt  but  that  the 
faithful  soul,  by  being  married  to  the 
most  noble  and  beautiful  spouse,  shall 
also  partake,  in  a  high  degree,  of  Ilis 
beauty  and  glory.  Upon  this  Irenaius 
has  a  fine  thought.  He  says,  that 
"  the  glory  of  man  is  God,  but  the  re- 
ceptacle of  all  the  operations  of  divine 
wisdom  and  goodness,  is  man." 

24.  Lastly,  as  it  is  beyond  all  con- 
troversy, that  the  most  high  God  par- 
ticularly delights  to  dwell  in  the  soul 
of  man  ;  that  he  has  sanctified  it  to  be 


the  temple  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  the 
habitation  of  the  Father,  and  the  bride- 
chamber  of  the  most  beautiful  spouse, 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  we  may  there- 
fore conclude  that  the  soul  is  the  most 
beautiful  of  all  creatures.  And  as  Eze- 
kiel tells  us  that  "  our  soul  is  per- 
fected by  the  comeliness  of  God" 
(Ezek.  16:  14);  how  great  must  that 
beauty,  how  rich  must  that  attire,  how 
transcendent  must  those  ornaments 
be,  which  so  great  and  noble  a  spouse 
can  bestow  upon  the  bride  which  he 
has  prepared  for  himself?  O  how 
wonderful  is  this  grace  I  How  incred- 
ible is  the  beauty  which  God  bestows 
upon  human  souls!  Could  it  but  be 
seen  by  mortal  eyes,  it  must  charm 
the  most  stupid  beholder.  And  this 
beauty  increases  every  day  by  our 
prayers,  and  devout  approaches  to 
God.  So  that  "  we  are  changed  from 
glory  to  glory^  as  by  the  Spirit  of  the 
Lord."  2  Cor.  3  : 18.  For  if  the  face 
of  Moses,  after  conversing  a  few  days 
with  God,  shone  with  the  brightness 
of  divine  glory  (Exod.  34:35);  how 
much  more  shall  our  souls,  by  the 
same  conversation,  be  enlightened  and 
beautified  with  higher  degrees  of  light 
and  glory? — Of  this  subject  we  shall 
speak  more  fully  in  Part  II,  of  this 
Fourth  Book,  which  refers  to  man  in 
particular. 


458 


TRUE  CIIEISTIANITY. 


[Book  IY.  Part  IL 


PART  II. 


TREATING  SPECIALLY  OP  MAN. 


CHAPTEK  I. 

GOD,  AN  INFINITE  AND  ETERNAL  BEING. 

Ah,  Lord  God!  beJiold,  thou  hast  mode  t/ie  heaven  and  the  earth  by  thy  great  power  and  stretched 
out  arm,  and  tltcre  is  nothing  too  hard  for  thee. —  T/ie  Great,  the  Mighty  God,  the  Lord  of 
hosts,  is  his  name;  great  in  counsel,  and  mighty  in  work. — Jer.  82  :  17-19. 


GOD  is  the  origin  of  the  life  and 
being  of  all  creatures:  whence  it 
follows,  that  he  was  before  all  crea- 
tures, both  an  eternal  Being,  and 
eternal  Life  itself;  otherwise  he  could 
not  have  given  life  and  being  to  his 
creatures.  Bat  the  infinity  of  God 
yet  more  plainly  appears  from  the 
mind  and  thoughts  of  man.  For  as 
the  mind  of  man  can  in  a  moment  run 
through  the  whole  circle  of  heaven, 
and  comprehend  in  imagination  all 
the  creatures  of  the  universe;  it  fol- 
lows, that  God  who  made  him,  com- 
prehends all  these  things  in  a  more 
perfect  manner,  and  by  consequence 
must  be  infinite. 

2.  All  the  attributes  of  God  are  es- 
sential to  him.  As  therefore  he  is  in- 
finite, so  are  his  essence  and  life  also 
infinite.  For  essence  and  life  are  in- 
separable from  him.  Moreover,  as  he 
has  endued  the  soul  of  man  with  wis- 
dom and  understanding,  it  follows  that 
the  understanding  and  wisdom  of  God 
must  be  infinite.  For  whatsoever  is 
in  God,  is  essentially  and  eternally  in 


him.  And  as  the  unity  of  the  divine 
nature  is  so  perfect  that  his  wisdom 
cannot  be  separated  from  his  essence 
and  life,  it  follows  that  both  are  alike 
infinite  and  eternal. 

3.  But  if  the  wisdom  of  God  be 
eternal  and  infinite,  it  will  follow  that 
He  knoweth  all  things  from  eternity. 
Moreover,  as  his  essence  is  unchange- 
able, equally  filling  all  places;  so  his 
understanding  does  not  proceed  by 
way  of  rational  connection,  or  discur- 
sive operation  from  one  idea  to  an- 
other. He  knoweth  and  understand- 
eth  all  things  in  an  instant,  and  to 
him  there  is  nothing  past  or  to  come, 
but  the  whole  circle  of  eternity  is 
present  to  him.  For  as  God  stands  in 
need  of  no  creature  to  add  anything 
to  the  perfection  of  his  being,  so  neither 
does  he  need  any  creature  with  res^^ect 
to  his  understanding.  And  as  he  is 
God,  independentl}^  of  all  creatures; 
so  he  penetrates  and  comprehends  all 
things  in  himself.  So  that  the  sands 
of  the  sea,  and  the  drops  of  the  rain, 
and  eternity,  are  alike  known  to  him. 


Chap.  IL] 


And  not  so  much  as  a  bird  of  the  air, 
or  a  hair  of  our  beads,  can  fall  to  tl»e 
ground  witbout  bim.  Matt.  10  :  29,  30. 
He  knowetb  tbe  days  of  tbe  world, 
every  bour  and  moment  of  time,  with 
its  several  periods  and  revolutions; 
nor  is  anything  under  the  heavens 
hidden  from  bim.  For  as  by  bis  in- 
finite power  be  created  all  things,  so 
by  bis  infinite  wisdom  be  understands 
and  comprehends  all  things  j  even  the 


4.59 


most  secret  thoughts  of  man.  Ps.  139  : 
2,  &c. 

4.  Moreover,  as  his  essence,  life, 
and  wisdom,  so  also  his  power  is  in- 
finite, and  all  are  equally  incapable  of 
any  addition  or  diminution.  Lastly, 
forasmuch  as  no  creature  can  oppose 
or  set  bounds  to  bis  power,  therelbrc, 
be  is  Almighty.  All  which  must  neces- 
sarily be,  forasmuch  as  his  essence,  life, 
wisdom,  and  power,  are  inseparable. 


TEUE  CIIEISTIANITY. 


CHAPTER  IL 

GOD,    THE    SUPREME  GOOD. 
For  of  him  J  and  through  him,  and  to  him,  are  all  things. — Rom.  11  :  36. 


AS  He  must  be  the  chief  and  only 
good,  in  whom  all  good  things 
are  contained;  it  follows  that  glory 
and  praise  belong  to  God  alone,  be- 
cause from  bim,  and  by  bim,  and  for 
him,  are  all  things. 

2.  All  the  goodness  that  is  found 
scattered  up  and  down  among  the 
creatures,  is  in  a  most  perfect  and  ex- 
cellent manner  and  degree  contained 
in  bim.  So  that  whosoever  turns  him- 
self to  the  creatures,  and  cleaves  unto 
them,  will  always  find  himself  poor, 
needy,  and  distressed:  whilst  be  that 
turneth  unto  God  with  his  whole  heart, 


pursues  the  chief  and  most  perfect 
good,  and  shall  be  blessed  in  the  en- 
joyment of  it:  ever  rich,  ever  at  ease, 
ever  blessed  in  the  fruition  of  his  God. 
By  this  it  appears  that  perfect  happi- 
ness is  not  to  be  found  in  tbe  enjoy- 
ment of  tbe  creatures,  and  that  they 
who  fix  their  hearts  and  desires  on  the 
world,  can  expect  nothing  but  an- 
guish, disquiet,  and  disappointments, 
both  in  life  and  in  death;  for  they 
have  not  that  chief  good,  which  alone 
can  satisfy  and  make  happy  the  soul 
of  man. 


460 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY.        [Book  IY.  Part  II. 


CHAPTER  III. 

MAN,  THE  MOST  NOBLE  OP  ALL  CREATURES,  AND  MADE  FOR  THE  SERVICE  OF  GODt. 

Know  ye  that  the  Lord  he  is  God:  it  is  he  that  hath  made  us,  and  not  we  ourselves;  we 
are  his  people,  and  the  sheep  of  his  pasture. — Ps.  100  :  3. 


ALL  the  creatures,  in  their  several 
kinds  and  orders,  were  created 
hy  God  for  the  use  and  benefit  of  man. 
Thus  we  see  corn  and  pasture  pro- 
duced, these  feeding  the  living  crea- 
tures, and  all  serving  for  food  to  man- 
kind. One  assists  another,  the  higher 
wheel  setting  the  lower  in  motion, 
and  all  in  a  wonderful  harmony  con- 
curring to  one  great  end,  which  is  the 
use  and  benefit  of  man. 

2.  Now,  if  all  this  be  for  his  sake, 
he  is  certainly  more  noble  than  they 
all;  and  hence  he  should  learn  what 
dependence  he  has  upon  God,  and 
what  duty  and  service  he  owes  to 
Him  who  has  appointed  all  the  crea- 
tures, in  their  order,  to  minister  to  his 
necessities. 

3.  And,  as  all  the  creatures  seem  to 


aim  at  no  other  end  than  the  use  and 
service  of  man,  and  seem  to  rest  and 
be  satisfied  in  obtaining  that  end;  so 
ought  man  likewise  to  show  the  same 
diligence  and  faithfulness  in  the  ser- 
vice of  God,  that  the  creatures  show 
to  him.  All  his  works  and  labors 
ought  to  be  directed  to  this  one  end, 
namely,  to  accomplish  the  will  of  God, 
and  do  nothing  but  that  which  is  well- 
pleasing  in  his  sight.  For  as  all  things 
are  incessantly  employed  in  serving 
man,  the  noblest  of  all  creatures,  so 
there  is  all  the  reason  in  the  world 
that  he  should  be  as  constant  and  as- 
siduous in  the  service  of  God,  who  is 
perfection  itself,  and  to  whom  alone 
he  is  indebted  for  that  superiority 
which  he  has  over  the  rest  of  the 
creatures. 


CHAPTER  IV. 


GOD  MADE  MAN  IN  HIS  OWN  IMAGE,  IN  ORDER  THAT  HE  MIGHT  DELIGHT  IN 

HIM. 

My  delights  were  with  the  sons  of  men. — Prov.  8  :  31. — The  Lord  shall  rejoice  in  his 

works.— Fs.  104  :  31. 


1 


EVERY  artist  has  a  love  for  the 
works  of  his  own  hands,  and 
that  induces  him  to  take  so  much 
pains  about  them.  God  saw  every 
thing  that  he  had  made,  and,  behold,  it 
was  very  good."  Gen.  1:  31.  But  if  he 


took  so  much  delight  in  the  general 
survey  of  his  works,  how  much  great- 
er pleasure  must  he  take  in  man, 
whom  he  created  after  his  own  image. 

2.  For  the  more  anything  resembles 
ourselves,  the  more  tenderly  do  we 


Chap.  Y.] 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


461 


love  it.  A  father  has  a  stronger  af- 
fection for  his  son,  who  partakes  of 
his  own  nature,  than  for  a  house 
which  he  himself  has  builded,  though 
ever  so  exact  and  regular  in  itself 

3.  Moreover,  as  God  takes  pleasure 
in  a  creature  made  to  resemble  him- 
self, therefore,  it  was  necessary,  that 
after  the  other  creatures  were  formed, 
he  should  create  man  in  his  own  im- 
age, in  whom  he  might  rest  and  de- 
light himself  And  as  similitude  is  the 
foundation  of  friendship  and  society, 
and  everything  naturally  associates 
with  its  like,  it  follows  that  God,  in 
making  man  after  his  own  image,  in- 
tended to  delight  and  rejoice  Himself 
in  him ;  so  that  man  ought  likewise 
to  cleave  unto  his  God,  and  to  delight 
and  take  pleasure  in  conversing  with 
Him. 


4.  Further,  as  God  is  the  most  per- 
fect love,  he  could  not  but  desire  to 
communicate  himself,  and  all  his 
blessings,  to  some  other  being.  That 
could  not  be  done,  however,  without 
making  some  being  like  himself;  and 
as  there  was  no  such  being  then  in 
nature,  capable  or  worthy  of  such  di- 
vine communications,  therefore  he 
created  man  in  his  own  image,  which 
consists  chiefly  in  perfect  love. 

5.  And,  lastly,  as  there  is  naturally 
a  reciprocal  love  betwixt  the  giver  and 
the  receiver  of  any  benefit ;  hence  it 
follows,  that  it  is  the  duty  of  man  to 
worship  with  the  highest  affection  and 
most  ardent  love,  his  heavenly  Bene- 
factor, who  so  affectionately  desires 
to  communicate  himself,  and  all  the 
riches  of  his  goodness,  to  his  un- 
worthy creatures. 


CHAPTER  V. 

THAT  GOD  BY  HIS  LOVE  BESTOWS  HIMSELF  UPON  US. 


Ood  is  love— I  John  4  : 16. 


AS  man  devotes  himself  entirely 
unto  God  by  love,  so  God  be- 
stows himself  entirely  upon  man  also 
by  love.  And  as  that  love  of  his  is  in 
the  highest  degree  of  perfection,  he 
cannot  but  give  us  Himself:  for  the 
highest  instance  of  love  is  to  bestow 
one's  self  upon  the  person  we  love. 
And  as  a  consequence  of  this  perfect 
love,  He  bestowed  himself  upon  us  in 
his  only  begotten  Son. 

2.  This  is  the  true  spring  of  the  in- 
carnation, passion,  and  death  of  the 
Son  of  God.    Thus  our  blessed  Sa- 


viour pronounces  these  words  of  com- 
fort, "  God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he 
gave  his  only  begotten  Son  "  (John  3: 
16)  ;  that  is,  God  loved  the  world  with 
an  entire  and  perfect  love,  and  there- 
fore gave  us  his  Son.  But  as  the 
eternal  love  of  God  is  the  fountain  of 
eternal  life  to  the  world;  and  that 
eternal  love  is  manifested  by  Chi-ist 
Jesus,  in  and  by  whom  we  have  evei-- 
lasting  life,  therefore,  our  Lord  further 
adds:  "that  whosoever  believeth  in 
him  should  not  perish,  but  have  ever- 
lasting life." 


462 


TRUE  CHUISTIANITY.        [Book  IY  Part  II. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

SHOWING  now  MUCH  MAN  IS  INDEBTED  TO  GOD  FOR  HIS  EVERLASTING  LOVE. 


We  love  /mn,  because  he  first  loved  us. — 1  John  4  :  19. 


IN  every  benefit  or  gift  there  are 
three  things  to  be  considered  :  the 
giver,  the  receiver,  and  the  gift  itself. 
As,  then,  there  is  a  natural  obligation 
upon  the  receiver  to  the  giver,  it  is 
manifest,  that  since  man  has  received 
all  that  he  has  from  God,  so  he  owes 
all  to  him,  and  is  under  the  strictest 
obligations  of  love  and  obedience  to 
his  great  benefactor. 

2.  And  as  man  consists  of  body 
and  soul,  so  God  has  abundantly  pro- 
vided for  the  comfort  and  happiness 
of  both. 

3.  As  for  his  body,  it  is  sustained 
and  refreshed  by  the  various  produc- 
tions of  nature,  so  that  the  whole  cre- 
ation seems  to  call  upon  him,  and  put 
him  in  mind  of  his  Creator:  "Con- 
sider," it  saith,  "O  man,  the  benefits 
which  thy  Maker  has  bestowed  upon 


thee,  and  what  returns  of  gratitude 
and  service  thou  owest  him  for  the 
same.  I  (saith  the  heaven),  give  thee 
daylight  to  Avork  in,  and  send  dark- 
ness in  which  thou  mayest  sleep  and 
take  thy  rest.  I  give  thee  the  pleas- 
ant spring,  the  warm  summer,  the 
fruitful  autumn,  and  the  cold  winter, 
in  their  proper  seasons.  I  (saith  the 
air),  supply  thee  with  breath,  and 
every  kind  of  birds.  By  me  (saith 
the  water),  art  thou  washed,  and  thy 
thirst  is  quenched;  by  me  thou  art 
supplied  with  all  kinds  of  fish.  I  bear 
thee  and  sustain  thee  (saith  the  earth),, 
and  satisfy  thee  with  bread,  wine,  and 
flesh  ;  by  all  which  thou  mayest  know 
how  much  thou  art  beloved  by  Him 
who  made  thee,  and  me  for  thy  usej 
all  of  whose  favors  are  as  so  many 
bonds  and  obligations  upon  thee." 


CHAPTER  VII. 

OP  THE  THINGS  THAT  INSTRUCT  AND  COMFORT  THE  SOUL. 


Ask  now  the  beasts^  and  they  shall  teach  thee;  and  ihefoiols  of  the  air,  and  they  shall  tell  thee:  or 
speak  iu  the  earth,  and  it  shall  teach  thee. — Job  12  :  7,  8. 


LET  ns  now  see  what  provision 
God  has  made  for  the  comfort 
and  instruction  of  the  soul  of  man. 
Here  we  shall  find  every  creature  in 
one  way  or  another,  subservient  to 
this  end.    And.  first,  I  shall  speak  of 


the  pleasure  which  man  receives  from 
the  creatures. 

2.  Man  alone  has  the  privilege  of 
really  enjoying  what  he  possesses. 
Other  creatures,  being  void  of  under- 
standing, have  no  relish  of  those  bless- 


Chap.  YIII.] 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


463 


j  ings  from  which  man  receives  very 
great  comfort;  gold,  silver,  and  pre- 
cious stories,  have  no  intelligence. 
But  man,  being  endowed  with  an  un- 

I  derstanding  mind,  reflects  with  grati- 
tude and  pleasure  upon  the  goodness 
of  God,  who  has  provided  so  many 
beautiful  creatures  for  his  use  and  ben- 
efit. O  the  wonderful  goodness  of 
God,  who  has  made  all  the  excellen- 
cies of  the  creatures  subservient  to 
the  happiness  of  man ;  so  that  they 
are  the  channels  of  conveying  that 
happiness  to  us,  which  they  them- 
selves are  not  capable  of  enjojnng! 
Thus  the  sweetness  and  goodness  of 
the  water,  the  fragrance  and  beauty 
of  flowers,  the  light  and  glory  of  the 
sun,  moon,  and  all  the  host  of  heaven, 
yield  no  pleasure  to  themselves,  but 
all  unite  to  promote  the  happiness  of 
man.  Nay,  without  them,  man  would 
have  no  enjoyment  at  all  in  this  world ; 
nor  could  he  have  any  notion  of  the 
dignit^^  and  pre-eminence  of  his  na- 
ture above  that  of  other  creatures,  but 
by  comparing  his  condition  with  theirs. 
This  shows  him  the  transcendent  good- 
ness of  God,  manifested  to  him  above 
all  the  rest  of  the  creation ;  this  teaches 
him  to  be  thankful  for  his  beautiful 
form  and  stature,  his  erect  counte- 
nance, but  above  all,  for  his  rational 


soul,  created  after  the  image  of  God. 
From  all  which  it  af)pear.s,  that  the 
knowledge  of  a  man's  self  is  his  high- 
est wisdom,  and  the  want  of  it,  the 
most  deplorable  folly. 

3.  Moreover,  the  creatures  were 
made,  not  only  for  the  delight  of  man, 
but  also  to  be  his  monitors  and  in- 
structors. For  from  them  we  may 
learn,  that  our  chief  good  consists  not 
in  worldly  and  outward  enjoyments; 
such  as  eating,  drinking,  and  the  grat- 
ifying the  other  bodily  appetites,  all 
which  are  common  to  the  beasts  as 
well  as  to  us ;  and  this  is  a  convincing 
argument,  that  man,  being  of  a  more 
noble  frame  and  nature  than  they, 
ought  to  look  for  other  meat  and 
drink,  and  other  pleasures  suitable  to 
the  higher  nobility  of  his  nature, 
which  the  inferior  creatures  cannot 
share  with  him.  I  need  not  here  men- 
tion, that  the  greatest  part  of  human 
wisdom  arises  from  the  contemplation 
of  the  creatures.  Thus  our  music  came 
from  the  sound  of  metals;  our  skill  in 
medicine,  from  other  creatures;  and 
our  astronomy,  from  the  stars ;  which 
still  farther  illustrates  my  first  obser- 
vation, that  the  whole  world  was  cre- 
ated for  the  sake  of  man,  for  which  he 
owes  never-ending  thanks  to  his  mu- 
nificent Creator. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


OF  THE  OBLIGATIONS  UNDER  WHICH  MEN  LIE  TO  GOD. 

0  Lord,  how  great  are  thy  works  1  and  thy  thoughts  are  very  deep.    A  hrtitish  man  knoioeth  not; 
neither  doth  a  fool  understand  this. — Ps.  92  :  5,  6. 


THE  obligations  which  man  lies 
under  to  God,  are  as  many  and 
as  great,  as  are  the  favors  which  he 


has  received  from  him,  or  the  excel- 
lencies which  he  has  bestowed  upon 
all  the  creatures.    For  as  every  crea- 


I 


464 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY.        [Book  IY.  Part  II 


turc  was  made  for  his  use  and  benefit, 
so  ought  his  gratitude  to  rise  in  pro- 
portion for  them  aU.  If  a  king  should 
bestow  great  estates  and  honors  upon 
a  company  of  children  in  the  same 
family,  and  but  one  of  the  number 
had  age  and  sense  enough  to  know 
the  greatness  of  the  favor  and  honor 
done  to  them,  he  alone  is  certainly 
obliged  to  thank  him  in  the  name  of 


all  the  rest,  and  would  be  guilty  of 
ingratitude  if  he  did  not.  So  in  this 
w^orld,  the  rest  of  the  creatures  are 
like  children,  that  know  not  the  worth 
and  value  of  God's  blessings,  as  man 
does;  he  is,  therefore,  alone  obliged  to 
adore  and  praise  him  in  the  name  and 
stead  of  all  the  rest,  and  is  highly  un- 
grateful if  he  does  not. 


CHAPTEE  IX. 


MAN  EVEN  MORE  INDEBTED  TO  GOD  FOR  INWARD,  THAN  FOR  OUTWARD  BLESSINGS 
And  the  fear  of  you  shall  he  upon  every  heast  of  the  earth. — Gen.  9  :  2. 


AS  man  knows  himself  to  be  the 
most  excellent  of  all  creatures, 
so  ought  he  to  be  more  thankful  to 
God  for  the  perfections  of  his  own 
being  and  nature,  than  for  those  of  all 
the  rest  of  the  world.  For  as  all 
things  else  were  made  for  his  sake,  he 
must  of  necessity  be  more  perfect  and 
excellent  than  they.  The  sun,  the 
moon,  and  all  the  host  of  heaven, 
those  glorious  bodies,  all  wait  upon 
man,  and  do  him  service.  This  they 
do,  not  on  account  of  his  body,  which, 
considered  in  this  corrupt  state,  is  less 
excellent  than  theirs;  but  on  account 
of  his  soul,  as  to  which  he  is  in  every 
respect  superior  to  them.  For  the 
very  notion  of  servitude  implies  a 
superiority  in  the  person  to  whom 
the  service  is  paid :  so  that  it  would 
be  unnatural  for  those  glorious  bod- 
ies to  do  that  service  to  man,  if  he 
had  not  an  immortal  soul,  and  by  con- 


sequence, a  more  excellent  nature 
than  they. 

2.  And  on  account  of  the  immor- 
tality of  the  soul,  it  is  an  unworthy 
thing  for  a  man  to  fix  it  upon  any- 
thing that  is  mortal  and  perishing; 
because  it  is  incapable  of  uniting  with 
anything  but  what  is  immortal,  and 
particularly  with  God  himself  The 
body,  indeed,  is  connected  with  cor- 
poreal objects,  and  is  capable  of  ter- 
restrial enjoyments;  but  the  soul 
should  be  united  solely  with  God;  so 
that,  as  a  king,  he  might  be  enthroned 
and  bear  rule  in  her;  and  in  this  con- 
sists the  excellency  of  man  above  all 
other  creatures,  that  his  soul  is  the 
throne,  the  image,  and  habitation  of 
God.  Greater  honor  than  this  no  crea- 
ture is  capable  of  receiving;  therefore 
man  is  the  most  excellent  of  all,  and  is 
infinitely  indebted  to  the  Author  and 
Giver  of  such  inestimable  benefits. 


Chap.  XI.] 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


4C5 


CHAPTER  X. 

OF   THE  WISDOM  WHICH  GOD  HAS  SHOWN  IN  THE  FORMATION  OF  MAN. 

0  Lord,  how  manifold  are  thy  works !  in  xoisdom  hasi  thou  made  them  all. — Ps.  104  :  24. 


THERE  are  three  orders  in  the 
natural  body.  The  first  is  to  the 
body  the  same  that  the  husbandmen 
and  laborers  are  to  the  state;  being 
employed  in  raising  the  appetite,  di- 
gesting and  concocting  the  food,  sepa- 
rating the  juices,  and  in  all  the  other 
inferior  offices  of  the  animal  economy. 
This  lower  faculty  works  night  and 
day,  for  the  security  and  preservation 
of  the  others.  For  such  is  the  consti- 
tution of  human  bodies,  that  if  the 
lower  faculties  be  out  of  order,  or 
cease  to  operate,  the  superior,  which 
depend  upon  them,  cannot  subsist. 

2.  The  next  faculty  is  the  sensi- 
tive, diversified  by  the  five  percep- 
tions of  seeing,  hearing,  tasting, 
smelling,  and  feeling,  which  are  all 
more  or  less  noble,  the  one  than  the 
other.  The  sight  is  more  noble  than 
the  hearing,  because  objects  are  seen 
at  a  much  greater  distance  than  they 
are  heard.  The  hearing  is  more  noble 
than  the  taste,  as  being  capable  of  ex- 
erting itself  at  a  greater  distance. 
And  for  the  same  reason,  the  taste 


and  smelling  are  more  noble  than  the 
feeling,  which  is  the  weakest  and  low- 
est of  all. 

3.  The  third  order,  which  is  the 
highest  and  most  noble  of  all,  answers 
to  the  government  in  tlie  state,  and  is 
divided  into  the  reason,  the  will,  and 
the  memory.  These  govern  and  com- 
mand the  faculties,  having  each  a 
function  distinct  from  the  rest.  These 
are  not  corporeal,  as  the  others,  but 
strictly  mental  faculties;  and  are, 
therefore,  more  noble  and  excellent. 
Besides  which,  they  are  also  endued 
with  that  perfect  liberty,  that  they 
cannot  be  compelled  to  anything. 
For  who  can  force  the  will  to  desire 
that  for  which  it  has  no  mind;  or  to 
hate  that  which  it  loves  ?  The  will 
is  altogether  free,  and  cannot  be 
forced.  These  are  clothed  with  vir- 
tues proper  to  each  of  them  ;  as  the 
will  with  righteousness;  the  under- 
standing with  wisdom;  the  memory 
with  eloquence,  etc.  This  is  the 
economy  settled  by  God  in  human  na- 
ture. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

OP  THE  OBLIGATIONS  MAN  LIES  UNDER  TOWARDS  GOD. 
What  hast  thou  that  thou  didst  not  receive  ? — 1  Cor.  4  :  7. 

THERE  are  two  very  general  and  is  this  world  ;  the  other  spiritual  and 

comprehensive  favors,  for  which  invisible,  which  is  tlie  love  of  God. 
man  is  exceedingly  obliged  to  God;        2.  And  though  this  latter  is  indeed 

the  one  visible  and  corporeal,  which  the  first,  as  being  the  foundation  of 

30 


466 


TEUE  CHEISTIANITY.        [Book  IY.  Part  II 


all  his  other  blessings,  which  are  no 
more  than  infinite  rivulets  flowing 
from  this  universal  fountain  of  divine 
love;  yet,  because  it  is  invisible,  the 
folly  of  man  hardly  considers  it  as 
any  mercy  at  all.  So  that  man,  being 
delighted  only  with  visible  things, 
does  not  regard  or  consider  that  the 
love  which  is  concealed  under  them, 
is  greater  and  better  than  the  things 
themselves.  In  a  word,  as  smoke  is 
a  sign  of  fire,  so  are  the  blessings  of 
God  a  certain  proof  of  his  love  to- 
wards us. 

3.  Since,  then,  the  gifts  and  bless- 
ings of  God  are,  as  it  were,  certain 
steps  by  which  to  mount  up  to  God 
himself,  it  follows,  that  his  love  is  as 
great  as  his  gifts  are  ;  and  as  he  made 
the  whole  world  for  the  sake  of  man, 
and  formed  all  creatures  for  his  use, 
and  regards  them  only  as  they  serve 
and  minister  to  his  beloved  creature, 
man ;  as  he  has  exalted  and  loved 
him  above  all  creatures,  and  as  this 
love  of  God  is  the  most  sincere,  pure, 
safe,  and  in  a  word,  the  highest  good, 
which  prompted  him  to  form  and  love 
man,  not  for  any  advantage  which  He 


was  to  reap  from  him,  but  out  of  the 
overflowings  of  his  free  grace  and 
boundless  love  ;  from  all  these  consid- 
erations, I  say,  it  is  plain  that  man  ia 
more  indebted  to  God  for  this  love, 
than  for  all  the  particular  gifts  and  fa- 
vors that  God  can  bestow,  and  man 
receive. 

4.  There  are  two  things  to  be  con- 
sidered in  every  favor:  the  love  that 
precedes  and  influences  the  giver,  and 
the  gift  itself,  which  is  the  conse- 
quence of  that  love.  The  former  is 
not  only  more  noble  and  valuable 
than  the  latter,  but  is  in  all  respects 
equal  to  the  person  that  shows  it. 
Hence,  it  follows,  that  the  love  of  God 
is  as  infinitely  good  and  great  as  God 
himself  This  confirms  the  position 
first  laid  down,  that  man  is  more 
obliged  to  God  for  his  love,  than  for 
any  or  all  of  his  particular  graces 
and  favors.  And  as  man  cannot  sub- 
sist a  moment  without  the  favor  and 
mercy  of  God  (for  on  Him  his  breath 
and  life  entirely  depend),  it  is  plain 
that  his  obligations  to  God  are  greater 
than  those  of  all  the  creatures  be- 
sides. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

OF  ANSWERING  THE  OBLIGATIONS  WHICH  MAN  LIES  UNDER  TO  GOD. 
/  will  love  thee,  O  Lord,  my  strength. — Ps.  18  :  1. 


AS  God  has  freely  and  graciously 
bestowed  all  his  gifts  and  bless- 
ings on  man,  he  thereby  obliges  him 
to  make  some  satisfaction  and  return 
for  all  these  mercies.  Now  man  can 
ofl'er  and  dedicate  nothing  unto  God, 
but  what  is  entirely  in  his  own  pow- 


er ;  so  that  all  his  outward  goods  and 
riches,  are  not  a  proper  offering  for 
God. 

2.  But  as  God  has  bestowed  on  him 
his  greatest  blessing,  which  is  his  love, 
so  he  expects  to  be  requited  with  love 
again.    And  as  the  love  of  God  to 


Chap.  XIII.] 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


467 


man  is  in  the  highest  degree  of  per- 
fection, so  the  love  that  he  requires 
from  us  ought  to  be  perfect,  "  with  all 
our  heart,  with  all  our  soul,  with  all 
our  mind,  and  with  all  our  strength." 
Mark  12:30.  And  how  just  this  re- 
turn is,  both  nature  and  reason  may 
convince  us.  For  nothing  is  more 
natural  and  reasonable  than  to  love 
them  that  love  us,  and  to  proportion 
our  love  to  theirs;  whosoever  does 
not  this,  is  ungrateful  and  unworthy 
of  that  love  which  he  refuses  to  re- 
quite. And  when  God  does  not  meet 
with  this  reciprocal  love  from  man, 
as  he  very  seldom  does,  he  has  then 
just  reason  to  complain  of  injustice 
and  ingratitude;  for  he  requires  noth- 
ing from  man  but  love,  in  return  for 
all  that  infinite  love  and  mercy  which 
he  has  shown  to  him. 

3.  Moreover,  such  is  the  nature  of 
love,  so  sweet,  so  pure,  so  free,  and  so 
acceptable  is  it,  that  neither  fear,  nor 
honor,  nor  o,ny  other  thing,  is  good  or 
desirable,  but  as  it  is  sweetened  with 


love.  No  man  ever  was  so  great,  as 
to  despise  the  love  of  his  inferiors; 
but  the  greater  a  man  is,  the  more 
does  he  court  the  love  and  esteem  of 
those  below  him.  Yea,  so  true  is  this, 
that  God  himself,  the  most  mighty 
and  excellent  of  all  beings,  is  so  far 
from  despising  the  love  of  mankind, 
that  he  earnestly  courts  and  desires 
it.  This  then  being  certain,  that  love 
is  the  greatest  treasure  any  man  has, 
he  is  obliged  to  offer  it  to  God,  who 
has  bestowed  the  fulness  of  his  love 
upon  man. 

4.  By  what  I  have  here  advanced  I 
would  not  be  understood  to  mean  that 
this  perfect  love,  since  the  fall,  is 
wholly  in  our  own  power,  or  that  by 
it  we  can  make  a  perfct  return  to  God 
for  all  his  benefits.  My  only  design  is 
to  show  that  we  are  convinced  in  our 
own  consciences,  not  only  from  the 
Word  of  God,  but  also  from  the  light 
of  nature,  that  we  ought  to  love  God 
as  he  has  loved  us. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


SHOWING  THAT  GOD'S  LOVE  APPEARS  IN  ALL  HIS  WORK^,  EVEN  IN  HIS 

CHASTISEMENTS. 

He  hath  not  dealt  with  us  after  our  sins;  nor  rewarded  us  according  to  our  iniquities.— Ts.  103  : 10. 


AS  love  is  the  root  and  principle  of 
all  the  divine  acts  and  opera- 
tions, it  follows  that  even  afflictions, 
which  are  the  work  of  God,  proceed 
from  love,  and  ought  to  be  received 
by  man  as  instances  of  God's  favor. 
For  love  is  the  root  of  all  the  opera- 
tions of  God. 

2.  Ilence  no  man  ought  to  murmur 
against  God  when  He  corrects  him,  or 


repine  at  His  chastisements,  or  quarrel 
with  His  judgments.  Our  suff'erings 
are  not  chargeable  upon  God,  but  upon 
ourselves.  It  w^ould  become  us  much 
better  to  bear  his  corrections  without 
remitting  our  love  towards  him ;  even 
as  he  punishes  us,  and  yet  tenderly 
loves  us  still.  This  would  be  a  true 
instance  and  proof  of  the  sincerity  of 
our  love  to  God. 


468 


TRUE  CHEISTIANITY.       [Book  IY.  Part  11. 


3.  And  though  there  is  no  propor- 
tion between  the  love  of  God  towards 
man,  and  the  love  which  the  most 
perfect  Christian  bears  to  God,  the 
one  being  infinite  and  the  other  finite; 
yet  is  it  our  duty  continually  to  aim 
at  the  highest  degrees  attainable  by 
us.  We  should  endeavor  that  our  love 
may  be  holy,  pure,  sincere,  and  perse- 
vering, even  in  the  midst  of  sufferings 


and  afflictions;  as  the  love  of  God  to- 
wards us  is  ardent,  pure,  unchange- 
able, and  everlasting,  even  whilst  he 
punishes  and  afflicts  us  for  our  sins. 
If  we  do  not  this,  we  are  the  most  un- 
grateful of  all  his  creatures;  every  one 
of  which,  in  its  order  and  capacity, 
answers  the  transcendent  love  of  God 
with  a  pure  love  and  obedience. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

SHOWING  HOW,  AND  ON  WHAT  ACCOUNT,  MAN  IS  OBLIGED  TO  LOVE  GOD. 

If  a  man  would  give  all  the  substance  of  his  house  for  love,  it  would  utterly  he  contemned. — 

Cant.  8  :  7. 


HITHEETO  we  have  distinctly 
considered  the  obligations  that 
man  lies  under  to  God ;  which  is  a  doc- 
trine founded  upon  that  natural  rela- 
tion that  is  between  the  giver  and  the 
receiver;  and  this  is,  as  it  were,  a  per- 
petual light  of  nature,  to  direct  us  to 
the  several  branches  of  our  duty  to 
God.  For  as  God  has  bestowed  freely 
upon  man  everything  that  he  pos- 
sesses (whence  the  obligation  arises), 
it  plainly  follows  that  man  is  obliged 
to  offer  up  and  restore  unto  God  all 
that  he  has  received  from  him.  On  the 
other  hand,  if  God  had  given  nothing, 
and  man  received  nothing,  there  would 
have  then  been  no  obligation,  nor  any 
rule  or  measure  of  duty. 

2.  But  as  the  love  of  God  is  the  first 
and  chief  benefit  which  he  has  be- 


stowed on  man;  so  it  is  but  just  and 
reasonable  that  he  who  has  so  loved 
us  should  be  loved  by  us  again.  Man, 
then,  has  nothing  from  himself,  nor 
from  others  originally,  but  all  things 
from  God ;  and  by  consequence,  is  ob- 
liged solely  to  God.  And  this  obliga- 
tion cannot  otherwise  be  discharged 
than  by  loving  him  entirely  with  all 
our  hearts  and  with  all  our  strength. 

3.  Lastly,  as  man  continually  de- 
pends upon  God  for  his  life  and  being; 
as  he  continually  enjoys  His  favors  and 
blessings,  and,  by  His  command  and 
order,  the  service  and  assistance  of  the 
creatures;  nothing  less  can  be  expected 
from  so  dependent  a  being,  than  love 
to  Him  who  has  so  generously  and 
bountifully  blessed  him. 


Chap.  XVI.] 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


4G9 


CHAPTER  XV. 

SHOWING  THAT  ALL  THE  CREATURES  CONTINUALLY  REMIND  US  OP  THE  LOVE 

WHICH  WE  OWE  TO  GOD. 

Doth  not  wisdom  cry?  and  understanding  put  forth  her  voice? — Prov.  8  : 1. 


AS  God  has  loved  man  above  all 
the  creatures,  or,  to  speak  more 
properly,  has  loved  him  only,  having 
created  them  all  for  his  sake;  so  this 
perpetual  love  of  God  calls  upon  us, 
and  exhorts  us  to  love  him  with  all 
our  hearts;  yea,  all  the  creatures  of 
the  universe,  whilst  by  God's  com- 
mand they  serve  us,  and  minister  to 
our  necessities,  do,  as  it  were,  with 
united  voices  call  aloud,  and  put  us  in 
mind  of  the  natural  obligations  we  are 
under  to  magnify  and  adore,  to  serve 
and  love  so  gracious  a  Benefactor,  and 
that  freely  and  willingly;  even  as  they, 
by  God's  command,  freely  and  cheer- 
fully assist  and  minister  to  us. 

2.  And  as  their  love  and  service  to 
us  are  not  false  and  hypocritical,  but 
sincere  and  faithful;  so  ought  ours  to 
be  to  our  Creator.  As  they  employ 
their  whole  strength  night  and  day  to 


serve  us;  so  ought  Ave  night  and  day 
to  be  diligent  and  earnest  in  the  ser- 
vice of  God.  As  all  the  creatures,  in 
their  order,  serve  and  minister  to  man 
alone;  so  ought  all  the  powers  of  our 
souls  and  bodies  to  be  employed  solely 
in  the  service  of  God.  And  as  the 
greatest  natural  pleasure  which  man 
has  in  this  world,  arises  from  the  use 
and  enjoyment  of  the  creatures;  so 
nothing  is  more  acceptable  to  God 
than  the  sincere  services  of  a  devout 
soul ;  nothing  delights  him  more  than 
love,  arising  from  a  lively  faith  in 
Christ,  operating  in  a  free  and  willing 
spirit.  From,  what  has  been  said,  it 
is  plain  that  the  creatures  exhort  and 
instruct  mankind  to  love  God :  1.  With 
all  their  strength  ;  2.  Freely  and  will- 
ingly; 3.  Heartily  and  sincerely;  4. 
Solely  and  entirely. 


CHAPTER  XYI. 

A  GENERAL  RULE,  TEACHING  US  HOW  TO  ANSWER  OUR  OBLIGATIONS  TO  GOD. 
Let  my  beloved  come  into  his  garden^  and  eat  his  pleasant  fruits. — Cant.  4  :  16, 


AS  the  creatures  are  appointed  by 
God  to  obey  man;  so  man  is  ob- 
liged to  love  God,  and  in  this  the  crea- 
tures are  our  monitors.  Thus  the 
trees  furnish  us  with  ripe,  sweet,  per- 
fect, and  pleasant  fruits;  which,  if 


they  were  unripe,  sour,  or  rotten,  no- 
bod}'  would  taste  or  care  for.  So  it  is 
not  sufficient  for  man  to  offer  his  ser- 
vice, his  love,  fear,  and  honor  unto 
God,  unless  they  be  genuine  and  per- 
fect in  their  kind,  being  made  accept- 


470 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  IY.  Part  11. 


able  unto  God  through  Christ  and  in 
Christ,  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  who  pro- 
duces in  us  all  true  and  perfect  fruits. 
This  then  is  the  great  end  for  which 
■we  must  labor,  by  faith  and  prayer, 
that  we  may  bring  forth  fruits  accept- 
able to  God :  like  the  trees  which  spend 
the  w^hole  twelve  months  of  the  year 
in  laboring  to  produce  fruits  whole- 
some and  pleasant  to  the  eaterj  for 
God  will  no  more  accept  our  unripe, 
sour,  or  bitter  works,  than  we  our- 
selves would  relish  sour  and  unripe 
fruits. 

2.  Moreover,  as  the  trees  serve  us, 
and  naturally  provide  for  our  pleasure 
and  benefit;  so  is  it  our  duty  to  serve 


God  "  out  of  a  pure  heart,  and  of  a 
good  conscience,  and  of  faith  unfeign- 
ed" (1  Tim.  1  : 5),  without  hj'pocrisy 
and  sinister  designs,  that  both  we  and 
our  works  may  be  acceptable  in  his 
sight.  In  a  word,  that  universal  rule 
which  holds  in  nature,  must  necessarily 
be  transferred  to  our  love  and  duty  to 
God,  namely,  that  a  man  ought  never 
to  cease  from  laboring,  till  he  has 
brought  forth  fruits  acceptable  to  God : 
on  the  other  hand,  that  all  supersti- 
tion, will-worship,  and  hypocris}^,  are 
as  hateful  and  abominable  in  the  sight 
of  God,  as  unripe  or  rotten  fruits  are 
to  us. 


CHAPTER  XYII. 


SHOWING  THAT  THE  CHRISTIAN  WHO  LOVES  NOT  GOD  IS  WITHOUT  EXCUSE. 


This  is  the  love  of  God,  that  loc  keep  his  commandments :  and  his  commandments  are  not 

grievous. — 1  John  5:3. 


AS  God  has  implanted  in  every 
man  a  faculty  of  willing  or  de- 
siring, which  we  call  the  will,  which 
is  also  the  seat  of  love,  both  which 
mutually  depend  on  each  other;  and 
as  man  knows  that  the  chief  Good  is 
to  be  loved  by  him,  and  that  God  is 
that  chief  Good  ;  hence  it  follows,  that 
he  alone  has  a  natural  knowledge  both 
that  he  ought  to  love  God,  and  also  of 
the  reasons  that  oblige  him  to  it. 

2.  For  as  brute  creatures  are  fond  of 
their  benefactors ;  so  man  is  under  the 
highest  obligations  to  love  God,  from 
whom  he  has  received  all  that  he  has ; 
and  if  he  do  not,  he  is  more  stupid  and 
ungrateful  than  the  beasts  that  perish. 
Eom.  12  :  9  ;  Isa.  1 :  3.    Moreover,  as 


it  is  the  nature  of  love  to  exclude  all 
w^eariness  and  sadness  (which  are  the 
effects  of  hatred  and  displeasure),  and 
to  sweeten  and  soften  all  the  labors 
and  difficulties  that  may  attend  the 
service  of  the  person  beloved  (1  Cor. 
13:4,  etc.);  so  we  are  obliged  to  ex- 
press our  love  to  God,  by  all  possible 
tokens  of  satisfaction  and  joy;  since 
love  is  the  happiness  and  comfort  of 
our  souls.  And  in  this  appear  the 
kindness  and  love  of  God  towards  man, 
that  he  does  not  exact  of  us  a  hard, 
severe,  and  painful  service;  but  only 
the  sweet,  the  joyful,  the  comfortable 
exercise  of  love.  Love  casts  out  fear, 
anguish,  and  torment;  otherwise  it 
ceases  to  be  love.    Love  conquers  all 


Chap.  XIX.] 


TEUE  CIIEISTIANITY. 


471 


difficulties,  and  drives  away  all  sor- 
row, filling  the  soul  with  joy  and  glad- 
ness; so  that  if  we  love  not  God,  we 
are  without  excuse. 

3.  B}^  this  I  do  not  mean,  that  man, 
since  the  fall,  can  by  his  own  strength 
and  power,  perfectly  love  God  as  he 


ought;  but  to  show  that  every  man  is 
convinced  in  his  own  conscience,  that 
he  ought  to  love  him  as  well  as  he  can; 
that  he  who  docs  not,  is  worse  than 
the  beasts;  and  that  both  nature  and 
religion  oblige  us  thereto. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

SHOWING  THAT  OUR  DUTY  TO  GOD  TENDS  TO  PROMOTE  OUR  OWN  HAPPINESS. 

By  thy  commandments  is  thy  servant  warned :  and  in  keeping  of  them  there  is  great 

reward. — Ps.  19  : 11. 


HAYING  sufficiently  proved,  in  the 
first  and  second  Chapters,  that 
God  is  an  absolute,  infinite,  and  super- 
abundant Good,  having  all  perfection 
in  and  of  himself,  and  receiving  no 
benefit  from  the  service  and  worship 
of  the  creature  ;  it  follows,  that  all  our 
religious  services,  as  they  cannot  be 
enjoined  without  a  purpose,  so  they 
must  tend  directly  to  our  benefit  and 
advantage.  All  the  time  and  pains, 
therefore,  which  we  spend  in  the  ser- 
vice of  God,  are  really  and  truly  laid 
out  in  the  service  of  ourselves. 

2.  For  so  great  are  the  kindness  and 
love  of  God  towards  men,  that  He  has 


pointed  out  to  them  the  path  of  love, 
that  they  might  w\'ilk  in  it,  imd  drink 
plentifully  of  the  w^aters  of  life.  O  the 
boundless  love  of  God,  who  has  made 
even  our  duty  to  be  our  happiness! 

3.  But  here  we  must  not  think  that 
we  can  merit  anything  by  the  services 
which  we  pay  to  Ilim  ;  for,  in  truth, 
all  the  blessings  that  we  receive  either 
in  this  life  or  the  next,  are  solely 
owing  to  the  free  grace  and  favor  of 
God.  The  sense  and  meaning  of  this 
Chapter  then  is  this  :  that  the  virtues 
or  vices  of  men  are  neither  profitable 
nor  hurtful  unto  God,  but  only  unto 
themselves. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

THE  SERVICE  WHICH  THE    CREATURES  RENDER   TO    MAN,  COMPARED  WITH  THAT 
WHICH  MAN  RENDERS  TO  GOD. 

My  son,  keep  sound  wisdom  and  discretion:  so  shall  they  be  life  unto  thy  soul. — Prov,  3  :  21,  22. 


AS  we  have  already  shown  that 
there  are  two  sorts  of  services ; 
one  which  the  creatures  render  to 


man,  and  the  other  which  men  render 
to  God.  both  tending  to  the  sole  hap- 
piness of  man;  it  remains  now  that 


472 


TRUE  CHEISTIANITY.         [Book  IY.  Part  II. 


we  show  the  resemblance  and  relation 
that  subsists  between  them.  As  for 
the  service  of  the  creatures,  it  is  not 
in  the  power  of  man  to  make  any  ret- 
ribution for  the  good  they  do  us  (for 
everything  that  we  have  is  God's): 
nor  indeed  is  it  fit  to  do  this,  because 
all  the  goodness  of  the  creatures  is  no 
more  than  a  little  stream  of  divine 
goodness,  flowing  to  us  through  them  ; 
and  to  Ilim  alone,  the  Author  and 
Fountain  of  all  good,  all  our  love  and 
gratitude  are  due.  So  then,  though  a 
man  cannot  subsist  one  moment  with- 
out the  assistance  of  the  creatures,  yet 
are  they  not  the  proper  objects  of  our 
love,  but  God  alone;  who,  by  their 
services,  endeavors  to  oblige  and  draw 
us  to  a  reciprocal  love  and  service  to 
himself.  For  what  advantage  is  it  to 
us,  to  live  by  the  help  of  the  creatures, 
unless  we  live  unto  God. 

2.  This  then  is  the  intention  of  God : 
to  instruct  us,  by  the  cheerful  services 
which  the  creatures  pay  to  us,  how 
cheerfully  we  ought  to  love,  to  serve, 
and  obey  him.  For  as  man  cannot 
live  without  the  help  of  the  creatures, 
such  as  the  air  and  universal  nature ; 


so  he  spiritually  dies  unto  God  when- 
ever he  ceases  to  obey  him  and  to  live 
in  Christ.  Moreover,  as  the  life  of 
man  is  nothing  worth,  if  it  be  not 
godl}"  and  devout;  so  the  service  of 
the  creatures  profits  him  nothing,  if 
he  also  be  not  active  and  cheerful  in 
the  service  of  God.  And  as  the  natu- 
ral life  is  nothing,  when  compared  with 
a  life  of  godliness  and  devotion ;  so  the 
service  we  pay  to  God,  profits  us  much 
more  than  all  the  service  the  creatures 
pay  to  us. 

3.  Nay,  he  that  serveth  not  God,  is 
not  worthy  of  the  service  of  the  crea- 
tures; for  as  they  were  made  for  the 
service  of  man,  so  man  was  made  for 
the  service  of  God ;  and  all  the  duty 
they  pay  to  us,  is  only  to  encourage 
us  in  our  duty  to  our  Maker.  When 
this  end  is  not  answered,  we  may  not 
only  be  said  to  use  the  creatures  in 
vain,  but  to  abuse  them.  The  end  of 
all  that  has  been  said,  is  this:  that  as 
God  has  commanded  the  creatures  to 
contribute  to  the  support  of  our  natu- 
ral life,  he  thereby  instructs  us  to  de- 
vote and  dedicate  that  life  entirely  to 
His  honor  and  service. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

ALL  THINGS  ARE  PRESERVED  BY  THE  HAND  OP  GOD. 

The  hand  of  our  God  is  upon  all  ihem  for  good  that  seek  him ;  hut  his  power  and  his  wrath  is 
against  all  them  that  forsake  him. — Ezra  8  :  22. 


AS  man,  the  noblest  of  the  crea- 
tures, cannot  subsist  one  moment 
without  the  help  of  those  that  are 
much  inferior  to  himself;  it  follows, 
that  their  being,  and  the  qualities  by 
which  they  help  and  assist  us,  are  en- 
tirely owing  to  God.    Whosoever  de- 


nies this,  must  believe  that  they  who 
want  not  our  help,  must  be  more  wor- 
thy than  we,  who  cannot  subsist  with- 
out theirs. 

2.  But  the  more  natural  conclusion 
would  be,  that  if  man  cannot  subsist 
without  their  help,  they  w^ho  are  so 


Chap.  XXT.] 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


473 


much  more  ignoble  than  he,  must  like- 
wise depend  on  some  superior  being 
for  their  support  and  preservation. 
But  as  He  that  supports  the  creatures, 
also  supports  mankind  by  their  means, 
it  is  plain,  that  he  can  be  nothing  less 


than  the  Creator  and  Maker  of  all 
things.  For  nothing  can  preserve  our 
being,  but  he  that  gave  it,  and  tliat  is 
God,  who  ordained  the  creatures  for 
our  sakes,  and  man  for  his  own. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

SHOWING  THAT  FROM  THE  SERVICE  OF  MAN  AND  THE  CREATURES,  A  UNION 
TAKES  PLACE  BETWEEN  THE  VISIBLE  WORLD,  MAN,  AND  GOD. 

Forasmuch  as  there  is  none  like  unto  thee,  O  Lord ;  thou  art  great,  and  thy  name  is  great  in  might. 
Who  would  not  fear  thee,  0  king  of  nations? — J  erem.  10  :  6,  7. — If  then  I  be  a  father,  where 
is  mine  honor  9  and  if  I  be  a  master,  where  is  my  fear  ? — Mal.  1  :  6. 


LET  US  now  consider  and  admire 
the  wonderful  union  of  all  the 
creatures  Avith  God,  by  that  double 
service  of  which  we  have  spoken.  For 
as  all  the  creatures  were  made  for  the 
use  of  man,  thence  arises  a  certain  re- 
lation or  union  between  man  and  them; 
as  there  is  by  our  duty  and  service  to 
God,  between  us  and  him.  For  as  God 
intended  to  draw  man  to  himself  by 
the  cords  of  love,  so  he  commanded 
all  the  creatures  to  do  service  unto 
man,  as  being  created  for  his  use  alone; 
and  this  is  a  strong  obligation  upon  us 
to  love,  serve,  and  honor  him. 

2.  Hence  we  may  learn,  that  all  the 
duty  they  pay  to  us,  or  we  to  God, 
tends  solely  to  the  good  and  benefit  of 
man.  As  for  the  other  creatures,  they 
reap  no  benefit  or  advantage  from 
their  several  labors  and  services,  but 
only  that  every  one  is  looked  upon  to 
be  more  or  less  excellent,  in  proi:)ortion 
to  the  service  they  respectively  do  to 
man.  So  likewise  God  receives  no  ad- 
vantage from  our  services  to  him;  but 
the  greater  love  any  man  has  for  God, 
the  more  noble  he  is,  and  the  greater 
benefit  ho  receives.    Whence  it  ap- 


pears, how  wonderfully  this  twofold 
service  unites  the  creatures  to  man, 
and  man  to  God, 

3.  And  would  to  God  that  the  bond 
of  union  which  is  between  God  and 
man,  were  as  strong  as  that  which  is 
between  man  and  the  creatures  I  They 
are  incessantly  employed  in  the  ser- 
vice of  man,  and  never  act  in  a  man- 
ner contrary  to  this  design  of  their 
creation  ;  but  man,  on  the  other  hand, 
bursts  the  yoke,  and  breaks  the  bonds 
of  duty  which  God  has  laid  upon  him, 
debasing  himself  below  the  beasts, 
though  so  much  more  noble  than  they. 
Now  if  the  laws  of  nature  and  reason 
require  the  creatures  to  be  obedient  to 
man,  as  their  lord,  how  much  more 
just  and  reasonable  is  it,  that  man 
should  be  obedient  unto  God  ?  For  as 
the  soul  is  much  more  noble  than  the 
body,  so  is  the  inward  and  spiritual 
service  of  God  much  more  excellent 
than  that  external  and  bodily  service 
of  the  creatures.  And  thus  by  the 
duty  and  service  of  man  to  his  Maker, 
are  all  the  creatures  united  unto  God, 
and  perfected  in  charit}^,  that  they 
may  not  be  created  in  vain. 


474 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  IY.  Part  II. 


CHAPTER    XXI 1. 

FROM  THE  LOVE  WHICH  WE  OWE  TO  GOD,  TROCEEDS  THAT  WHICH  WE  OWE  TO  OUR 

NEIGHBOR. 

This  commandment  have  we  from  him,  That  he  who  loveth  God  love  his  brother  also. — 

1  John  4  :  21. 


AS  we  have  already  shown  above, 
that  our  love  is  entirely  due  to 
God.  and  tliat  this  is  the  jSrst  and  chief 
obligation  upon  us;  hence  it  follows, 
that  it  would  be  highly  unjust  to  alien- 
ate that  love  from  him,  and  fix  it  upon 
any  other  object.  As  God  has  appro- 
priated all  his  love  to  us,  so  ought  we 
entirely  to  consecrate  ours  to  him. 
For  though  the  creatures  indeed  do  us 
good,  yet  they  are  only  agents,  and, 
in  truth,  God  does  us  good  by  their 
means,  forasmuch  as  he  supports,  ena- 
bles, and  commands  them  to  minister 
to  our  necessities.  Whence  it  follows, 
that  man  also,  being  a  creature  of  God, 


appointed  to  minister  to  his  neighbor, 
if  he  does  him  any  service,  ought  not 
to  claim  any  honor  or  love  for  himself, 
which  are  due  to  God  alone. 

2.  But  as  man  is  obliged  to  love 
God  above  all  things,  so  he  is  thereby 
bound  to  unite  his  will  and  love  with 
the  will  and  love  of  God,  and  to  love 
all  mankind  as  created  in  the  image 
of  God,  as  freely  and  sincerely  as  God 
himself  loves  them.  And  he  that  saith 
he  loves  God,  and  loves  not  his  brother, 
created  in  the  image  of  God,  is  a  liar, 
and  the  truth  is  not  in  him ;  for  every 
one  that  truly  loveth  God,  will  love 
his  brother  also. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

MAN  IS  MADE  IN  THE  IMAGE  OF  GOD. 
And  God  said,  Let  us  make  man  in  our  image,  after  our  likeness. — Gen.  1  :  26. 


ALL  the  creatures,  in  their  differ- 
ent orders  and  degrees  of  sub- 
ordination, may  be  said  to  imitate 
their  Maker.  Those  beings  that  are 
endued  with  life  and  sense  come  nearer 
to  him  than  the  vegetable ;  the  ration- 
al, than  the  irrational.  As,  then,  all 
the  creatures  in  their  order  seem  re- 
spectively to  approach  nearer  and 
nearer  unto  God,  and  man  is  the  end 
and  perfection  of  them  all,  it  follows, 


that  he  must  be  in  the  highest  degree 
of  conformity  and  likeness  unto  God. 

2.  For  as  the  wax  represents  the 
perfect  impression  of  the  seal,  so  God 
has  fixed  a  stamp  or  impression  of 
himself  upon  all  creatures;  but  to 
man,  before  his  fall,  he  gave  his  own 
image  and  the  brightness  of  that 
glory,  which  the  rest  of  the  creatures 
partake  of  in  lower  degrees.  Thus  it 
appears  from  the  orders  of  created 


Chap.  XXIY.] 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


476 


beings,  that  man  was  entirely  created  a  spiritual  and  understanding  sou^,  in 

after  the  image  of  God.    And  as  God  which  the  brightness  and  glory  of  tho 

is  a  pure  spirit,  a  holy,  just,  and  un-  divine  image  shone  and  manifested  it- 

derstanding  mind,  so  there  is  in  man  self. 


CHAPTER  XXIY. 

*  THAT  MAN  IS  OBLIGED  TO  LOVE  HIS  NEIGHBOR  AS  HIMSELF. 

He  ihat  loveih  not,  knoweih  not  God;  for  God  is  love. — 1  John  4  :  8. 


AS  we  were  all  originally  created 
in  the  image  of  God,  and  he  is 
endeavoring  to  restore  in  us  this  lost 
image  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  arid  to  save 
us  in  Jesus  Christ,  it  follows,  that  we 
ought  to  love  our  neighbors,  and  look 
upon  them  not  as  aliens  and  strangers, 
but  as  our  kindred  and  brethren,  hav- 
ing all  received  from  the  same  God 
and  Father,  our  life,  and  breath,  and 
all  things.    We  ought  to  regard  them 
with  the  same  affection  that  we  do 
ourselves,  that  so  the  image  of  God, 
renewed  in  us  by  Christ,  may  not  suf- 
fer by  our  fault.    Since,  then,  there  is 
but  one  image  of  God  in  us  all,  and 
we  have  but  one  Redeemer  and  one 
Holy  Spirit,  how  strong  ought  the 
bond  of  love  and  unity  to  be  betwixt 
those  who  represent  but  one  great 
bod}",  and  where  all  are  members  one 
of  another      For  as  our  Maker  justly 
claims  the  first  place  in  our  love,  so 
the  second  is  certainly  due  to  them 
that  are  created  in  his  image.  And 
because  this  image  resides  more  par- 
ticularly in  the  soul,  we  are  thereby 
obliged  to  wish  as  well  to  the  souls  of 
our  neighbors  as  to  our  own ;  so  then 
every  man  is  bound  to  love  his  neigh- 
bor as  to  love  his  God,  and  that  is  a 


necessary  consequence  of  this.  For 
as  God  has  loved  man  from  all  eter- 
nity, and  still  continues  to  love  us,  by 
providing  plentifully  for  all  the  wants 
of  soul  and  body;  he  designs  thereby, 
as  with  the  cords  of  love,  to  draw  us 
to  himself,  and  to  teach  us  that  as  he 
loves  us,  so  ought  we  also  to  love  one 
another. 

2.  Moreover,  as  religion  or  the  wor- 
ship of  God  regards  chiefly  the  good 
and  benefit  of  the  worshipper,  it  fol- 
lows, that  the  love  of  our  neighbor, 
which  arises  from  our  love  of  God, 
necessarily  tends  to  the  same  end.  Or 
shall  we  say  that  the  image  of  God  in 
man  is  profitable  to  the  giver,  and  not 
to  the  receiver  ?  Lastly,  as  the  love 
of  God  and  of  our  neii^hbor  is  the 
first  and  chief  duty  of  man,  it  must 
of  necessity  be  also  his  chief  and 
greatest  good ;  yea,  the  root  and 
fountain  of  all  the  blessings  which  he 
can  possibly  enjoy;  so  that  nothing 
can  strictly  be  called  good  to  him,  that 
proceeds  from  any  other  principle. 
The  more,  therefore,  we  increase  and 
improve  in  the  love  of  God  and  of  our 
neighbor,  the  more  do  we  improve  in 
blessedness  and  happiness. 


476 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  IY.  Part  II. 


CHAPTER    XX  y. 

ALL   MANKIND  ARE  TO  BE  CONSIDERED  AS  ONE  MAN,  OR  AS  BEING  MANY 
MEMBERS  OF  ONE  GREAT  BODY. 

Have  we  not  all  one  father  ?  hath  not  one  God  created  us  ?  why  do  we  deal  treacherously  every 
man  against  his  brother  ? — Mal.  2  :  10. 


AS  all  the  creatures,  the  fire,  air, 
earth,  water,  sun,  moon,  and 
stars,  equally  and  without  any  respect 
of  persons,  serve  and  minister  to  man- 
kind, doing  the  same  service  to  the 
poor  as  to  the  rich  ;  to  the  peasants  as 
to  the  citizens  ;  to  him  that  labors  for 
his  bread,  as  to  him  that  sitteth  on 
the  throne;  by  this  God  teaches  us  to 
look  upon  our  neighbor  as  part  of  our- 
selves, and  all  of  us  together  as  mak- 
ing up  but  one  man.  And  as  he  has 
commanded  all  the  creatures  to  pay 
honor  and  obedience  to  man,  he  de- 
signs thereby  to  instruct  us  that  we 
are  the  image  of  God,  and  ought  to 
live  in  a  constant  imitation  of  him. 

2.  If  we  do  not  this,  and  accept  not 
the  service  of  the  creatures  with 
thanksgiving,  we  are  unworthy  of  the 
least  service  from  them.  Now  as  the 
creatures  itay  equal  service  to  all  men, 
solely  on  account  of  the  image  of  God 
which  they  bear,  how  much  more  in- 
cumbent is  it  upon  us  to  love  and 
honor  our  neighbor,  as  bearing  that 
divine  image.  So  that  the  creatures 
themselves  instruct  us  by  their  exam- 
ple in  the  duties  which  we  owe  to  one 
another ;  for  as  they  regard  all  man- 
kind but  as  one  man,  so  ought  we  to 
do  likewise. 

3.  Lastly,  forasmuch  as  all  of  us  en- 
joy the  love  and  favor  of  the  same 
God ;  are  all  equally  created  in  the 
same  image ;  as  the  love  of  God  is 


universal  to  us  all,  and  his  blessings 
equally  bestowed  on  all;  as  we  all  la- 
bor under  the  same  necessities,  and 
stand  in  need  of  the  same  mercies, 
and  are  obliged  to  pa}^  him  the  same 
duty  and  service;  as  we  are  all  par- 
takers of  the  same  nature,  and  bear 
the  same  name  (for  the  poorest  and 
meanest  is  as  truly  a  man  as  the  great- 
est) ;  as  we  all  receive  an  equal  tribute 
of  service  from  the  creatures ;  and,  as 
it  is  appointed  for  us  all  once  to  die; 
upon  all  these  accounts  we  are,  each 
one,  obliged  to  love  our  neighbors  as 
ourselves,  and  promote  peace,  unity, 
and  charity  among  ourselves. 

4.  From  all  that  has  been  said,  it  ap- 
pears, that  there  is  a  twofold  brother- 
hood among  men  :  First,  as  we  are  all 
the  creatures  of  God,  and  owe  to  him 
our  being,  and  all  the  comforts  and 
supports  of  it,  as  well  as  the  other 
creatures ;  and  secondly,  as  we  are 
distinguished  from  the  rest  of  the  crea- 
tures, and  have  a  closer  and  more 
heavenly  relation  one  to  another,  be- 
ing all  created  in  the  image  and  like- 
ness of  God.  But  there  is  yet  a  much 
more  noble  brotherhood  discovered  to 
us  in  the  Gospel,  by  which  we  are  all 
brethren  of,  and  in,  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  and  members  of  his  spiritual 
body  under  Him,  our  Head,  of  whose 
fulness  we  all  receive  our  different 
measures  and  proportions  of  grace. 
Ephes.  1 :  23. 


Chap.  XXYII.] 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


477 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

CHARITY,  THE  FOUNDATION  OF  THE  GREATEST  STRENGTH. 
Endeavouring  to  keep  the  unity  of  the  Spirit  in  the  bond  of  peace. — Eph.  4  :  3. 


AS  the  greatest  strength  arises  from 
concord,  and  the  greatest  weak- 
ness from  discord;  it  follows,  that  the 
closer  this  concord  is,  the  greater  will 
the  strength  be.  But  in  order  to  be 
united  among  ourselves,  it  is  necessary 
that  we  begin  first  with  being  united 
unto  God.  The  closer  our  union  is  with 
God,  the  stronger  will  it  be  with  our 
neighbors.  For  it  is  impossible  that 
he  who  is  sincerely  and  heartily  united 
to  God  by  love,  should  hate  his  neigh- 
bor, whom  God  so  sincerely  loves. 
Yea,  the  more  ardently  any  man  loves 
God,  the  more  tenderly  will  he  love 
his  neighbor ;  and  the  more  he  loves 
him,  the  closer  will  he  be  united  to 
him. 

2.  Upon  the  diminution  or  increase 
of  our  charity,  therefore,  depends  the 
decay  or  increase  of  our  union;  and 
when  both  are  perfect,  the  strength 
arising  from  them  is  invincible. 
Whence  it  plainly  appears,  that  when 
men  love  God,  they  must  of  necessity 
love  one  another,  and  are  thereby 


united  in  a  perfect  bond  of  union  and 
peace.  But  when  once  they  come  to 
forget  God,  and  to  care  for  nobody 
but  themselves,  then  faction  and  dis- 
cord arise,  which  end  in  ruin  and  con- 
fusion. Here  we  see  the  advantages 
of  concord,  and  the  many  public  and 
private  blessings  that  flow  thence ; 
and  how  all  the  miseries  that  attend 
confusion  and  discord,  rob  us  of  those 
blessings,  which  every  single  person 
may  enjoy  in  the  safety  and  peace  of 
the  public.  In  a  word,  so  great  are 
the  benefits  of  this  universal  love  of 
God  and  man,  that  so  long  as  it  is  pre- 
served, no  power  can  destroy  or  hurt 
us. 

3.  Hitherto  we  have  been  ascending 
by  gradual  steps,  from  the  lowest  crea- 
tures to  God,  our  chief  Good,  being 
taught  and  convinced  by  the  creatures, 
of  the  obligations  under  which  we  are 
to  love  and  worship  God.  Hence  we 
descend  again  from  the  Creator  to  the 
creature;  that  is,  from  the  love  of  our 
Creator,  to  the  love  of  the  creatures. 


CHAPTER   XXVI 1. 


OP  THE  NATURE,  PROPERTIES,  AND  FRUITS  OF  LOVE. 
Take  heed  that  the  light  which  is  in  thee  be  not  c?ar Aness.— Luke  11  :  35. 


THAT  nothing  is  properly  our  own 
but  our  lovC;  is  too  plain  to  need 
any  proof.  Hence,  if  our  love  be  good, 


and  rightly  applied,  our  hearts  and 
the  treasures  that  are  in  them,  are 
good  likewise;  but  if  otherwise,  then 


478 


TEUE  CHEISTIAlSriTY.         [Book  IY.  Part  II. 


we  ourselves  and  all  that  we  have,  are 
evil.  It  is  our  love  only  that  makes 
us  either  good  or  bad.  And  as,  when 
our  love  is  right  and  duly  placed,  there 
can  be  nothing  better;  so,  when  it  is 
otherwise,  there  can  be  nothing  worse. 

2.  And,  since  we  can  call  nothing 
our  own  but  our  love,  it  follows,  that 
on  whatsoever  being  we  place  our  love, 
to  that  we  dedicate  ourselves  and  all 
that  we  have.  Whensoever  w^e  abuse 
or  misapply  our  love,  we  throw  away 


and  lose  all  that  we  have.  So  then, 
if  all  our  goodness  consist  in  the  rec- 
titude of  our  love,  and  all  our  evil  in 
the  misapplying  of  it;  it  follows,  that 
virtue  itself  is  nothing  else  but  our 
love,  truly  and  properly  placed ;  and 
vice  nothing  else  but  a  perverse  and 
irregular  love.  Whosoever  considers 
these  properties  of  love,  cannot  be 
ignorant  wherein  the  greatest  good, 
and  the  greatest  evil  of  man,  consist. 


CHAPTER  XXYIII. 

LOVE  UNITES  HIM  WHO  LOVES  WITH  THE  PERSON  LOVED,  AND  TRANSFORMS  INTO 

THE  SAME  NATURE. 

God  is  love ;  and  he  that  dwelleth  in  love  dwelleth  in  God,  and  God  in  him. — 1  John  4  : 16. 


LOVE  unites  itself  to  the  beloved 
object,  because  it  is  the  nature  of 
love  to  communicate  itself  willingly 
and  freely  to  every  person  or  being 
that  is  disposed  to  receive  it.  For  love 
is  a  free  gift,  and  cannot  be  obtained 
by  force.  And  as  it  is  the  nature  of  a 
gift,  to  be  entirely  in  the  power  of 
him  to  whom  the  last  owner  gave  it ; 
so  our  love  is  entirely  appropriated  to 
him  on  whom  we  have  bestowed  it,  so 
that  w^e  truly  give  up  ourselves  to  that 
thing  on  which  we  fix  our  love.  Thus 
the  beloved  is  united  with  the  lover, 
and  they  two  become  one,  not  by  con- 
straint or  force,  but  freely,  willingly, 
and  joyfully:  and  so  ho  who  loves  is 
made  one  with  the  thing  beloved,  and 
love  takes  its  denomination  from  its 
object.  Uence  we  read  of  carnal  love, 
earthly  love,  and  divine  love,  each  tak- 
ing its  name  and  character  from  the 
objects  on  which  it  is  fixed.  Thus 
then  every  man  has  it  in  his  power  to 


be  changed  with  freedom  and  ease  into 
a  being  more  noble  than  himself 

2.  Moreover,  as  the  will,  without 
controversy,  undergoes  a  change  in 
love,  and  every  change  ought  to  be 
from  an  ignoble  to  a  more  noble  state 
of  being  (as  we  see  the  elements  are 
changed  into  plants  and  herbs,  and 
these  into  the  flesh  of  living  creatures, 
and  they  again  into  the  substance  of 
human  bodies),  it  would,  therefore,  be 
unnatural  to  fix  our  love  upon,  and, 
consequently,  to  be  united  and  changed 
into,  anything  that  is  meaner  than 
ourselves,  but  rather  upon  God,  the 
best  and  supreme  Being;  to  whom, 
according  to  the  order  of  nature,  our 
love  and  will  ought  to  be  united.  Thus 
we  hear,  as  it  were,  the  whole  crea- 
tion calling  to  us,  and  putting  us  in 
mind  of  the  supreme  excellency  of 
God;  upon  which  account  He,  and  He 
alone,  is  worthy  of  our  love. 


Chap.  XXX.] 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


479 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

NOTHING  IS  WORTHY  OF  OUR  LOVE,  BUT  THAT  WHICH  CAN  MAKE  US  MORE 

NOBLE  AND  PURE. 

Love  not  the  world,  neither  the  things  that  are  in  the  world. — 1  John  2:15. 


AS  our  love  is  the  most  noble  pres- 
ent we  can  make,  and  has  a 
power  of  changing  our  will  into  the 
nature  of  the  thing  beloved,  so  that 
we  are  under  the  control  of  that 
which  we  heartily  love;  it  follows, 
that  we  act  meanly  and  unworthily, 
when  we  give  to  anything  that  is  vile 
and  earthly,  the  power  of  enslaving 
our  will,  which  is  a  spiritual  faculty, 
and,  consequently,  more  noble  than 
anything  corporeal :  and  that  he  is 
very  unhappy  and  foolish,  who  places 
his  love  on  his  body,  and  the  gratifi- 
cations of  sense,  for  instance,  on  his 
furniture,  equipage,  houses,  and  es- 
tates; all  which  debase  the  soul,  and 
can  yield  it  no  satisfaction  in  trouble. 


no  comfort  in  the  hour  of  death,  or  in 
the  day  of  judgment.  Nothing  can 
do  this  but  God,  who  is  the  highest 
and  chief  Good,  and  alone  is  worthy 
of  our  love. 

2.  We  must  not,  therefore,  waste 
our  love  on  anything  that  is  not  sen- 
sible of  the  honor  we  pay  it,  nor  able 
to  make  us  a  worthy  return  for  it, 
much  less  on  things  that  corrupt  and 
debase  it,  making  it  earthly,  sensual, 
and  unprofitable.  On  the  other  hand, 
as  God  loves  us  above  all  creatures, 
he  deserves  a  suitable  love  from  us; 
and  that  not  only  as  he  raises  and  en- 
nobles our  love,  but  as  he  requites  us 
with  his  own,  which  is  infinite,  uncre- 
ated and  eternal. 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

OUR  CHIEF  LOVE  IS  DUE  TO  GOD,  AS  THE  FIRST  AND  LAST,  THE  BEGINNING  AND 

THE  END  OF  ALL  THINGS. 

He  is  the  Rock,  his  work  is  perfect:  for  all  his  ways  are  judgment:  a,  God  of  truth  and  without 
iniquity,  just  and  right  is  he. — Deut.  32  :  4. 


NOT  only  the  universal  voice  of 
nature,  but  our  own  consciences 
also  bear  witness  that  our  chief  and 
highest  love  is  due  to  God.  1.  Be- 
cause he  is  our  chief  and  eternal 
Good.  2.  Because  not  only  man,  but 
all  other  creatures  derive  their  being 


from  him.  3.  Because  the  love  and 
goodness  of  God  are  conveyed  unto 
man  by  all  the  creatures.  Whence  it 
follows,  that  God,  who  is  the  Ibuntain 
of  goodness  and  love,  deserves  to  be 
loved  by  us  more  than  any  creature, 
yea,  than  all  the  creatures  put  to- 


480 


TEUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


[Book  IY.  Part  IL 


gether;  they  being  no  more  than 
means  or  instruments  of  convej'ing  to 
us  the  transcendent  and  eternal  love 
of  God.  So  that  our  love  is  never 
true,  right,  regular,  or  reasonable,  but 
when  it  is  fixed  upon  God ;  which 
may  be  properly  called  the  rectitude 
of  our  will. 

2.  On  the  other  hand,  when  self-love 
predominates,  and  a  man  makes  all 
his  love  centre  upon  himself,  that  love 


is  unnatural,  preposterous,  unjust,  and 
irregular,  a  direct  opposition  to  God, 
and  the  root  and  seed  of  all  sin  and 
iniquity.  For  what  can  be  more  un- 
just and  ungrateful  than  to  withdraw 
our  love  from  God,  who  alone  has  a 
right  to  it,  and  to  fix  it  upon  our- 
selves or  upon  any  creature?  This,  in 
short,  is  the  highest  injustice,  and  the 
hiirhest  violation  of  the  laws  of  na- 
ture,  as  well  as  of  God. 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 


HE  WHO  PRINCIPALLY  LOVES  HIMSELF,  ACTUALLY  SETS  UP   HIMSELF  IN  GOD'S 

STEAD. 

O  Lord,  righteousness  helongeth  unto  thee,  hut  unto  us  confusion  of  faces. — Dan.  9  :  7. — Not  unto 
us,  0  Lord,  not  unto  us,  hut  unto  thy  name  give  glory. — Ps.  115  :  1. 


AS  God  is  the  beginning  and  end 
of  all  things,  so  the  first  and 
chief  love  of  man  is  due  to  him.  And 
whosoever  transfers  it  to  any  other 
object,  really  and  truly  makes  that 
his  god;  which  is  the  greatest  affront 
that  can  be  offered  to  his  divine  Ma- 
jesty. For  as  it  is  the  nature  of  love 
to  unite  the  lover  with  the  thing  be- 
loved, so  the  fixing  of  our  love  upon 
any  creature  separates  and  alienates 
us  from  the  Creator.  Whosoever 
principally  loves  himself,  certainly 


loves  everything  else  solely  for  his 
own  sake;  which  he  ought  to  love 
purely  for  the  sake  of  God;  and  so  all 
his  love  is  founded  in  and  upon  him- 
self, which  ought  to  be  fixed  entirely 
upon  God. 

2.  Hence  he  is  employed  in  doing 
his  own  will  instead  of  God's;  he 
usurps  God's  right;  attempts  to  in- 
vade his  kingdom;  sets  up  an  author- 
ity in  opposition  to  God's  kingdom ; 
and  actually  rebels  against  his  Maker 
and  his  God. 


Chap.  XXXII.] 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


481 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 

LOVE  TO  GOD,  THE   SOURCE  OF  ALL   TEIAT  IS   GOOD;  SELF-LOVE,  THE   KOUKCE  OP 

ALL  EVIL. 


0  Israel,  thou  hast  destroyed  thyself;  hut  in  me  is  thine  help.— lloa. 


LOVE  is  the  efficient  cause  of  all 
things;  and  as  there  are  two 
sorts  of  love,  the  love  of  God  and  the 
love  of  ourselves,  and  as  these  are  di- 
rectly opposite  to  each  other,  it  fol- 
lows, that  the  one  must  be  extremely 
good,  and  the  other  extremely  evil. 
But  forasmuch  as  it  is  plain  that  the 
preference  is  to  be  given  to  divine 
love,  it  follows,  that  this  alone  is  good. 
For  the  love  of  God  is  a  divine  seed 
in  us,  from  which  no  evil,  but  all  good 
things  jDroceed.  This  love  unites  it- 
self to  its  object,  which  is  God,  its 
chief,  its  only  Good,  in  whom  it  rests, 
triumphs,  and  rejoices,  even  as  God 
does  in  it.  For  joy  and  pleasure  arise 
from  love,  as  we  learn  in  Psalm  18  : 
1,  2.  This  spreads  itself  over  all  the 
world,  and,  like  God,  its  author  and 
object,  communicates  and  bestows  it- 
self upon  Gvevy  worthy  receiver.  And 
truly,  as  love  finds  all  things  in  God, 
and  is  happy  in  the  enjoyment  of  him, 
it  stands  in  need  of  no  creature. 

2.  But  as  from  divine  love  proceeds 
nothing  but  good,  so  from  self-love 
proceeds  nothing  but  evil.  This  is  the 
root  of  all.  the  iniquity,  sin,  blindness, 
ignorance,  and  misery,  of  which  hu- 
man nature  is  capable.  By  this  a  man 
makes  his  own  will  his  god;  and,  as 
the  true  God  is  the  fountain  of  all 
good,  so  this  false  god,  this  vain  idol, 
our  self-will,  is  the  fountain  of  all  evil. 
Moreover,  as  the  creatures  which  we 
are  so  fond  of,  are  made  out  of  noth- 


ing, and  are  so  weak  and  uncertain 
that  they  are  always  tending  to  their 
original  state,  and,  in  the  meantime, 
are  nothing  but  poverty,  misery,  and 
sorrow;  it  follows,  that  as  man  is 
changed  into  the  nature  of  the  thing 
which  he  loves,  he  must  likewise  par- 
take of  their  inconstancy,  their  pov- 
erty, and  misery,  and  can  have  no  rest 
in  the  enjoyment  of  them.  If  the 
creature  is  vanity  and  sorrow,  the 
heart  that  cleaves  to  the  creature  en- 
ters into  its  vanity,  and  must  be  par- 
taker of  its  sorrow. 

3.  Thus  self-love,  when  it  rules  and 
is  uppermost  in  men,  makes  them 
enemies  to  God,  fills  them  with  all  in- 
iquity, and  brings  them  into  subjection 
to  the  creatures.  As  the  love  of  God 
dilates  and  enlarges  the  soul,  so  the 
love  of  ourselves  contracts  and  strait- 
ens it,  making  it  unjust,  corrupt, 
proud,  and  covetous.  As  the  love  of 
God  makes  us  quiet,  easy,  peaceable, 
and  benevolent;  so  the  love  of  our- 
selves makes  us  unquiet,  turbulent, 
and  ill-natured.  As  the  love  of  God 
reinstates  us  in  the  liberty  of  the  sons 
of  God;  so  self-love  makes  us  slaves 
to  the  creatures.  The  one  gives  us 
firmness  and  constancy  of  mind  and 
will;  the  other  makes  us  inconstant 
and  changeable.  The  one  makes  a 
man  courteous,  courageous,  generous, 
and  oblio'ino;;  the  other  makes  him 
sour,  timorous,  mean,  and  an  enemy 
to  everybody  but  himself 


31 


482 


TEUE  CHEISTIANITY.       [Book  IY.  Part  IT. 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 

OF  THE  LOVE  OP  GOD,  AND  THE  LOVE  OF  SELF. 
The  carnal  mind  is  enmity  against  God. — RoM.  8  :  7. 


AS  it  is  plain  that  by  the  love  of 
God,  or  the  love  of  self,  all  the 
motions  and  operations  of  our  will  are 
governed  and  directed,  and  that  all 
other  desires  and  inclinations  have 
their  birth  and  bias  from  them;  it  fol- 
lows, that  upon  them  depends  all  our 
knowledge,  either  of  good  or  evil. 
For  as  the  love  of  God  is  the  principle 
by  which  Ave  know  and  judge  of  all 
the  good  that  is  in  man;  so  self-love 
discovers  to  us  all  the  evil.  And  who- 
soever understands  not  what  self-love 
is,  knows  not  what  evils  there  are  in 
man;  just  as  he  that  understands  not 
the  love  of  God,  cannot  know  the 
good  that  is  in  Him.  For  no  man 
can  judge  of  either  good  or  evil  who 
knows  not  the  springs  and  fountains 
from  which  they  flow.  The  love  of 
God  is  a  shining  light,  discovering  to 
us  not  only  itself,  but  its  enemy,  which 
is  self-love;  on  the  contrary,  self-love 
is  a  thick  darkness,  blinding  the  eyes 
of  men,  that  they  cannot  see  the  good 
or  evil  that  is  in  them.  These,  then, 
are  the  two  roots  of  good  and  evil, 
which,  whosoever  is  ignorant  of,  can- 
not rightly  judge  of  either. 

2.  For  as  man  consists  of  two 
parts,  namely,  soul  and  body;  so  in 
respect  of  one,  he  sets  his  heart  upon 
honors,  dignities,  and  preferments ; 
whilst  the  other  tempts  and  draws 


him  to  fleshly  and  sensual  pleasures. 
So  that  whosoever  thus  loves  himself, 
must  be  a  slave  either  to  honor  or 
pleasure,  which  he  looks  upon  as  his 
greatest  happiness,  as  gratifying  that 
inclination  to  himself,  which  is  upper- 
most in  his  heart.  And  from  these 
two  kinds  of  self-love  spring  many 
others,  as  various  as  are  the  means 
and  instruments  of  obtaining  the  hon- 
ors, or  fulfilling  the  lusts,  which  have 
taken  possession  of  our  hearts.  And 
these  are  chiefly  three  :  1.  Pride,  or  an 
inclination  to  be  eminent  and  popular 
in  the  world.  2.  Pleasure  and  luxury, 
by  which  we  indulge  and  gratify  the 
flesh.  3.  Covetousness,  or  an  inordi- 
nate love  of  worldly  things.  Whoso- 
ever eagerly  seeks  honor,  cannot  but 
hate  everything  and  every  person 
that  stands  in  his  way  and  hinders  his 
designs;  whence  proceed  anger,  re- 
venge and  envy  of  all  those  who  are 
possessed  of  any  advantages  which 
we  want,  or  which  seem  to  eclipse  or 
lessen  the  figure  which  w-e  desire  to 
make  in  the  world.  Hence  also  pro- 
ceed indolence  and  sloth,  and  a  mean 
fear  of  laboring  or  sufferings,  both  of 
which  are  ungrateful  to  flesh  and 
blood.  In  a  word,  all  sins  and  iniqui- 
ties proceed  from  this  fruitful  fountain 
of  sell-love. 


Chap.  XXXV.] 


TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


483 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

LOVE  TO  GOB,  THE  ONLY  SOURCE  OF  PEACE  AND  UNITY. 
Above  all  these  things  put  on  cJiarity,  which  is  the  bond  of  perfectness. — Col.  3  :  14. 


IF  all  men  had  an  equal  love  for  God, 
the  supreme  Good,  they  would  then 
all  be  of  one  heart  and  of  one  mind, 
and  the  sincerity  and  unanimity  which 
they  would  manifest  in  the  love  of 
God,  would  cordially  unite  them  to 
each  other. 

2.  But  instead  of  this,  every  man 
loves  himself,  and  pursues  the  inclina- 
tions of  his  own  heart,  so  that  hardly 
tw^o  can  agree  together.  For  as  he 
whose  heart  is  set  upon  honor,  can- 
not but  hate  and  envy  every  one  that 
is  preferred  before  him;  so  from  these 
different  interests  and  inclinations, 
nothing  can  proceed  but  emulation, 


strife,  and  discord.  Moreover,  as  ho 
that  pursues  his  own  will,  and  courts 
the  esteem  of  men,  makes  himself  his 
own  god,  there  must  by  consequence 
be  as  many  of  these  idols  and  false 
gods  as  there  are  proud,  ambitious 
men  in  the  world.  Hence  ariae  envy, 
hatred,  wars,  and  fightings,  whilst 
every  one  is  bent  upon  increasing  and 
defending  his  own  grandeur,  in  oppo- 
sition to  that  of  his  neighbors.  Hence 
it  plainly  appears  that  as  the  love  of 
God  is  the  bond  of  peace  and  union; 
so  self-love  is  the  root  and  cause  of  all 
the  discord  and  contention  that  is  in 
the  world. 


CHAPTER  XXXV. 

SHOWING  HOW  WE  OUGHT  TO  LOVE  GOD. 

Now  the  end  of  the  commandment  is  charity  out  of  a  pure  heart,  and  of  a  good  conscience,  and  of 

faith  unfeigned. — 1  Tim.  1  ;  6. 


THERE  is  no  better  way  of  con- 
vincing a  man  than  by  appealing 
to  his  own  conscience.  There,  as  in  a 
glass,  we  may  read  our  duty  much 
more  plainly  than  ten  thousand  teach- 
ers can  instruct  us.  We  have  already 
shown  that  it  is  a  point  of  natural 
equity  to  love  God  above  all  things, 
and  that  he  who  does  otherwise,  sets 
himself  up  as  his  own  idol.  And  now, 
if  any  man  desire  to  know  to  what  his 
duty  to  God  obliges  him,  let  him  look 


into  himself,  and  examine  his  own 
heart,  and  conclude  that  whatsoever 
he  would  have  done  for  himself,  that 
he  is  obliged  to  do  for  God.  There- 
fore, as  self-love  is  natural  to  us  all, 
we  must  reverse  that,  and  offer  to 
God  that  which  we  unjustly  arrogate 
to  ourselves,  by  loving  him  as  we 
have  hitherto  loved  ourselves. 

2.  Wherefore,  as  thou  now  lovest 
thine  own  will,  and  endeavorest  to 
gratify  it  in  all  things,  so  thou  must, 


484 


TEUE  CHEISTIANITY.       [Book  IY.  Part  II. 


for  the  future,  prefer  the  will  of  God 
to  thine  own  will,  and  think  it  better 
to  submit  to  God's  good  pleasure  than 
to  humor  and  gratify  thyself.  Thou 
art  in  love  with  honor  and  esteem, 
and  wouldest  have  everybody  bow  to 
thy  superior  merit  and  character;  turn 
now  this  inclination  of  thine,  and  ap- 
ply it  to  promote  the  glory  of  God, 
and  pray  that  all  men  may  unite  to 
do  the  same.  As  thou  hast  hitherto 
been  angry  with  every  one  that  has 
opposed  thee  in  thy  pursuits  of  glory, 
so  oughtest  thou  now  to  oppose  those 
that  oppose  the  glory  of  God. 

3.  Whilst  thy  heart  is  full  of  self- 
love,  thou  art  greedy  of  praise,  and 


wouldest  have  everybody  think  and 
speak  well  of  thee ;  do  thou  the  same 
for  God  ;  labor  and  pray  that  God  may 
be  glorified  by  all  men,  and  that  every 
creature  may  praise  and  magnify  His 
name.  As  thou  art  very  industrious 
to  be  thought  a  man  of  truth  and 
honesty,  and  wouldest  be  very  uneasy 
to  be  counted  a  liar;  so  oughtest  thou 
also  cheerfully  and  industriously  to 
propagate  and  vindicate  the  truth  and 
veracity  of  God.  From  all  which  it 
appears  that  every  man  may  read  in 
the  book  of  his  own  conscience  the 
obligation  he  is  under  to  love  and 
honor  God  rather  than  himself. 


CHAPTER  XXXVI. 

DIVINE  JOY,  THE  FRUIT  OF  DIVINE  LOVE. 
Let  all  those  that  put  their  trust  in  thee  rejoice. — Ps.  5  :  11. 


THE  end  and  perfection  of  every- 
thing is  the  fruit  it  bears,  or  the 
effects  it  produces,  which  are  as  vari- 
ous as  the  seeds  from  whence  they 
spring.  Therefore,  as  there  are  two 
different  seeds  or  roots  in  man,  name- 
ly, the  love  of  God  and  the  love  of 
ourselves,  which  are  diametrically  op- 
posite to  each  other;  so  likewise  are  the 
fruits  which  they  produce.  Now  the 
end  and  fruit  of  all  human  actions  is 
either  joy  or  sorrow.  Joy,  as  it  is  a 
good  fruit,  must  necessarily  proceed 
from  a  good  root;  and  sorrow,  being 
evil,  must  proceed  from  an  evil  root; 
that  is,  in  short,  all  true  joy  must  pro- 
ceed from  the  love  of  God,  and  all  sor- 
row and  anguish  of  mind  from  the 
love  of  ourselves. 

2.  For  as  all  joy  arises  from  love, 


and  depends  upon  it,  such  as  is  the 
love^  such  also  must  be  ihojoy.  If  the 
love  be  divine,  the  joy  will  be  divine; 
if  earthly,  the  joy  also  will  be  earthly. 
Now  so  long  as  our  hearts  are  united 
to  God  by  true  love,  they  cannot  but 
rejoice  and  be  happy  in  him.  This  is 
a  foretaste  of  eternal  life,  in  which 
both  our  love  and  our  joy  shall  be 
completed  and  perfected  together. 
Therefore,  as  we  shall  there  live  eter- 
nally unto  God,  so  our  love  also  shall 
be  eternal;  and  as  our  love  shall  be 
perfected,  so  it  shall  be  united  with  a 
perfect,  absolute,  infinite,  and  eternal 
good,  being  itself  also  perfect,  un- 
changeable, constant,  and  eternal. 
And  from  a  love  so  pure,  immacu- 
late, and  heavenly,  shall  flow  a  river 
of  joy,  divine,  pure,  precious,  full  of 


Chap.  XXXVIL]  TRUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


485 


rapture,  full  of  grace,  glory,  and  im- 
mortality. 

3.  For  eternal  life  itself  is  notbinn: 
but  this  eternal  joy,  with  some  drops 
of  which,  faithful  souls,  even  in  this 
life,  have  been  often  refreshed  and 
comforted.  This  is  the  meaning  of 
that  passage  in  Canticles  2:4,  "He 
brought  me  to  the  banqueting-house : 
stay  me  with  flagons,  comfort  me  with 
apples."  And  whosoever  has  tasted 
of  this  joy,  can  have  no  relish  for 
worldly  pleasures.  But  as  that  pro- 
ceeds from  the  true  love  of  God,  aris- 
ing from  faith  in  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
it  follows,  that  if  we  desire  to  obtain 
80  great  a  good,  and,  by  tasting  some 
drops  of  this  sweetness,  to  enjoy  this 
earnest  and  foretaste  of  everlasting  life, 
it  must  be  obtained  by  a  lively  faith, 
operating  by  divine  love.  Whence  St. 
Paul  tells  us  that  "the  love  of  Christ 
passeth  knowledge."  Eph.  3  :  19. 

4.  And  as  this  divine  love  is  not  a 
thing  without  us,  but  within  us,  it  fol- 
lows that  this  does  not  depend  upon 
our  external  goods  or  possessions^ 
such  as  riches,  honors,  learning,  meat, 
or  drink,  or  any  other  outward  bless- 
ing; but  that  all  these  things  are  con- 
tained in  it.    And  as  this  love  shall 


attain  its  full  perfection  in  the  otlicr 
life,  so  the  peace  and  joy  that  flow  from 
it,  shall  be  perfect  and  everlasting. 
This  treasure  a  man  shall  have  in  him- 
self, and  no  one  shall  take  it  from  him; 
he  shall  have  a  river  of  living  jilcasurc 
rising  up  in  himself,  independent  of  all 
external  blessings  and  comforts.  And 
as  no  man  knowcth  this  treasure,  but 
he  that  has  it;  so  he  that  has  it,  is  in 
perfect  ease;  he  envies  nobody,  covets 
nothing,  thirsts  after  nothing  but  the 
fulness  and  perfection  of  divine  love. 

5.  The  first  fruits  of  this  treasure 
may  be  possessed  by  faithful  souls 
even  in  this  life,  without  lessening 
the  reversion  in  the  next  life;  yea,  it 
rather  increases  and  spreads  itself  to 
infinite  degrees,  so  that  though  all 
mankind  should  unite  together  in  this 
divine  love,  they  would  be  no  hinder- 
ance  to  each  other,  but  would  rather 
increase  and  improve  their  united 
stock  of  love  and  joy.  For  the  more 
earnestly  any  man  loves  God,  the 
greater  is  his  joy.  And  if  it  be  so  in 
this  world,  how  great  shall  our  joy  be 
in  the  next,  when  God  shall  pour  out 
the  fulness  of  his  joy  and  love  upon  his 
elect,  and  He  himself  shall  be  "all  in 
all."  1  Cor.  15  :  28. 


CHAPTER  XXXYIL 

OP  THE  EVIL  FRUITS  OF  SELF-LOVE. 

Be  afflicted,  and  mourn,  and  weep:  and  let  your  laughter  be  turned  to  ^nourning,  and  your  joy  io 

heaviness. — James  4  :  9. 


AS  true  and  divine  joy  proceeds 
from  true  and  divine  love,  so 
nothing  can  proceed  from  false  love 
but  false  joy.  For  as  self-love  aims  at 
nothing,  delights  in  nothing  but  hon- 


ors, riches,  and  sensual  and  worldly 
pleasures,  all  which  arc  fading,  per- 
ishing, and  subject  to  a  thousand  cas- 
ualties; therefore  the  man  whose  heart 
is  set  upon  them,  cannot  but  be  always 


486 


TEUE  CHEISTIANITY.       [Book  IV.  Part  II. 


fearful,  apprehensive,  and  jealous  of 
every  accident  that  may  deprive  him 
of  his  happiness;  so  that  his  joys  are 
never  solid  or  lasting,  but  false  and 
perishing,  mixed  with  fears  and  cares, 
and  ending  in  disappointment  and  sor- 
row. For  as  the.seed  is,  such  is  the  fruit. 

2.  Now  we  have  already  shown,  that 
self-love  is  corrupt,  impure,  unjust, 
abominable,  and  unnatural,  the  seed 
and  root  of  all  evil,  the  parent  of  weak- 
ness, blindness,  error,  and  death.  And 
the  fruit  or  joy  arising  from  it  is  of  the 
same  sort,  unjust,  impure,  opposed  to 
God,  to  our  neighbor,  and  to  all  right- 
eousness; it  rejoices  in  iniquity,  and 
contempt  of  God.  And  if  it  be  a  sin  only 
to  love  anything  which  God  hateth, 
how  much  more  grievous  a  sin  must  it 
be  to  delight  and  rejoice  in  it  ?  Such  a 
joy  as  this,  which  is  opposite  to  the 
nature  of  every  creature,  and  contrary 
to  the  nature  and  express  will  of  God, 
cannot  but  end  in  everlasting  sorrow, 
death,  and  darkness. 

3.  For  as  divine  joy  brings  us  nearer 
and  nearer  to  God;  so  carnal  joy  car- 
ries us  farther  and  farther  from  him. 
Divine  joy  makes  us  the  friends  of 


God;  but  worldly  joy  makes  us  his 
enemies.  The  former  confirms  and 
strengthens  the  will  in  the  love  of 
God,  makes  the  conscience  eas}',  cheer- 
ful, and  happy;  the  latter  disquiets 
and  torments  the  soul,  making  it  tur- 
bulent, restless,  and  uneasy.  That 
may  be  obtained  without  labor  or 
charge  ;  this  requires  both,  and  all  too 
little  to  support  and  secure  it.  The 
one  produces,  improves,  and  preserves 
love,  peace,  and  friendship  among 
men  ;  the  other  creates  discord,  con- 
tentions and  quarrels,  wars,  violence, 
and  bloodshed.  From  the  one  all  good, 
from  the  other  all  evil  things  proceed. 
The  one  is  a  lively,  salutary,  and  sober 
joy,  full  of  virtue,  full  of  pleasure,  and 
acceptable  to  God ;  the  other  is  fleshly, 
vicious,  dishonest,  base,  and  hated  of 
God.  The  one  increases  our  devout 
longings  after  God  and  goodness;  the 
other  inflames  our  corrupt  desires. 
That  enlightens  the  understanding, 
filling  it  w'ith  divine  light  and  wisdom ; 
this  darkens  and  blinds  it,  and  fills  it 
with  ignorance  and  error.  That  is 
true  and  substantial ;  this  treacherous, 
deceitful,  and  false. 


CHAPTER  XXXVIII. 

EVERLASTING  SORROW  AND  DEATH,  THE  END  OF  SELF-LOVE  AND   CARNAL  JOT. 

If  ye  live  after  the  fleshy  ye  shall  die. — KoM.  8  : 13. 


AS  we  have  already  shown  ever- 
lasting joy  to  be  the  genuine 
fruit  of  divine  love;  it  follows,  that 
without  that  love,  we  cannot  be  par- 
takers of  the  joy,  but  must  sit  down 
at  the  last  in  eternal  anguish  and  dis- 
tress.   For  when  the  condemned  sin- 


ner comes  to  reflect  and  consider,  that 
by  his  own  fault,  he  has  irrecoverably 
lost  all  the  blessings  of  a  happy  eter- 
nity, how  great  must  his  sorrow,  how 
bitter  must  his  grief  be  I  Annihila- 
tion itself  would  be  to  him  a  blessing; 
but  alas !  he  wishes  for  it  in  vain,  lie 


Chap.  XXXIX  ] 


TRUE  CIIEISTIANITY. 


487 


must  bear  hln  burden,  and  undergo  h'm 
punishment  to  all  eternity. 

2.  This  must  raise  in  him  an  eternal 
hatred  and  abhorrence  of  himself"  and 
all  his  adherent  impurities  and  sin; 


which,  whether  ho  will  or  not,  will 
forever  stare  him  in  ti>e  face,  reveng- 
ing, as  it  were,  upon  him  the  past 
sacrilege  of  his  self-love. 


CHAPTER  XXXIX. 

ALL  THAT  WE  HAVE  MUST  BE  OFFERED  AND  CONSECRATED  TO  GOD. 

0  come,  let  us  ucorsJdp  and  how  down:  let  us  kneel  before  the  Lord  our  maker. — Ps.  90  : 6. 


AS  we  are  assured  that  God  is  our 
Creator,  Preserver,  and  loving 
Father,  to  whom  can  we  more  reason- 
ably pay  our  honor,  duty,  and  service, 
than  to  him?  Whom  shall  we  rather 
implore  and  pray  to,  whom  shall  we 
rather  praise  and  gloriiy,  than  him 
that  made  us?  Whom  shall  we  rath- 
er trust?  In  whom  shall  we  rather 
hope?  Whom  shall  we  rather  love? 
In  whom  shall  we  rather  rejoice  and 
be  happy?  Shall  we  not  love  him, 
who  hath  created  us  in  his  own  im- 
age? Shall  we  not  honor  him,  who 
has  exalted  us  above  all  creatures? 
Shall  we  not  devote  ourselves  entirely 
to  him,  who  has  given  himself  entirely 
unto  us?  Who  created  us  for  the 
end  that  we  might  live,  abide,  and 
rejoice  with  him  forever?  Shall  we 
not  love  and  honor  him,  who  has 
adopted  us  for  his  children  ? 

2.  Think,  therefore,  and  consider 
with  thyself,  O  man  !  that  as  God  has 
given  thee  a  rational  soul,  so  thou 
oughtest  to  consecrate  all  the  powers 
and  faculties  of  it  to  his  honor  and 
service.  He  has  given  thee  the  faculty 
of  loving:  therefore  love  him  ;  he  has 
given  thee  understanding:  endeavor 
to  know  him ;  he  has  given  thee  fear : 


therefore  fear  him  ;  the  power  of 
honoring:  therefore  honor  him;  the 
gift  of  prayer:  therefore  pray  to  him; 
of  praise  and  thanksgiving:  therefore 
praise  his  name.  He  has  given  thee 
the  power  of  believing,  hoping,  and 
trusting:  therefore  depend,  and  trust, 
and  hope  in  him  ;  of  rejoicing  :  there- 
fore rejoice  and  be  glad  in  him. 
Lastly,  as  all  things  are  in  him,  and 
he  has  an  infinite  power  of  doing  all 
things,  consider  this  with  thyself  that 
if  thou  rest  and  rejoice  in  liim  alone, 
thou  shalt  in  him  possess  all  things. 

3.  And  hence  arises  the  true  and 
genuine  worship  of  God.  Ho  that 
loves  him,  honors  him;  he  that  loves 
him  not,  affronts  him.  So  likewise  he 
that  fears  him,  honors  him;  he  that 
fears  not,  despises  him.  And  all  the 
other  vices  and  virtues  are  of  the  same 
nature.  By  obedience,  God  is  honored, 
and  he  is  dishonored  by  disobedience; 
the  same  may  be  said  of  faith,  hope, 
charity,  and  gratitude. 

4.  From  all  this  it  appears,  that 
there  is  nothing  better,  more  hon- 
orable, or  more  profitable  for  man, 
than  to  honor  God;  and  nothing  more 
base  and  abominable  than  to  dishonor 
him. 


488 


TEUE  CHRISTIANITY. 


[Book  IY.  Part  II. 


CHAPTER  XL. 


HE  CAN  NEVER  PRAISE  AND  GLORIFY  GOD,  WEO  SEEKS  HIS  OWN  GLORY. 

Kot  unto  us,  O  Lord,  not  unto  us,  but  u7ito  thy  name  give  glory. — Ps.  115  : 1. 


HE  that  in  all  things  seeks  not  the 
glory  of  God,  and  endeavors  to 
promote  it,  does  not  act  like  a  creature 
of  God,  but  directly  opposes  his  Maker, 
and  all  his  designs,  seeing  he  made  all 
things  for  his  own  glory.  And  he  does 
even  worse,  who  measures  all  things 
no  otherwise  than  as  they  contribute 
to  the  raising  of  his  own  glory  and 
honor.  Such  a  one  usurps  tlie  honor 
due  to  God  alone,  and,  like  the  rebel 
Lucifer,  sets  himself  in  God's  throne. 

2.  And  this  he  does  not  only  in  his 
own  soul,  but  endeavors  to  lead  others 
into  the  same  guilt,  by  filling  their 
hearts,  which  ought  to  be  thrones  and 
temples  of  God,  with  the  same  notions 
of  love  and  honor  to  himself,  as  he 
has  entertained  in  his  own  mind  ;  en- 
deavoring as  much  as  in  him  lies,  to 
dispossess  his  Maker  and  settle  him- 
self in  his  room.  But  what  greater 
sin  can  there  be  than  this?  Now  as 
the  consequence  of  this  irregular  lov- 
ing and  honoring  a  man's  self  is,  that 
it  makes  him  the  enemy  of  God,  and 
casts  him  out  of  his  presence  into  the 
pit  of  destruction,  it  follows,  that  he 
who  would  be  the  friend  of  God,  must 
hate  and  deny  himself. 

3.  Eeturn,  therefore,  and  repent,  O 
man  !  believe  in  Christ  and  live  in  him 
as  a  new  creature,  and  he  will  receive 
thee  and  comfort  thee.  But  to  oth- 
ers, who  persist  in  their  rebellion  and 
continue  in  their  corruptions,  he  shall 
say  at  the  last  day :  "  I  never  knew 
you:  depart  from  me,  ye  that  work 
iniquity  !"  Matt.  7  :  23.    Moreover,  as 


the  love  of  Christ  is  our  chief  good, 
our  highest  wisdom,  and  the  perfec- 
tion of  our  knowledge,  and  self-love  is 
perfectly  opposite  to  it :  let  us  be  per- 
suaded to  cast  out  the  love  of  our- 
selves and  of  the  world,  that  the  love 
of  Christ  may  enter  into  our  hearts. 
This  is  that  love  which  perfects  and 
accomplishes  our  Christianity,  and 
with  this  do  thou,  O  God,  refresh  and 
satisfy  our  souls  for  ever  and  ever. 
Amen. 

CONCLUSION. 

1.  The  title  "True  Christianity"  is 
prefixed  to  these  Four  Books  for  the 
reason  that  true  faith  in  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  and  the  righteousness 
which  proceeds  from  faith,  constitute 
the  fountain  from  which  the  whole 
Christian  life  must  flow.  I  have,  ac- 
cordingly, written,  not  for  heathens, 
but  for  Christians;  who  have,  it  is 
true,  adopted  the  Christian  faith,  but 
whose  life  does  not  accord  with  it, 
and  who  deny,  or  will  not  understand, 
the  power  of  faith.  2  Tim.  3:5.  I 
have  written,  not  for  unbelievers,  but 
for  believers;  not  for  those  who  are 
yet  to  be  justified,  but  for  those  who 
are  already  justified.  Hence,  this 
whole  work  on  daily  repentance  and 
Christian  love,  ought  to  be  understood 
in  no  other  sense,  than  that  faith  must 
go  before  as  a  light  in  our  path,  and 
that  it  is  the  foundation  of  all.  Let 
no  one,  by  any  means,  suppose  that 
anything  is  here  ascribed  to  our  carnal 


Chap.  XL.] 


TRUE  CHEISTIANITY. 


489 


free  will  or  to  good  works;  our  solo 
object  is  to  persuade  you,  as  you  arc 
a  ChristiaD,  and  are  anointed  with  the 
Spirit  of  God,  to  let  Christ  live  in  you, 
and  rule  in  you,  and  to  let  the  Holy 
Spirit  govern  you,  in  order  that  your 
Christianity  may  not  be  hypocrisy. 

2.  Hence,  too.  Part  II.  of  this 
Fourth  Book  is  not  to  be  so  under- 
stood, as  if  we  could  love  God  from 
our  own  carnal  will ;  for  love  is  a  fruit 
of  the  Holy  Spirit.  This  Part  II.  is, 
on  the  contrary,  only  intended  to  show 
that,  besides  the  Word  of  God,  the 
Holy  Scriptures,  even  our  own  heart 
and  conscience  may  teach  us,  from  the 
book  of  nature,  and  the  light  of  na- 
ture, that  we  are  bound  to  love  God 
on  account  of  his  great  love  bestowed 
upon  us,  and  manifested  through  the 
means  of  all  his  creatures.  Such  an 
argument,  derived  from  nature,  ought 
to  convince  every  man,  whether  he  be 
a  heathen  or  a  Christian,  a  believer  or 


an  unbeliever;  and  no  one  can  refute 
it.  For,  granting  that  (iod  has  be- 
stowed so  many  mercies  on  u.s,  who 
can  deny  that  wo  are  in  gratitude 
obliged  to  ho  gracious  a  benefactor? 
And  as  he  calls  and  invites  us  to  love 
him,  by  all  the  creatures  which  are  be- 
stowed in  common  upon  all  mankind, 
who  can  deny  that  the  love  of  (jod  is 
discovered  to  us  in  the  book  of  nature, 
and  that  the  heathens  themselves  ma}' 
be  convinced  by  arguments  drawn 
thence  ?  "  The  works  of  the  Lord  are 
great,  sought  out  of  all  tliem  that 
have  pleasure  therein."  Ps.  111:2. 
And,  "  Thou  Lord,  hast  made  me  glad 
through  th}'-  work;  I  will  triumph  in 
the  works  of  thy  hands."  Ps.  92  :  4. 
How  can  these  works  be  more  effect- 
ually praised,  than  in  this  manner? 
The  Lord  God  give  us  understanding 
and  wisdom,  that  we  may  know  him 
and  praise  him  for  all  his  works,  both 
here  and  forevermore.  Amen. 


INDEX. 


The  Roman  Numerals  indicate,  respectively,  the  Four  Book?  ;  the  first  Arabic  numeral  which  followi, 
designates,  in  every  case,  the  Cliopier ;  the  second,  with  any  that  may  follow,  refers  to  one  or  more 
Sections  of  a  chapter.  The  references  to  the  Lntroduction,  the  Prefaces,  the  two  Parts  of  Book  IV., 
etc.,  will  be  readily  understood. 


A. 

Abraham — an  example  of  patience,  II.  47. 16. 
 the  time  when  the  promise  was  given  to 

him,  I.  12.  7. 
Absolution  from  sin,  I.  21.  13. 
Agricola,  Introd.  ^15. 
Adam— his  fall,  I.  Chap.  2  ;  II.  17.  9 ;  II.  34. 

Sect.  4.  1. 

Adam  and  Christ,  contrasted,  II.  7.  1-6. 

Affliction — its  uses,  II.  5.  3;  II.  35.  5. 

  none  for  which  God  has  not  provided 

consolation,  II.  Chap.  48. 

Ahab — his  delusion,  I.  38.  13. 

Anger  of  God — what  is  meant  by  the  expres- 
sion, II.  42.  11. 

Antinomistic  Controversy,  Introd.  ^  15. 

Apology  of  Augsburg  Confession,  Introd. 
§  25. 

Apostasy — when  man  is  guilty  of  it,  II. 
23.  4. 

Arndt — account  of  his  life,  Introd.  §  1,  etc. 

 his  motives  in  writing  the  "  True  Chris- 
tianity," Pref.  to  Book  1. 1 ;  Introd. 
U  20,  21,  24,  31. 

 his  orthodoxy,  Introd.  U  22,  24,  25, 40. 

 his  religious  character,  Introd.  §  26. 

 popularity  of  his  "  True  Christianity," 

Introd.  §  31. 

 translations  of  it,  Introd.  ^  33,  and 

Note. 

 his  death,  Introd.  §  22. 

Ascension  of  Christ  (see  Christ,  etc.),  II. 
25.  11. 


Aspirations  of  the  believer,  I  11.11. 
Augsburg,  Confession  of— Conclusion  of 
Book  II.,  p.  374. 

 Introd.      24,  25. 

 Pref.  to  Book  I.  8. 

Augsburg  Interim,  Introd.     12,  15. 
Augsburg,  Peace  of,  Introd.  g  12. 
AuGUSTiNE—quoted,  III.  6.  2. 

B. 

Babylas,  II.  45.  8. 

Baptism — a  means  to  attain  the  new  birth 

1.  3.  12. 

 a  renewal  of  the  covenant  with  God,  II. 

2.  6. 

 what  is  received  therein,  III.  1.  4. 

Believing  Soul,  a — its  beauty.  III.  4.  2. 
Birth  (see  New  Birth  ;  Regeneration)— 

twofold,  I.  3.  2,  etc. 
Blessedness  of  the  true  believer,  I.  8.  7; 

I.  11.  10;  I.  12.  5;  I.  13.  6;  I.  22.  10; 

I.  34.  17;  I.  36.  7. 
Boehm,  Introd.  U  32,  34,  35. 
BoNAVENTURA— a  saying  of  his,  II.  6.  6. 
Book  of  life,  I.  11.  1. 
Bread,  IV.  Part  I.,  Chap.  3.  14.  35-39. 

c. 

C^sar,  Julius,  I.  27.  5. 

Calling  of  God— inward.  III.  8.  3. 

 outward,  III.  8.  1. 

(491) 


492 


INDEX. 


Calumny — consolations,  II,  17.  4,  etc. 
 consolatory  Scripture  passages,  II.  17. 

13,  etc. 

  how  to  be  overcome,  II.  Ch.  17. 

 why  the  Lord  permits  it,  II.  17.  9. 

Catechism,  Five  Parts  of  Luther's,  III.  1.  4. 

Catechisms,  Luther's  Two,  Introd.  §  25. 

Chaddock,  Eev.  C,  Introd.  §  36. 

Charity  (see  Love,  etc.) — the  foundation  of 
strength,  IV.  Part  2,  Ch.  26. 

Christ  (see  Ascension;  Death;  Incarna- 
tion; Merit;  Resurrection,  etc.) 
— all  recovered  in  him,  that  was  lost 
in  Adam,  II.  34.,  Sect.  I. 

 denied  and  crucified  again,  I.  9.  1,  etc. 

 encouragements  derived  from  his  suffer- 
ings, II.  18.  9;  II.  45.  5. 

 furnishes  a  pattern  of  prayer,  II.  20.  10. 

 his  complaint,  continued,  II.  15.  1-6. 

 his  humiliation,  II.  13.  5,  etc.;  Ch.  14. 

 his  humility,  and  its  lessons,  II.  12.  3. 

 his  kindness,  II.  8.  8;  II.  Ch.  26. 

 his  life,  a  mirror  for  us,  II.  11.  3;  II. 

14.  3. 

 his  patience,  the  consideration  of  which 

alleviates  the  burden  of  the  cross,  II. 
Ch.  56. 

 his  perfect  obedience,  II.  19.  1. 

 his  Person  is  indivisible,  II.  10.  15. 

 his  poverty,  II.  13.  2,  etc. ;  II.  14.  1,  etc. 

 his  righteousness,  III.  1.  4. 

 his  sufferings,  foreknown  to  him,  II.  18. 2. 

 his  three  kinds  of  trouble,  II.  15.  3. 

 how  he  humbled  himself,  II.  13.  8,  etc. 

 how  he  perfects  his  work  in  the  hearts 

of  the  faithful,  III.  Ch.  15. 
 how  he  manifests  himself  to  the  soul,  II. 

Ch.27. 

 our  example,  I.  1.  7 ;  I.  3.  10;  I.  11.  2; 

I.  15.  6;  I.  37.  11;  I.  39.  7;  IL  13.  1; 

II.  44.  8. 

 our  help  in  prayer,  II.  38.  2. 

 teaches  us  how  to  bear  the  cross,  II.  15. 

1,  etc. 

 the  image  of  God,  I.  1.  7. 

 the  only  Head  of  the  Church,  II.  16.  7. 

 the  only  Saviour,  I.  12.  2. 

 the  true  Book  of  Life,  II.  Ch.  13;  II. 

19  1-9. 

 the  two  Natures  of,  in  one  Person,  IL 

6.  1 ;  II.  52.  2. 

 the  union  of  the  two  Natures  of,  indis- 
soluble and  eternal,  II.  6.  2. 

 washing  the  feet  of  his  disciples,  II.  21.  3. 


Christ,  what  an  excellent  gift  he  is,  II.  1.  5. 
(a)-(b). 

 what  he  is  to  the  soul,  II.  1.  4,  (b) ;  III. 

6.  3. 

 wherein  his  highest  glory  consisted,  II. 

16.  3,  etc. 

 why  he  took  upon  himself  our  nature,  I. 

3.  6;  I.  11.  9. 
 why  his  sufferings  were  so  severe,  II. 

18.  2-8. 

Christ  Crucified — benefits  of  the  contem- 
plation of,  II.  20.  15. 

 what  he  teaches  us,  II.  19.  2,  etc. 

Christian,  The — a  stranger  and  pilgrim,  I. 

17.  4,  7. 

 demonstrated  by  practising  the  word  of 

God,  II.  5.  4,  5. 
 his  manner  of  using  temporal  things,  I. 

17.  6. 

 is  anointed  and  baptized  with  the  Holy 

Spirit,  II.  35.  2. 

 the  false,  condemned,  I.  7.  4. 

 value  of  the  name,  II.  II.  2. 

Christianity — wherein  it  consists,  Pref.  to 

Book  I.  5;  1.  39.  7. 
Cities  of  Refuge,  I.  21.  15,  16. 
Comfort,  Heavenly— how  to  taste  it,  I.  36. 

13. 

 why  God  sometimes  delays  to  afford  it, 

II.  Ch.  55. 
Commandments,  Ten— a  test,  II.  4.  3. 
Conclusion  of  Book  II.  page  374. 

 of  Book  IV.  page  488. 

Conscience — pangs  of,  II.  10.  9. 

  three  qualities  impressed   on  it,  I. 

7.  1. 

 see  also  I.  23.  9 ;  IV.  Part  2.  35.  1. 

Consolation— in  affliction,  II.  Ch.  48. 

 means  of  obtaining  it,  II.  48.  10,  etc. 

Contempt  of  the  world— how  to  bear  it,  IL 
15.  7-16. 

Conversation  of  a  believing  soul  with  God, 
II.  Ch.  39;  II.  48.  13. 

Conversation  between  faith  and  the  mercy 
of  God,  IL  Ch.  40. 

Conversion  (see  Repentance,  etc.)— par- 
don bestowed  after  it,  I.  37.  21. 

 a  work  of  divine  grace,  II.  9.  9. 

Corruption  of  human  nature  (see  Original 
Sin) — early  and  later  manifestations, 
I.  2.  5,  6. 

 its  ultimate  result,  I.  2.  10. 

 its  greatness,  I.  8.  8 ;  I.  11.  5,  etc. 

 the  knowledge  of  the,  I.  42.  3. 


INDEX. 


493 


CoYENANT  of  grace — a  source  of  consolation, 
II.  2.  6. 

 the  remembrance  of  the,  a  help  in  prayer, 

II.  38.  11. 
CoVETOUSNESS— its  folly,  I.  17.  7. 
Creation— work  of  the  First  Day  of,  IV. 

Part  I.  Ch.  1. 
 work  of  the  Second  Day  of,  IV.  Part  I. 

Ch.  2. 

 work  of  the  Third  Day  of,  IV.  Part  I. 

Ch.  3. 

 work  of  the  Fourth  Day  of,  IV.  Part  I. 

Ch.  4. 

 work  of  the  Fifth  Day  of,  IV.  Part  I. 

Ch.  5. 

 work  of  the  Sixth  Day  of,  IV.  Part  I. 

Ch.  6. 

Creatures  of  God — how  they  furnish  evi- 
dence of  divine  love,  II.  26.  7,  etc. ; 
II.  29.  5,  etc. 

 how  they  invite  us  to  praise  God,  II.  42. 

14. 

 when  converted  into  idols,  I.  18.  9. 

Creatures,  The  living — all  remind  us  of  the 

love  which  we  owe  to  God,  IV.  Part 

11.  Ch.  15. 

 the  work  of  the  Sixth  Day,  IV.  Part  I. 

Ch.  6. 

Cross,  The — how  to  bear  it,  I.  40.  V. 

 taking  it  up,  II,  10.  4. 

 the  benefits  of  it,  II.  46,  15. 

 the  mystery  of  it.  III.  Ch,  23. 

Cross  of  Christ— I.  4.  4-6  ;  I.  15.  8. 

 a  branch  of  it,  II.  18.  1. 

Crtptocalvinistic  Controversy,  Introd. 
^  15. 

Cyprian — quoted,  Pref.  to  Book  III.  5. 
D. 

Darkness,  Spiritual,  I.  11.  3. 
David,  King,  1.  17.  11. 

 his  example,  II.  5.  2. 

 reason  of  his  desire  to  lead  a  holy  life, 

II.  5.  6. 

Death,  II.  8.  11 ;  II.  57.  20,  etc. 

 consolations,  and  remedies  against  the 

fear  of,  II.  Ch.  57. 

 persons  raised  from,  II.  57.  8. 

 Spiritual,  I.  41.  11,  12. 

 three  kinds  of,  I.  12.  2. 

 why  the  time  of  it  is  concealed  from  us, 

II.  8.  11. 

Death  of  Christ  (see  Christ),  II.  2.  7 ;  II.  25. 
9;  11.26.  3;  11.57.  2. 


Dkvil;  SCO  Satan. 

Dkpendence  on  self— a  gricvf>u.s  sin,  II.  23. 

2,  etc. 

Depravity,  Human  ;  see  Corruption  ;  Orig- 
inal Sin. 

Despair,  I.  40.  VIII. 

Devotions,  Private,  III.  Ch.  12. 

DioNYSius,  St. — quoted,  IV.  Part  I.  1.  6. 

Doctrine  of  Christ,  II.  25.  8. 

Doctrine,  Purity  of— declared  by  Arndt  to 
be  "  the  foremost  point  of  true  Chris- 
tianity," Introd,  24, 

 how  preserved,  I.  38.  11;  I.  39.  1,  etc. 

 its  necessity,  I.  39,  3. 

 maintained  by  Paul  and  others,  I.  39.  2. 

 the  example  of  Christ,  of  the  prophets, 

and  of  the  apostles  in  this  respect,  I. 
39.  4. 

Duty  to  our  neighbor  (see  Love),  I.  31.  4. 
Dying— daily,  to  the  world,  II.  10.  14, 

 to  the  flesh  and  sin,  I,  12.  8,  etc. 

 unto  self,  P  13.  1,  etc. 

E. 

Eating  of  Christ,  The— what  it  is,  I.  36,  10. 
Eisleben,  Introd.  g  22. 
Election  of  grace,  I.  38.  6,  7. 
Enemies— how  to  be  treated,  I.  40.  X. 
Enlightened,  To  be,  I.  37.  3. 

 when  impossible,  I.  37.  7-9. 

Envy,  I.  40.  XI. 

Eternity  of  future  punishments,  I.  7,  5;  II, 
8.  13. 

Example  of  Christ  (see  Christ;  Saints) — 
advantage  of  following  it,  I.  38.  9. 

Examples — of  Moses  and  David,  in  praising 
God,  II.  41,  12. 

 of  pardoned  sinners,  II.  2.  10. 

 of  persons  raised  from  death,  II.  57.  8. 

Existence  of  God — taught  by  the  conscience, 
I.  7.  2. 

Exorcism,  Introd,  g§  G-8, 
Exposition  of  the  consolation  given  in  1  Cor. 
1  :  3-7— II.  Ch,  48. 

F. 

Faith — as  distinguished  from  hope.  II.  50,  1. 

 a  weak  fiiith,  I,  5,  9. 

 a  weak  faith  is,  nevertheless,  faifh,  II. 

51.  9,  etc, 

 by  it,  the  soul  is  united  to  Christ,  III. 

3.  3. 


494 


INDEX. 


Faith,  comfort  for  those  who  are  weak  in, 

II.  Ch.  51. 

 examples  confirming  it,  I.  13.  3-5. 

 gives  quietness  to  the  soul,  II.  34.  Sect. 

7.  2. 

 it  renews  the  whole  man.  III.  3.  7. 

 its  glory,  III.  3.  6. 

 its  influence,  I.  5.  2 ;  I.  5.  9 ;  I.  6.  6 ;  I. 

11.  4;  I.  39.  10;  I.  5.  9;  II.  4.  1. 

 its  purif^-ing  influence,  III.  Ch.  9. 

 its  strength  varies,  II.  51.  10, 

 its  victory.  III.  3.  5,  9. 

— —  means  for  strengthening  it,  II.  51.  16. 
 the  source  of  all  the  Christian  virtues, 

Pref.  to  Book  I.  6.  7. 

 the  true  source  of  religion,  II.  4.  6. 

 the  true  way  of  obtaining  the  believer's 

inward  treasure,  III.  2.  1,  etc. 

 the  work  of  God,  I.  34. 14;  II.  51.  2,  15. 

 what  it  is,  I.  5.  1 ;  I.  21.  9 ;  I.  34.  12. 

 working  by  love,  I.  24.  12 ;  I.  32.  1. 

Fall  of  Adam — how  it  was  occasioned,  I.  2.  2. 

 its  consequences,  I.  2.  1,  3,  4. 

Fasting,  II.  9.  15,  etc. 

Fedderson,  Introd.  §  36. 

Flesh — its  conflict  with  the  Spirit,  I.  16.  2, 

etc. 

Flourishing  like  a  palm  tree — explained,  I. 
22.  4. 

Following  Christ— I.  37.  14. 

 the  sum  of  Christianity,  I.  18.  2. 

Formula  of  Concord,  Introd.  15,  24,  25; 
Pref.  to  Book  I.  8;  Conclusion  of 
Book  II.  p.  374. 

Fruits — the  marks  of  true  and  false  Chris- 
tians, I.  o9  9. 

Future  punishments,  Eternity  of,  I.  7.  5. 

G. 

Glorification  of  our  bodies,  II.  57.  13. 

Glory,  Eternal — the  consideration  of  it  al- 
leviates the  burden  of  the  cross,  II. 
56.  3,  etc. 

God  (see  Love  to) — all  things  preserved  by 
his  hand,  lY.  Tart  II.  Ch.  20. 

 as  infinite  Omnipotence,  II.  Ch.  31 ;  lY. 

Part  I.  Ch.  6.  14. 

 described  by  the  prophet  Joel,  II.  9.  22- 

27. 

 his  calling  is  earnest  and  decisive.  III. 

Ch.  8. 

 his  goodness  or  grace,  II.  37.  6;  lY.  Part 

I.  Ch.6.  13. 


God,  his  incomparable  glory,  II.  42.  16. 

 his  infinity  and  eternity,  lY.  Part.  II. 

Ch.  1. 

 his  knowledge,  lY.  Part  I.  Ch.  6.  13. 

 his  love  a  help  in  prayer,  II.  38.  9. 

 his  love  appears  in  all  his  works,  lY. 

Part  II.  Ch.  13. 
 his  mercy,  II.  8.  7. 

 his  omnipresence,  lY.  Part  I.  Ch.  6.  15. 

 his  omniscience,  II.  34.  Sect.  6;  lY.  Part 

II.  1.3. 

 his  seat  in  the  soul.  III.  Ch.  6. 

 his  veracity,  II.  57.  5. 

 his  wisdom,  shown  in  the  formation  of 

man,  lY.  Part  II.  Ch.  10. 

 how  illustrious,  II.  42.  11. 

 how  manifested,  II.  37.  8. 

 invites  all  men  to  pray,  II.  34.  Sect.  8. 

 is  love,  II.  Ch.  26. 

 manifestations  of  his  wisdom,  II.  Ch.  33. 

 manifested  as  the  Supreme  Beauty,  II. 

Ch.  80. 

 must  be  distinguished  from  his  creatures 

and  his  gifts.  III.  Ch.  21 ;  III.  22.  3. 

 not  to  be  sought  in  any  particular  place, 

for  he  is  everywhere,  II.  34.  Sect.  8. 

 operations  of  his  righteousness,  II.  32. 

3,  etc. 

 reasons,  convincing  us  that  he  hears  our 

prayers,  II.  37.  12,  etc. 

 the  amiableness  of  his  Being,  II.  26.  10. 

 the  eternal  Wisdom,  II.  Ch.  33. 

 the  folly  of  rejecting  him,  I.  36.  18. 

 the  fountain  of  life  and  all  good,  II. 

37.  4. 

 the  highest  righteousness  and  holiness, 

II.  Ch.  32. 

 the  light  of  the  soul.  III.  Ch.  11. 

 the  Omniscient,  knows  what  we  need  be- 
fore we  ask  him,  II.  34.  Sect.  6. 

 the  only  source  of  true  happiness,  I.  36.  9. 

 the  Supreme  Good,  II.  Ch.  28;  lY.  Part 

II.  Ch.  2. 

 the  temporal  and  spiritual  benefits  which 

he  has  bestowed,  considered,  II.  Ch. 
29. 

 what  he  is,  1. 1.  6;  I.  37.  2. 

Godliness — two  motives  recommending  the 

study  of  it,  I.  40.  1. 
Godly  Sorrow  (see  Sorrow  for  Sin),  I.  8.  7; 

I.  11.  4;  I.  20.  20. 
Grace — indispensable,  I.  41.  28;  II.  9.  11. 
 its  influence  and  blessed  results,  I.  34. 

7,  etc. 


INDEX. 


495 


Gregory,  St.— quoted,  III.  15.  2. 
Growing  in  grace,  I.  23.  4;  I.  37.  19. 

H. 

Hardness  of  heart,  I.  38.  3,  etc. 
Hatred— of  self,  I.  14.  1;  I.  14.  14. 

 of  vices,  but  not  of  men,  I.  40.  XII. 

Heart,  Paternal,  of  God,  II.  8.  6. 
Heart,  Purity  of — watching  over  it,  I.  40.  II. 
Heart,  Blindness  of — its  results,  I.  41.  19. 
Heart — its  state,  II.  4.  3 ;  II.  7.  5. 

 must  be  changed,  II.  9.  13. 

 regarded  by  God,  II.  4.  4. 

Hell,  Eternal  pains  of,  I.  7.  5;  II.  8,  13. 
Heaven,  the  work  of  the  Second  Day,  IV. 

Part  I.  Ch.  2. 
Holy  Spirit — how  he  is  driven  away  by 

worldly  pleasures,  III.  Ch.  18. 
 how  he  operates  in  our  souls,  III.  Ch. 

16. 

 office  of  the,  II.  35.  4. 

 our  help  in  prayer,  II.  38.  3. 

 signs  of  his  presence  in  us.  III.  Ch.  17. 

 truly  God,  II.  37.  21. 

Hope— Christ  its  object,  II.  12.  2;  II.  50.  8. 
 how  tested  in  seasons  of  affliction,  II. 

Ch.  50. 

 what  it  is,  II.  50.  1. 

Honor,  Worldly — how  to  be  received,  II.  22. 

7,  8. 

Human  nature — one  argument  of  its  dignity, 

IV.  Part  I.  Ch.  6.  19. 
Humility  (see  Pride) — a  means  of  union 

with  God,  III.  5.  1. 

 exemplified  by  Jesus,  II.  21.  3. 

 explained;  its  happy  influence,  etc.,  I. 

19.  1-16. 

 how  we  are  taught  to  practise  it,  II. 

21.  2. 

 it  must  be  laid  as  a  foundation  in  the 

heart,  III.  Ch.  20. 

 its  necessity,  III.  15.  4,  5. 

 its  power,  II.  Ch.  21. 

 six  steps  or  degrees  of  it,  III.  5.  2. 

 what  constitutes  it.  III.  8.  2. 

 without  it,  all  prayer  is  in  vain,  II.  21.  4. 

Hypocrisy,  1. 12. 11. 

I. 

Idolatry,  II.  22.  3-6. 
Ignatius,  II.  45.  8. 

Image  of  God  in  man — how  man  lost  it,  I.  1. 
8;  I.  41.  11. 


Image  of  God,— originally  hhone  forth  in 

man's  soul,  I.  41.  7. 
 the  dilf(rr(!nt  modfs  in  which  it  appears 

in  man,  I.  1.4. 

  what  it  is,  I.  1.  1  ;  I.  41.  10. 

  what  it  was  intended  to  teach,  1.1.  r>,  9. 

 why  it  was  impressed  on  man,  I.  1.  2. 

Image  of  Satan,  I.  41.  23. 

Imputation  (see  Merit)— of  the  merit  of 

Christ,  I.  8.  17. 

 of  the  righteousness  of  Chri.st,  1.4.  7. 

Inability  of  man,  I.  34.  2,  7 ;  II.  G.  4,  8. 
Incarnation  of  Christ  (see  Cuuist,  etc.),  I. 

11.  9;  I.  31.  9;  I.  34.  4;  I.  37.  11;  II. 

25.  7 ;  II.  26.  2  ;  II.  34.  2;  IV.  Part  II. 

Ch.  5.  2. 

Indwelling  of  Christ  in  man,  I.  5.  9. 
Inheritance  from  Adam,  I.  3.  5. 
Injuries — viewed  as  trials  of  the  heart,  I. 
40.  IX. 

Interim,  Augsburg,  Introd.      12,  15. 
J. 

Jacques,  Introd.      32,  37,  38. 

Joy — divine  and  worldly,  incompatible  with 

one  another,  I.  20.  11. 
 Divine,  the  fruit  of  divine  love,  IV. 

Part  II.  Ch.  36. 

 Heavenly,  how  to  be  accepted,  I.  40.  VI. 

 in  God,  originally  perfect,  I.  41,  8. 

 of  eternal  life,  II.  8.  14. 

Judgment,  Last,  II.  8.  12. 
Julian  the  Apostate,  I.  38.  2. 
Justification,  I.  5.  1. 
 derived  from  God  alone,  II.  6.  8. 

K. 

Knowledge  of  Christ,  etc. — its  excellence, 

1.40.  XV. 

 what  is  comprehended  in  it,  I.  41.  1. 

 wherein  it  consists,  I.  39.  5. 

Knowledge  of  God — his  knowledge,  IV. 

Part  I.  Ch.  0.  12. 
 wherein  it  consists,  I.  11.  18;  I.  21.  6, 

etc. 

Knowledge — of  grace,  I.  21.  5,  10,  17. 
 of  sin,  1.21.  11. 

 of  the  Scriptures — vain,  without  a  holy 

life,  I.  35.  1,  etc. 

L. 

Laurentius  Valla— a  saying  of  his,  II.  5. 4. 
Law,  Inward— its  lessons,  I.  7.  1-3. 


496 


INDEX. 


Lazarus,  the  friend  of  Christ,  II.  13,  4. 
Learning,  Human — is  distinct  from  godli- 
ness, I.  3G.  14. 
Letser,  p.,  Introd.  §  2. 
Life,  Holy — proceeds  from  a  renewed  heart, 

1.  22.  2. 

 rules  for  leading  it,  I.  40,  1,  etc. 

Life  of  Christ  (see  Example),  1. 10.  2;  1. 11. 

16;  I.  14.  8,  etc.;  I.  37.  8, 
Life  of  the  Christian — a  continual  renewing 

of  the  image  of  God,  I.  41.  2. 
Life,  Spiritual,  I.  11.  12. 

 abolished  in  the  carnal  man,  1.  41.  18. 

 different  degrees  of,  Pref.  to  Book  I.  1. 

Life,  Unholy,  I.  10.  1,  3. 

 its  effects,  I.  38.  1,  etc. ;  I.  39.  6. 

Light — Natural,  in  the  understanding,  I.  41. 

17,  26;  III.  Ch.  10.  • 

 of  grace,  III.  Ch.  10. 

 of  nature,  I.  7.  3. 

 of  the  sun  and  moon ;  its  benefits,  lY. 

Part  I.  Ch.  4.  19. 
 the  work  of  the  First  Day,  lY.  Part  I. 

Ch.l. 

Living  in  Christ,  I.  6.  2-5;  I.  36.  1,  etc. 
Lord's  Prayer — its  true  use.  III.  Ch.  19. 
Lord's  Supper— therein  Christ's  true  body 

and  blood  are  received.  III.  1.  4. 
Love  (see  Self-love)— a  bond  of  union,  lY. 

Part  II.  Ch.  28. 
 evils  proceeding  from  the  want  of  it,  I. 

31.5;  L  35.  3. 

 four  particulars  concerning  it,  I.  24.  1. 

 four  properties  of  it,  II.  24.  17. 

 how  it  is  to  be  guided,  II.  24.  11. 

 in  it  are  contained  all  the  duties  of  a 

Christian,  I.  35.  1. 

 its  distinguishing  feature,  I.  35.  2. 

 its  fruits,  I.  30.1-14;  L  32.  6;  IL  24. 

12. 

 its  nature,  properties,  and  fruits,  lY.  Part 

IL  Ch.27. 

 its  necessity,  I.  30.  1 ;  I.  32.  7  ;  I.  35.  7-9. 

 its  noble  character,  II.  Ch.  24. 

 its  pleasantness,  I.  24.  8 ;  I.  29.  11,  12. 

 misguided,  II.  24. 10. 

 mistakes  made  in  reference  to  it,  II.  24. 

2,  etc. 

 never  faints,  I.  24.  9. 

 the  sure  test  of  a  Christian,  I.  24.  7. 

Love,  Our — is  not  a  hard  work,  I.  24.  6. 

 is  the  end  of  the  Commandment,  I.  24. 

5;  1.  26.  4. 

 reasons  why  it  is  due  to  God  alone,  I.  18. 


12  ;  II.  Ch.  24;  II.  29.  13;  I Y.  PartIL 
Ch.  30. 

Love, — what  alone  is  worthy  of  it,  lY.  Part 

II.  Ch.  29. 

Love  of  Christ — the  blessedness  which  it  con- 
fers, II.  Ch.  27. 
Love  to  Christ,  I.  14.  12. 

 signs  of  its  existence,  II.  Ch.  25. 

Love  to  God,  I.  24.  2;  I.  29.  3. 

 a  remedy  against  profane  love,  I.  28.  5 ; 

III.  13.  4. 

 how  it  enters  into  the  soul,  III.  Ch.  13. 

 is  due  to  him,  I.  28.  1,  4. 

 its  influence,  I.  24.  16 ;  I.  28.  2  ;  I.  28.  7 ; 

II.  24.  12,  etc. 

 its  nature,  I.  28.  8;  lY.  Part  II.  Ch.  35. 

 no  excuse  for  the  want  of  it,  lY.  Part  II. 

Ch  17. 

 obtained  by  prayer,  I.  24.  17. 

 out  of  a  pure  heart,  I.  24.  14. 

 Pure,  teaches  how  to  pray,  II.  24.  16. 

 the  source  of  all  that  is  good,  lY.  Part 

II.  Ch.32. 

 unchanged,  I.  24.  23. 

Love  of  God  to  man,  I.  25.  1-6. 

 how  manifested.  II.  Ch.  26. 

Love,  False,  I.  28.  3  ;  I.  35.  6 ;  II.  24.  4,  etc. 
Love  to  our  enemies — why  they  should  be 

loved,  I.  27.  1-9 
Love  to  our  neighbor,  I.  24.  3  ;  I.  24.  18-21 ; 

I.  29.  3-10. 

 a  duty,  I.  25.  2;  lY.  Part  II.  Ch.  24. 

 its  source,  I.  26.  5 ;  1.  28.  10. 

 motives  to  practise  it,  I.  20.  6-16. 

 proceeds  from  the  love  which  we  owe  to 

God,  lY.  Part  II.  Ch.  22 
Lovers  of  the  world — how  they  are  deceived, 

II.  26.  11. 

 their  conduct,  I.  36.  11. 

 their  punishment,  I.  18.  10, 11. 

 their  spiritual  state,  I.  17.  9  ;  I.  36.  2. 

Lusts  of  the  flesh — how  to  be  subdued,  II. 
Ch.  18. 

Luther — his  successful  opposition  to  the  pa- 
pacy and  other  sects,  I.  39.  2. 

M. 

Majoristic  Controversy,  Introd.  15,  19. 
Man — general  rule  on  the  subject,  lY.  Part 

II.  Ch.  16. 

 his  liberty  of  choice,  I.  17.  2. 

 his  natural  state,  II.  5.  ^. 

 how  much  he  owes  to  God,  TV.  Part  II.. 

Ch.  6  ;  Ch.  8 ;  Ch.  9  ;  Ch.  11 ;  Ch.  12. 


INDEX. 


497 


Man,  like  a  shadow,  is  nothing,  II.  10.  13,  14. 

 only  a  pilgrim  on  earth,  I.  13. 16. 

 the  image  of  God,  I.  1.  6 ;  IV.  Part  II. 

Ch.  23. 

 what,  and  why  made,  IV.  Part  II.  Ch.  3. 

 why  he  should  love  God,  IV.  Part  II. 

Ch.  14. 

 why  made  in  the  image  of  God,  IV.  Part 

II.  Ch.4. 

Man,  The  Inward— Outward,  I.  16.  1. 
Man,  The  Natural,  II.  5.  6. 
Man,  The  Old— New,  1. 15.  1,  etc.;  I.  16.  11 ; 
II.  7.  1. 

Marks  of  love  to  Christ,  II.  Ch.  25. 

Martyrs — false,  I.  35.  7. 

 spiritual,  II.  53.  20. 

 their  fidelity,  II.  45.  7. 

Meekness,  II.  47.  2. 

Mephibosheth,  II.  10.  6. 

Merit  of  Christ  (see  Imputation),  I.  14.  7  ; 
I.  31.  8;  I.  34.  1;  11.  2.  8. 

 an  infinite  satisfaction,  II.  2.  11,  12. 

MiCAH,  the  prophet — pointing  out  the  foun- 
tain of  consolation,  II.  49.  4, 

Muhlenberg,  Introd.     34.  41. 

Music— its  origin,  IV.  Part  II.  Ch.  7.  3. 

Music,  Divine — several  kinds,  in  the  Old 
Testament,  II.  41.  10. 

Muenzer,  Thomas,  Introd.  ^  15.E 

Name  of  God — doing  all  things  in  it,  I.  18.  5. 

Narrow  way  in  Christ — chosen  by  the  Chris- 
tian, II.  34.  Sect.  4. 

Neighbors  (see  Love)— judging  them,  III. 
Ch.  11. 

New  Birth  (see  Birth;  Eegeneration) — 

how  etfected,  I.  3. 1. 
 it  alone  renders  our  works  acceptable  to 

God,  I.  31.  10. 

 its  fruits,  I.  11.  17. 

 its  necessity,  I.  3.  8  ;  I.  41. 16. 

 what  it  is,  I.  5.  2,  4. 

o. 

Oath,  Divine — a  source  of  consolation,  II.  2. 
2-5. 

Obedience  of  Christ,  II.  2.  13. 
Offerings  brought  to  God,  I.  40  VII. 
Oil,  IV.  Part  I.  Ch.  3.  43,  44. 
Old  Man,  The  (see  Man) — encouragement 
derived  from  the  strife  with,  I.  16.  11. 
Omnipresence,  Omnipotence,  etc. ;  see  God. 


OuiGiNAL  Sin  (gee  Corruptio.n),  I.  2.  8  ;  I. 

41.  13,  etc.;  I.  42.  2. 
 its  nature  set  forth  in  Book  I. ;  Pkef.  to 

Book  II.  2. 
Osiandrian  Controversy,  Intkod.  ^  15. 

P. 

Palatinate,  The,  Introd.  g  17. 

Paracelsus,  Introd.  §  28. 

Pati  ence,  Christian — (;onsolationii,  1 1.  47, 1 7. 

 examples  of,  II.  47.  IG. 

 motives  to,  II.  Ch.  46. 

 produced  by  divine  consolations,  II.  Ch. 

45. 

 reasons  for  exercising  it,  II.  Ch.  44.- 

 Scriptural  sentences  respecting  it,  II. 

47.  4^15 

 sustained  by  the  truth  and  i)romises  of 

God,  II.  Ch.  49. 
 what  it  is,  II.  44.  1  ;  II.  45.  1  ;  II.  47.  2, 

3;  III.  Ch.  14. 
Perfection,  Absolute — not  attainable,  I.  11. 

11 ;  II.  51.  3. 

 not  found  in  this  world,  II.  4.  2. 

Perfection  of  the  Christian  life — wherein  it 

consists,  Pref.  to  Book  III.  7. 
Pericles,  I.  27.  5. 

Peter  and  Paul — their  religious  character,  I. 

17.  12. 
Phocion,  I.  27.  5. 

Pilgrimage,  Our — its  nature,  I.  17.  10. 
Plato,  II.  30.  4. 

Poor  and  contrite.  The — acceptable  to  God, 

I.  19.  11-16. 
Poverty  of  spirit,  III.  5.  1. 
PR.a:TORius,  Introd.  §  1. 
Praise  to  God — benefits  and  eflScacy  of,  II. 

Ch.  41. 

 oflfered  by  holy  men,  II.  42.  13. 

 reasons  for  offering  it  daily,  II.  Ch.  42. 

 to  offer  it,  man's  greatest  privilege,  II. 

43.  4. 

 to  ofler  it,  the  most  honorable  employ- 
ment of  men,  II.  Ch.  43. 

 when  offered,  a  source  of  consolation,  II. 

48. 14. 

Prat,  To — sinful,  whether  in  dependence  on 
our  own  merit,  or  to  forbear  on  ac- 
count of  our  unworthinoss,  II.  34. 
Sect.  9. 

Prayer — a  consolation  against  the  fear  of 
death,  II.  57.  12. 

 all  men  invited  to  it,  by  God,  II.  34. 

Sect.  7. 


498 


INDEX. 


Prater — a  means  of  obtaining  consolation 

in  affliction,  II.  48.  13. 

 a  protection  against  calumny,  II.  17.  6. 

 benefits  of  continual,  II.  84.  Sect.  3. 

 certainty  that  it  will  be  heard,  II.  49.  7. 

 conversation  of  a  believing  soul  with 

God,  in,  II.  Ch.  39. 

 efficacy  of  the  prayer  of  faith,  II.  41.  6. 

 encouragements  to,  II.  20.  11,  etc. 

 encouragements  to,  and  lessons  on,  II. 

34.  Sect.  12. 
 evils  which  follow  the  neglect  of,  II.  34. 

Sect.  2. 

  in  Tsalm  109:  l,etc.,  explained,  II.  16. 

1,  etc. 

 its  necessity,  I.  42.  4  (e) ;  II.  5.  4;  II. 

Ch.  20. 

 internal,  II.  20.  4;  III.  Ch.  19. 

 its  benefits,  power,  and  ground,  II.  Ch. 

36. 

 its  numerous  qualities,  offices,  etc.,  II. 

36.  16. 

 mental,  II.  20.  7. 

 oral,  II.  20.  3. 

 pattern  of.  furnished  by  Christ,  II.  20. 

10. 

  reasons  why  God  certainly  hears  it,  II. 

Ch.  37. 

 seven  helps  for  our  infirmities  in,  II.  Ch. 

38. 

 strengthens  faith,  II.  51.  16. 

 secret,  II.  36.  9. 

 supernatural,  II.  20.  4. 

 taught  by  love  to  God,  II.  24.  16. 

 temptations,  when  we  pray,  II.  20.  16, 

17. 

 the  sign  of  a  true  Christian,  II.  Ch.  35. 

 the  worshipper  not  restricted  to  any  cer- 
tain times  of,  II.  34.  Sect.  11. 

 vain,  without  humility,  II.  21.  4. 

 when  acceptable  to  God,  II.  20.  9. 

 when  not  heard,  II.  37.  23,  etc. 

 wherein  it  consists,  II.  20.  1. 

 why  it  is  enjoined,  II.  20.  8. 

 why  we  should  commune  with  God  in 

prayer,  II.  34.  Sect.  5. 

Preface  (Author's)  to  Book  I.  p.  xxxix. 

 Book  II.  p.  157. 

 Book  III.  p.  375. 

 Book  IV.  p.  423. 

Pride  (see  Humility),  I.  31. 1,  etc. ;  I.  39.  8; 
III.  20.  2. 

 influence  of,  II.  22.  2,  etc. 

 its  properties,  III.  20.  1-4. 


Pride — remedy  against  spiritual,  II.  7.  7. 

 spiritual,  I  42.  4. 

Priesthood  of  Christ,  II.  2.  15. 
Prodigal  Son,  Parable  of,  II.  8.  2,  etc. ;  II. 
10.  7. 

Promises,  Divine — the  chief  source  of  the 
Christian's  consolation,  II.  2.  1;  II. 
45.  6. 

Providence — a  source  of  comfort,  II.  45.  2; 

IV.  Parti.  Ch.  0.  16. 
 of  God;  three  things  wherein  it  consists, 

IV.  Part  ].  Ch.  6.  12.  etc. 
Psalms — six,  called  Golden  Songs,  II,  43.  1. 
 suited  to  various  circumstances,  II.  41. 

12. 

 the  Penitential,  I.  4.  9,  note. 

Punishments,  Future — eternity  of,  I.  7.  5. 
Punishments,  Temporal,  II.  8.  9;  II.  8.  13. 

E. 

Rationalists,  Introd.  |  40. 
Reconciliation  to  our  neighbor,  I.  29.  1,  2. 

 enforced  by  three  arguments,  II.  4.  4.  a. 

b.  c. 

 the  terms  of,  I.  29.  14. 

Refuge,  Cities  of,  I.  21.  15,  16. 
Regeneration  (see  New  Birth) — by  divine 

goodness,  II.  9.  3. 

 how  efi'ected,  I.  3.  4. 

 in  what  it  consists,  I.  3.  7;  II.  9.  1,  etc. 

 its  necessity,  I.  41.  27. 

 men  invited  to,  II.  9.  4. 

 produced  by  divine  threatenings,  II.  9.  2. 

 whence  it  proceeds,  I.  3.  11, 12. 

Remission  of  Sins — follows  repentance,  I.  8. 

12,  16. 

 is  not  granted  without  repentance,  I.  34. 

12. 

Renewal  in  Christ,  I.  3.  5. 

 continued,  I.  22.  4,  etc. 

Repentance  (see  Conversion) — a  quality  of 

it,  I.  29.  16. 

 daily,  I.  20.  10 

 founded  on  humility.  III.  20.  3. 

 four  properties  of,  II.  10.  1,  etc. 

 illustrations  of,  I.  21.  12;  II.  8.  1,  etc. 

 its  fruits,  I.  42.  2  ;  II.  9.  28. 

 its  necessity,  I.  8.  1-15;  1.  37. 10;  I.  37. 

22,  23. 

 manner  of,  II.  9.  14, 

 motives  to,  II.  9.  22,  etc. 

 the  source  of  the  Christian's  life,  Prkp. 

to  Book  I.  1. 


INDEX. 


499 


Kepentance— what  it  is,  I.  4.  1-11;  I.  8.  2; 

1.  21.  10;  II.  3.  l,ctc. 
 when  it  is  unfeigned,  II.  10.  14. 

 without  reconciliation  and  restitution, 

not  acceptable  to  God,  I.  29.  19. 

Resurrection  of  Christ  (see  Christ),  II.  25. 
10;  II.  67.  4. 

.  its  fruit,  II.  57.  11. 

Kesurrection  of  our  bodies — a  ground  of 
comfort,  II.  57.  3. 

Eevelation — punishment  of  those  who  re- 
ject it,  I.  7.  7,  8. 

Righteousness — by  faith,  II.  3.  8. 

 whence  it  proceeds,  I.  5.  8  ;  II.  3.  4. 

Righteousness  of  Christ — made  our  own,  II. 
3.  6. 

Righteousness,  Our— its  foundation,  I.  3.  9. 
 whence  it  proceeds,  II.  3.  1,  etc. 

S. 

Saints — example  given  by  them,  II.  17.  4,  5; 
II.  17.  10;  II.  44.  8;  II.  52.  15;  II. 
54.  8. 

 their  constant  practice,  I.  20.  18. 

 their  example,  a  help  in  prayer,  II.  38. 

5-8. 

 their  example,  a  source  of  comfort,  II. 

45.  8. 

 their  temptations,  II.  52.  2,  etc. 

Satan — his  character,  I.  41.  22. 

 his  fall,  I.  31.  7;  II.  17.  9. 

 his  fiery  darts,  II.  52.  6. 

 his  image  in  man,  I.  2.  3. 

 his  want  of  power,  II.  53.  2,  3. 

Schwenkfeldt,  Introd.  ^§  14,  24. 
Scriptures  (see  Word) — their  purpose,  I.  6. 
8,  9. 

Sea,  The — lessons  taught  by  it,  Ch.  5.  15. 
Seeking  after  God — two  ways.  III.  4.  1. 
Self-denial,  1,4.  3 ;  I.  14.  6 ;  I.  15.  4,  etc. ; 

II.  7.  2;  II.  10.  2;  III.  23.  4. 
Self-love,  I.  31. 1,  etc. ;  IV.  Part  II.  Ch.  33. 

 its  actual  result,  IV.  Part  II.  Ch.  31. 

 its  dangers,  I.  14.  2,  etc. ;  I.  31.  3;  I.  31. 

7;  I.  14.  10. 

 its  evil  fruits,  IV.  Part  II.  Ch.  37;  Ch. 

38 ;  Ch.  40. 

 its  remedy,  I.  31.  8. 

 its  source,  I.  31.  6. 

 the  source  of  all  evil,  IV.  Part  II.  32. 

2,  3. 

Self — worship  of,  II.  23. 
Seevetus,  Introd.     15, 16. 


Sin  (see  Original  Sin;  Rkmimhion)— never 

comes  alone,  I.  37.  18. 
Slander,  see  Calumny. 
Sloth— to  bo  phukcn  off,  II  5.  7. 
Smalcald  Articles,  Introd.  ^  25. 
Solomon's  throne.  III.  5.  2. 
Sorrow  for  Sin  (hoc  (ioDLY  Korrow)— iu 

happy  influence,  I.  20.  7. 
Sorrow— worldly,  and  godly,  I.  40.  IV. 
Soul— its  dignity.  III.  7.  1;  IV.  Part  I.  6. 

18-24. 

 its  image  phining  forth  originnlly  in  the 

body,  I.  41.  7. 

 its  original  holy  nature.  I.  41.  5. 

 the  habitation  of  the  iloly  Gho.st,  II. 

35.  3. 

 the  things  that  instruct  and  comfort  it, 

IV.  Part  II.  Ch.  7. 
Spirit  and  flesh  (see  Holy  Spirit)— conflict 

between  them,  I.  IG.  2,  etc. 
Stars,  The,  IV.  Part  I.  Ch.  4. 
Strasburg,  Introd.  g  2. 
Substance  of  the  Christian  religion— is  faith 

and  love,  I.  30.  1. 
Supper,  The  Lord'.s— wherein  Christ  gives 

us  his  body  and  blood,  II.  10.  G;  III. 

1.4. 

Symbol,  what — Introd.  §  41,  Note. 

Symbolical  Books,  Introd.  ^.^  22, 24,  25,  40, 
41,42;  Pref  to  Book  1.8;  Conclu- 
sion of  Book  II. 

Synergistic  Controversy,  Introd.     15,  19. 

T. 

Talents — not  thoy,  but  faith  and  love  re- 
quired, I.  32.  1,  etc. 

 why  bestowed,  I.  32.  4. 

Tauler,— Pref.  to  Book  I.  8  ;  Introd.  g  29. 

 quotations  from,  II.  53.  20;  III.  1.  3. 

 subject  of  his  Sermons,  I.  37.  16. 

Temporal  things — design  of  their  creation, 

I.  17  1. 

 loss  of,  I.  20.  21,22. 

 preference  of,  otiensive  to  God,  I.  18.  1, 

etc. 

Temptations,  Spiritual — comforting  instruc- 
tions for  those  who  labor  under  them, 

II.  Ch.  52;  II.  Ch.  53;  II.  Ch.  54. 

 God  refreshes  the  weak  in.  III.  23.  3. 

 not  tokens  of  God's  anger,  II  53.  13. 

 origin  of,  II.  52.  4-7. 

 reasons  why  they  are  sent,  II.  52.  7,  etc. ; 

II.  53.  4,  etc. 


500 


INDEX. 


Testimony  of  the  Spirit,  IT.  2.  9. 
Tdeology — what  it  is,  Pref.  to  Book  I.  2. 
Thirst — ours,  and  Christ's,  I.  36.  24. 
Thirty  Years'  War,  Introd.  ^  22. 
Thomas  a  Kempis,  Pref.  to  Book.  1.  8; 

Introd.  ^  29. 
Titus,  the  Roman  emperor,  I.  27.  5. 
Trinity,  Holy — benefits  conferred  by,  II. 

29.  10. 

  dwelling  in  the  hearts  of  believers,  III. 

I.  1. 

Treasure,  Internal — means  of  attaining  it, 

111.  Ch.  1. 

 of  the  believer,  III.  Ch.  1. 

 what  it  is,  and  on  what  it  depends,  III. 

Ch.  3. 

V. 

Unbelief — its  fruits,  I.  37.  4. 

Union  with  Christ — of  the  highest  necessity, 

II.  6.  3. 

Union  with  God,  II.  6.  1. 

 a  property  of  true  repentance,  II.  10.  15 

 its  necessity,  II.  28.  4. 

V. 

Vanity  and  emptiness  of  man,  II.  23.  1. 
Vengeance  of  God — set  forth  by  Moses,  II. 
32.  7,  8. 

Vice — abounding  among  Christians,  I.  7.  6. 
Vincent,  St.,  II.  45.  8. 
Virtue — false  love  of,  II.  24.  9. 

w. 

Warfare,  Spiritual — an  encouraging  evi" 

dence,  1.  16.  11. 

  even  in  the  godly,  I.  16.  7. 

Waters — separated  from  the  land,  the  work 

of  the  Third  Day,  IV.  Part  I.  Ch.  3. 
 they,  and  their  productions,  IV.  Part  I. 

Ch.  5. 


Weigel,  Introd.  I  28. 

WiLDENHAHN,  InTROD.        10,  26,  30. 

Will  of  man — originally  conformed  to  the 

will  of  God,  1.41.  6. 

 what  it  now  is,  II.  6.  7. 

Wine,  IV.  Part  I.  Ch.  3.  40-42. 
Wisdom — how  to  be  acquired,  II.  5. 1. 
Woman  of  Canaan,  The,  III.  5.  1. 
Word  of  God  (see  Scriptures) — its  gracious- 

ness  and  efficacy,  I.  36.  20,  21. 

 not  a  dead  letter,  I.  6.  2. 

 reading,  etc.,  it,  a  protection  against 

calumny,  II.  17.  7. 

 who  reject  it,  I.  38.  8. 

Word  and  Sacraments — means  of  grace,  II. 

9.  7. 

 strengthen  faith,  II.  51.  16. 

 their  design,  I.  38.  1. 

Works— how  judged,  I.  33.  1 ;  II.  5.  6. 
 how  they  may  be  rendered  acceptable  to 

God,  III.  Ch.  22. 
 their  source  must  be  faith,  I.  33.  4:  II. 

22. 1. 

 they  cannot  justify,  I.  5.  6. 

 worth,  their,  how  to  be  judged,  II.  4.  5. 

Works,  Good — God  alone  the  Author,  I.  21. 
21. 

World — its  vanity,  II.  57. 17,  etc. 

 necessity  of  withdrawing  from  it,  I.  23. 2. 

 relinquishing  it,  I.  20.  25. 

Worldly  pleasures — drive  away  the  Holy 

Spirit,  III.  Ch.  18. 
Worldly  society,  I.  23.  5,  etc. 
Worship,  True — of  God,  I.  21.  3,  etc. 
 required,  on  our  own  account,  I.  21.  21, 

22. 

 seated  in  the  heart,  I.  21.  19 ;  I.  26.  3. 

 three  things  belonging  to  it,  I.  21.  6. 

 wherein  it  consists,  I.  26.  2. 

Y. 

Yoke  of  Christ,  I.  4.  6;  I.  11.  13. 


